Fuel Oil Poured Down A Septic System Inspection Port

Fuel oil is mistakenly delivered down a septic inspection port, causing environmental mayhem. How could this disaster be prevented?

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It was a nightmare of mistaken identity for the school district in Waldoboro, Maine, when a fuel delivery worker dumped 2,000 gallons of heating oil into a septic system inspection port. The incident earlier this year will undoubtedly cost responsible parties thousands of dollars in environmental cleanup costs and could necessitate the expensive replacement of a drainfield

Two questions come to mind: 1. How did this happen? 2. Do readers of Pumper have similar tales to tell?

First, how did the fuel oil – all 2,087 gallons – get pumped into the septic tank? According to an account in the Bangor Daily News, the orifices for fuel oil and the septic inspection port looked similar – they were similar 4-inch camlock fittings, located 50 feet apart at Medomak Middle School. The septic port was above ground level, while the oil fill tube was below ground level. A photo of the septic port showed no distinguishing characteristics, colors or tags that would be obvious to a service technician.

According to the news story, school officials shoveled snow away from the oil-receiving pipe when they called for a fill. An experienced delivery person – who had, however, never delivered oil to the school – apparently mistook the septic pump station port for the fuel port and filled the order, with some of the oil flowing back into the septic tank and some heading for the drainfield.

What played out was an environmental disaster. A local pumper was called to empty the septic tank and several hundred gallons of oil were recovered. Plans were in the works to try and save the drainfield and continually test the area for environmental damage. Meanwhile, bottled water was provided to students and staff until well water could be assured to be safe.

LABEL IT

There should be no way for the delivery worker to mistake the septic port for a fuel port. That it happened indicates poor labeling of both access pipes and possibly the need for lockout security measures. The purpose of these ports should be clearly tagged and identified. They could also be locked and only opened by a school staff member upon the arrival of either the oil company driver or a septic service technician.

Beyond tags that identify septic system ports, it might be a good idea for the onsite industry to choose a universal color for system access points so tanks, ports and panels related to an onsite system are easily identifiable to technicians. This would be especially helpful for commercial properties where technicians servicing a variety of systems will routinely visit.

Early on in the aftermath of the Maine snafu, a Maritime Energy official said the oil company “has taken ownership’’ of the cleanup. The company hired an engineering professional to try and preserve the drainfield and arranged for regular septic pumping to recapture more of the oil. It’s good to see the company move swiftly when quick action could mitigate some of the damage.

Clearly it’s the job of the oil company to know the location of the oil fill port. It’s an obvious conclusion to blame the oil company for an incomprehensible situation like this. But is the oil company the only responsible party in this case?

WE DO OUR PART

With a clean environment and the preservation of an expensive onsite system at stake, it seems reasonable for maintainers of all of a building’s utilities to take appropriate steps, clearly marking all components that are visible on the property. Such measures could have easily prevented a disaster like this.

As an industry, we can choose to focus on protecting the environment as well as protecting the investment our customers make in wastewater treatment. This includes installing systems and marking access points clearly for other contractors who may look for them in the future. And it goes far beyond situations like this one.

It means designing systems that are easier to inspect on a routine basis to keep them working at their best and functioning properly for as long as possible. It means using risers to bring tank access to ground level for more convenient pumping service. It means adding lids that promote the greatest level of safety to prevent children from accessing the tank. It means educating customers about the proper care of their systems and when they should call on you for your expertise.

SHARE YOUR STORY

Have you found anything unusual when pumping a septic tank, checking inspection ports or outlet baffle filters? Have you found ports, risers and lids, or control panels vandalized or tampered with in some way? Have you had an experience that suggests more security measures should be taken by septic service companies to protect their customers’ systems? Share your stories with me at editor@pumper.com



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