27 Aug 2015

Drilling mud spills into New Plymouth stormwater system

12:52 pm on 27 August 2015

Up to to 300 litres of synthetic drilling mud has been spilt into the stormwater system near New Plymouth.

Taranaki Regional Council says is working with the company responsible, M-I Swaco, to remove the mud from the Mangati stormwater system at Bell Block, north of the city

It has deployed booms and absorbent pads to contain the mud in the stormwater ponds and is using a skimmer to recover the material.

The council is analysing and assessing water samples, but says because the material has been contained in the ponds, the environmental effects on the Mangati Stream are likely to have been minimal.