Germantown water employee fired after diesel spill

Sep 28, 2023

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — During a Thursday town hall with its citizens, Germantown officials provided an update on the city's water crisis, including new details surrounding the employee who apparently caused the leak of diesel fuel that shut down the city's water supply for a week.

Germantown officials said that employee is no longer employed by the city as of Thursday. Germantown Mayor Mike Palazzolo told ABC24 the worker was filling the diesel generator at the city's water treatment plant when, somehow, it overflowed, causing what the city now estimates was more than 250 gallons of diesel to spill into the water supply.

He said the diesel drained down a slope, contaminating dirt above the source to a major storage tank.

The unnamed employee was a 'tenured' worker with the city, according to Palazzolo.

“Now much of this is still under investigation, but we can tell you a worker was here and was refilling the diesel tank below to keep the generator operating to provide power to the water treatment plant. At some point it overflowed and overflowed by a lot. By at least 100 gallons. It may be more… again, it's under investigation,” said Palazzolo. “The diesel fuel seeped into these massive tanks that hold some 4 million gallons of drinking water."

Palazzolo said the dirt has now been removed and the ground re-sodded.

Palazzolo apologized for what happened and promises steps are being taken so it won't happen again.

The city said Tuesday morning that all water samples collected Sunday, July 30, are 'clear, non-detect for diesel.' The City released the results of the samples HERE. They said this video explains the testing and 'interpretation of results.'

But on Wednesday, according to the city, one fire hydrant located near Germantown Fire Station 3 came back testing for a small amount of "diesel organics" in the water. The city said that hydrant and others in the area were flushed, and a new sample will be tested.