The University’s Department of Facilities and Services will participate in an mock emergency oil spill exercise at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires everyone who works with chemicals and oil to have a spill containment contingency plan, said Keith Erickson, management engineer for the University’s Energy Services Administration. There are oil tanks on portion of the south campus, between West Kirby Avenue and St. Mary’s Road near South Oak Street.

He said the University must perform an annual drill that replicates a 2,100 gallon oil spill and a drill every three years that replicates a 1 million gallon spill.

“The purpose of the drill is to test our ability to respond and our ability to work with other responders,” Erickson said.

To replicate the spill, the sewer water near St. Mary’s Road will be dyed bright green to observe how the spill is transmitted. People from the Department of Facilities and Services; county emergency management staff; Champaign, Urbana and Savoy fire departments; public safety; and environmental contractor s will participate in the drill.

Erickson said that multiple emergency response vehicles and a helicopter will be there during the drill, which is supposed to last until noon.