In a joint statement by the Village of Payne and the Paulding County EMA, the odor coming from the sewer, in isolated areas of the downtown has been tracked and traced back to the Payne Mara Mart Gas Station, on the corner of Main and Bailey Street. The odor was first detected on Monday Afternoon. Village officials, along with the fire department and the water/sewer started to track and trace where it was coming from. On Tuesday, the fire chief contacted Edward Bohn, Paulding County Emergency Management Director to get involved. With the instrumentation of the fire department and EMA, the odor was determined to not be flammable or a health hazard, even though people were complaining of headaches. Two local businesses temporally closed, Good Time Saloon and Puckerbrush Pizzeria, due to the smell and the employees having headaches.
On Wednesday, the village firefighters and the water/sewer department personnel began opening-up the manholes covers on Main Street and Merrin Street, where the odor was being reported. Director Bohn was called back to the village, using the county’s five gas meter to get air samples from the sewer. Once again, no flammable hydrogen sulfide, or oxygen deficient readings were being detected, however a sheen was noticed on the water. After tracking it back to the storm sewer on the northeast corner of Main Street, it was petroleum product that appeared to be coming from the Mara Mart gas station. Ohio EPA was then notified.
On Thursday, village officials met with Ohio EPA, the fire marshal’s BUSTER representative and management from C&Y Oil company, the owners of Mara Mart. The results from the testing and monitoring from the previous days and on Thursday confirmed it was gasoline that had been getting into the sewer. C&Y Oil management immediately took action to rectify the problem and hired an Environmental Clean-up Company to come in and address the situation. From Thursday afternoon through most of SEC and ERS Company personnel were on sight to deal with the leaking product and to evacuate the odor from the sewer.
At no time, were there any concern for the drinking water being contaminated, nor the safety and wellbeing were the public being exposed to the odors, people smelling. At this time, it is not determined the quantity of the product that leaked into the sewer, but the problem is being dealt with under the guidance of the Ohio EPA and BUSTER. Mayor Steve Wobler stated “I am pleased with the efforts of the village’s fire department, water/sewer department and Mara Mart to find the problem and work towards correcting the issue”. The community will continue to be informed as events progress. Direct Bohn will stay on top of the situation and keep all parties, informed of any necessary updates.
Contact numbers for the Village of Payne (419)-263-2514
Contact Number for Mara Mart/ C&Y Oil (419)-551-9965
