Overturning on a motorway service area, a truck split open the 25,000 l tanker of acrylic acid that it was transporting. The tank had only one compartment. The acid leaked, seeped into the ground and threatened the VEUGE river and a water table supplying a water abstraction point. Firefighters set up a safety perimeter and the remaining product in the tanker was transferred into a tank. As a preventive measure, the Prefect requested the shutdown of the drinking water distribution system for the municipality of RAHON. After a few hours without water for the 450 residents, water was provided by a neighbouring municipality’s distribution system. A system was installed to monitor the quality of the water in the VEUGE river and water table. The gendarmes (French military police) prohibited any access to the motorway service area until the ground had been completely cleaned by the carrier. The truck driver was hospitalised.