Port Angeles officials warn residents not to drink tap water after an oil tanker spilled into a local creek.

PORT ANGELES, Wash. — Residents of Port Angeles are being urged by local officials to avoid consuming tap water as testing continues following an oil tanker rolling over and crashing into Indian Creek.

As of 8 a.m., the “Do Not Drink” order is in place for all City of Port Angeles water utility customers. A tanker truck rolled and spilled an estimated 3,000 gallons of diesel and gasoline into the Clallam County creek on Friday, according to the Department of Ecology. Indian Creek feeds into the Elwha River, which is the main source of potable water for Port Angeles. In response, they cut off the reservoir to incoming water. 

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) began testing water samples Saturday. In an alert issued Sunday, Port Angeles officials say some of the DOH-required tests involve review from out of the state, “which is taking longer than expected.” Gov. Bob Ferguson is expected to visit the crash site and meet with local leaders on Sunday.

“This is a devastating accident for Indian Creek and the Elwha River,” Ferguson said in a statement. “This spill is nothing short of heartbreaking for local tribes and other Washingtonians who rely on clean, healthy rivers and streams for their food and livelihoods.”

Port Angeles says its water reservoirs have been depleted to critical levels, and it must begin producing more water before all test results are available.

Residents of Port Angeles should not drink their tap water, and use bottled water “for all drinking, brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice, and food preparation until further notice.” Officials say pets also shouldn’t drink the water.

Officials urge people not to try and treat the water themselves, as the potential contamination is not bacterial, but chemical-related. The tap water is safe for “bathing, showering, flushing toilets, and doing laundry.”

A Petro Fuel tanker traveling along Highway 101 west of Port Angeles went down an embankment on Friday morning, coming to a rest in Indian Creek. The tanker was carrying 3,900 gallons of diesel and 6,000 gallons of gasoline at the time. The truck was successfully lifted out of the embankment by Saturday morning. A Washington State Patrol press memo shows the driver of the tanker was cited for negligent driving in the second degree.


Water distribution sites

Port Angeles says city officials will distribute free bottled water on Sunday for drinking and cooking at two locations in the city. The supplies will be limited based on household size.

  • Civic Field, 307 South Race Street (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
  • Shane Park, 613 South G Street (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Deliveries of water are currently being prioritized for Olympic Medical Center and “other critical facilities” to maintain necessary services.

KING 5’s Helen Smith contributed to this report.