An innovative approach saves groundwater supplies from leaking underground storage tanks
Conference
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OSTI ID:416849
- Whitman & Howard, Inc., Wellesley, MA (United States)
In 1991, officials of the Town of Natick, Massachusetts learned that its groundwater supplies were threatened by leaking underground residential fuel storage tanks buried in the yards of hundreds of homes, many of which were located in close proximity to the Town`s water supply wells. The problem heightened when banks stopped approving mortgages or equity loans on homes with underground tanks. The estimated cost to remove the tanks and remediate contaminated soil was $2 million. In order to protect its water supply and preserve its residential property tax base, Natick launched an innovative municipal program to finance and manage the removal of tanks and contaminated soil. As a result of quick and unprecedented community/consultant action, a response plan was developed and technical solutions implemented which involved: Aquifer/Groundwater Protection; GIS Mapping; and Hazardous Waste Site Remediation. The Town engaged Whitman & Howard, Inc. of Wellesley, Massachusetts as engineers to plan, design and oversee tank removals and soil remediation and to administer a $1 million innovative program HUD grant which was used to subsidize the 5 program and cap each homeowner`s cost at $5,000. 320 tanks were removed; 45 % were leaking and required action to remove and remediate contaminated soils. The prototype program provided a number of technical lessons and work products applicable to communities facing a similar problem: (1) Current technology review of alternatives for remediation of petroleum contaminated soils; (2) Geographic Information System (GIS) matrices & mapping protocols; (3) Immediate Response Action Plan to meet new DEP regulations; (4) Innovative approach to project financing; (5) Development of relationships among tank type and age; soils; presence of groundwater; and extent of leakage and soil contamination; and (6) Indicators identified to characterize contamination including: headspace, TPH, odor, soil type, and soil staining.
- OSTI ID:
- 416849
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-951023--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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