Shorewood Citgo Station Follows DNR Request, Hires Consultant

The gas station indentified as the source of a fuel leak in Shorewood's sewer system has retained a consultant; now tasked with developing a plan to address gasoline-contaminated soil.

, Citgo station owner Syed Rizvi hired Environmental and Development Solutions Inc. John Hnat, the DNR program manager assigned to the case, said Rizvi's attorney confirmed Monday he has retained the Milwaukee-based engineering firm.

Now, Rizvi and the consultant must provide the DNR with a plan to address contaminated soil by Nov. 14. If DNR officials are satisfied with the plan, the consultant will perform tests to pinpoint the actual source of the problem near the station. Hnat said hopefully a cleanup effort will follow any tests performed by the consultant. Rizvi will be responsible for picking up the check for any consultant fees.

Reports of gasoline fumes seeping into residents' basements prompted fire officials and crews to investigate the source of fuel in the village's sanitary sewer system. They would work for weeks before isolating the gas station as the source. Fire and DNR officials have said the fuel likely came from a one-time spill at the station, sometime within the week fuel fumes were first reported.

Hnat said officials' working theory is there were two tanks transferring fuel under the station and one of the tanks was full, and potentially overflowed.

The DNR's order to address the fuel spill came after crews in the ground.

Safia Rizvi, Syed’s wife, has said the she and her husband plan to comply with DNR’s requests, but contends they haven’t lost a drop of gasoline.

, after being shut down for a little over a week.

North Shore Fire Department officials have since rid the sewer system of any sign of fuel.