WOODSTOCK — The town launched a cleanup effort after less than one pint of paint spilled in Kedron Brook when a Woodstock town employee misused a crosswalk paint sprayer on Tuesday.
Officials eventually determined that there was no lasting impact of the spill, which occurred near 10 Mechanic Street in the village.
As is usual when the sprayers are spent, the employee put a couple gallons of water through the machine to clean out residual paint, which was then discharged, Woodstock Fire Chief David Green said in a Thursday phone interview.
In this case, the discharge found its way into a storm drain directing to Kedron Brook, Green said. The paint caused the brook to become visibly discolored, he said in a Thursday news release about the incident.
Because the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources prohibits towns from discharging into rivers, the town began its spill response protocol, Green said. The town notified the Vermont Office of Emergency Management, the Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont Hazardous Materials and River Management Engineer Todd Menees, the release said.
Since the paint was water-based, it rapidly diluted into the river, Green said. There are no concerns about the paint being toxic, nor is it expected to stain rocks, he added.
Fish swimming in the clear water on Wednesday indicated that there was no lasting impact to the brook, the release said.