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1/30/2026
WT Staff
 Drinking water questions? Give us a call at 877-52-WATER (877-529-2837), or email info@wtny.us
Friday, January 30, 2026 1254 pm EST
Hazardous Spill File: A tanker truck-worth of heating oil reported spilled in and around NY homes in January 2026
NYS Emergency Spill Line - Report a Spill - 1-800-457-7362
As much of New York State remains under a Cold Weather Advisory with dangerous wind chill values Friday, survival necessitates using whatever means available to stay warm. It comes as no surprise, failure of heating oil storage tanks and appliances is the single greatest contributing factor for the incidents reported to the NYS Emergency Spill line this month.
According to New York Department of health, oil spills can "contaminate drinking water wells, storm sewers, drainage ditches, surface water, groundwater, soil, and air. The impacts on groundwater and wells can take years to address and treatment systems are costly."
When the spills are contained within a building, even a small amount releases toxic fumes, dangerous for humans and pets living in the building. NYDOH estimates two million homes are still heating with fuel oil. The risk of spills increases as equipment ages, as seen in the number of incidents reported in January 2026.
Of the 504 hazardous spill incidents called in to the NYS Emergency Spill Line in January, 146 (29%) were #2 Fuel Oil spills, on average, five per day. The majority of these, a full three-quarters of heating oil spill incidents are reported occurring inside private homes, on residential property, or in other places where people gather, including schools, churches and synagogues, nursing homes and hospitals.
Of 108 heating oil spills occurring in places where people live or attend school, just over half reported the known quantity spilled. A large oil delivery tanker truck-worth, more than 3400 gallons leaked out across 57 reported spill locations, averaging more than a barrel of oil in each. In fact, there were five incidents reporting more than 200 gallons spilled at the residence, the largest reporting known quantity 270 gallons, more than 5 barrels.
State health authorities urge residents to be cautious with heating oil spills, as even a small quantity spilled inside the home can be dangerous. Spills over one gallon require a professional response and clean-up effort. From NY DOH on-line guidance:
When an oil spill occurs at home, residents sometimes need to find another place to live until the clean-up is complete due to the strong odors and an increased risk for health effects. Breathing heating oil odors can cause short-term symptoms like headaches, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, increased blood pressure, and irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Skin contact with heating oil can also irritate the skin. These symptoms typically go away after you are no longer exposed to heating oil.
Exposure to heating oil odors over a long period of time can increase the risk for serious health problems like liver and kidney damage, increased blood pressure, other blood problems, and cancer.
Another 50 incidents reported an unknown quantity of oil spilled in the homes, which taken as an average of the other reports, could add up to another tanker load, impacting the health of hundreds of people.
By 2030, it may no longer be possible to replace heating oil furnaces and storage tanks in New York. NYS Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act 2019 (CLCPA) looks to eliminate all fossil fuel consumption by 2040, recommending an end to the purchase and repair or replacement of oil burning appliances a few short years from now.
In Cold Reality, a Nov 2023 report from the Empire Center for Public Policy, author James Hanley states, "In 2030, New York may begin a policy of forcing New York families to use electricity for home heating instead of fuels like heating oil, propane and natural gas." The report goes on to estimate the expense of electrification of homes. Heat pumps, upgraded windows, doors and insulation cost could run up to $40,000 per home, with a payback period longer than the mortgage term.
WT reached out to a handful of plumbing and heating companies for comment on the number of calls to repair heating equipment. The response was unanimous, "Too busy!"
N
DEC receives upward of sixteen thousand spill reports each year; each report is investigated by qualified personnel. Report files are closed when it is determined the spill is contained and under the control of the spiller or state authorities and a clean up plan is in place or completed.
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