South Jersey Man Admits to Causing Oil Spill While Cleaning Pool

A South Jersey man pleaded guilty to recklessly causing an oil spill last year in Spring Lake and Mantua Creek in Washington Township, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said Tuesday morning.

John Caldwell, 48, of Washington Township, admitted that he used a vacuum truck containing an industrial solvent to pump the water from his swimming pool and discharge it into a storm drain.

He said he believed the truck, which is used to transport a petroleum distillate called “cutting oil,” was empty. However, it wasn’t, and when he discharged water from his pool, his discharged the water into the lake.

The storm drain had a warning sign: “No Dumping - Drains to Waterway.”

Caldwell’s former employer, EISCO, owned the truck, which included a 3,600 gallon tank.

EISCO, which has a fleet of vacuum trucks, was contracted to transport cutting oil in connection with tank cleaning operations at the refinery.

EISCO fired Caldwell after the incident, which took place on June 29, 2014.

Later that day, homeowners reported an oily substance in Mantua Creek and a strong odor of diesel fuel around the creek and Spring Lake, which is near the intersection of Pittman Downer and Fish Pond roads.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Division of Criminal Justice Environmental Crimes Unit responded, along with the Washington Township Fire Department.

Investigators traced the spill to the storm drain in front of Caldwell’s house on Uranus Road.

They saw oil staining on the drain and smelled the same diesel fuel in front of his house. Witnesses said they saw the truck at Caldwell’s house. A hose stretched from the truck to the swimming pool behind the house. Later, there was a hose from the truck to the storm drain. Investigators spoke to Caldwell, who admitted that he used the vacuum truck to pump out his swimming pool.

he DEP oversaw cleanup of the spill by a private contractor. Approximately 3,000 gallons of oil were recovered from the lake and the creek.

Caldwell pleaded guilty to an accusation charging him with violating the Water Pollution Control Act and causing or risking widespread injury or damage, both third-degree crimes.

He faces five years of probation, conditioned upon him performing 150 hours of community service, paying a $5,000 fine, and paying restitution of $193,894, including cleanup costs and $2,385 in overtime costs for the Washington Township Fire Department.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 26.