Client Successes

Case Study - Fuel Oil Release

An oil company arrived at a middle school to deliver #2 fuel oil. Approximately 4,200 additional gallons of #2 fuel oil was pumped to a 150-gallon #2 AST on an emergency generator instead of the 20,000-gallon #2 fuel oil heating UST for which the delivery was intended. As a result, 4,200-gallons of fuel oil flowed out of a release valve on the top of the 150-gallon AST, onto the mechanical room floor, and into floor drains that lead to a sewage-pumping chamber at the school. When the oil in the chamber rose, the oil was pumped into the city's sanitary sewer system via the sump pump and passed through city sewer lines to the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP)

Upon discovery of the fuel oil release during the delivery, the oil company driver immediately halted the delivery of fuel oil to this AST, and as such, effectively eliminated the source of the release. A permanent solution has been achieved for this release and all uncontrolled sources of oil and/or hazardous materials related to this release have been eliminated via the response actions performed.

The presumed subsurface release migration route is situated primarily along areas of interspersed residences and businesses. Receptors in the immediate area of the release consist of the middle school, including students and faculty. Potential receptors down gradient of the release source area include occupants of residences, businesses and institutions along the migration route. Potential environmental receptors located down gradient include a lake, two ponds and a river along the spill migration route before the WWTP. Booms were placed in the sewer lines along two streets, as well as at the six foot covert outfall at one pond.

A section of the sanitary sewer line was video taped. This section was taped due to the fire department reports of petroleum odors in the vicinity of a credit union. The video tape was utilized to identify breaks, holes, unknown connections or areas from which #2 fuel oil could migrate from the sanitary sewer line.

Based upon the notes identified by technicians, was a possible connection between the sanitary sewer and the sub-drain and storm water drains may exist.

This required 24-hour surveillance by CEA personnel at the WWTP from for eleven days.. Vacuum trucks were stationed on-site for virtually 24-hours a day from the day of the spill. At times, up to four vacuum trucks were stationed on-site.

All remediation waste generated at the release site and areas of impact were stored and transported off-site to proper facilities.

All activities performed on site were conducted in conformance with the Immediate Response Action Plan and all conditions of approval established by the MA DEP. IRA activities were conducted under the supervision of a Licensed Site Professional.