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The Groundwater We All Share

When it comes to the world’s water supply, we all have a part to play. Whether it’s in preserving the cleanliness of our local creeks and rivers or on a larger scale of water conservation and mindfulness of the earth’s water cycle. Because we mostly draw our water from a tap, it can be difficult to imagine that anything we do has a great impact on our water supply, but abandoned oil tanks can pose a significant threat to groundwater that can eventually leech into surrounding tributaries and our drinking water. Unfortunately, when oil tanks became antiquated and newer heating systems took their place, it was quite common to simply shut off the supply of oil and leave the tank in the ground. While some tanks were “decommissioned” (essentially emptied or even backfilled), there was no regulatory body for this process, and not every single tank was decommissioned.

Moreover, even empty tanks can pose a risk if there is still chemical residue inside or if the tank itself is starting to erode leaching chemicals into the surrounding soil. It’s this kind of leaking or seepage that spreads into the soil and therefore threatens the groundwater supply with contamination. Contaminated soil remediation by a qualified tank removal contractor can help you mitigate or even remove the risk to your water table and safeguard the vegetation, people, and animals that rely on the safety of our groundwater.

Gardens and Goldfish

Many homeowners take great pride in the exterior of their homes and have put extensive time and effort into adding value to their property through landscaping, gardens, and even features such as orchards or ponds. Leaving an abandoned oil tank in the ground threatens both the structural integrity and the health of all these landscaping features. When soil becomes contaminated, it’s no longer able to sustain the nutrients that vegetation requires to thrive. As far as edible gardens and groves go, chemicals that have seeped into soil and groundwater can be absorbed by plants and should not be consumed by humans. Landscaping structures can also suffer if decommissioned oil tanks collapse inward creating sinkholes on the surface of your lawn or garden. The shifts in the structure of your soil can create instability for the foundation of your home or outbuildings. Taking a proactive approach and reaching out to an oil tank recovery contractor like our professionals here on West Coast is the best way to mitigate any costs of contaminated soil remediation. If we can remove the tank before it begins to leak, then soil testing may reveal you don’t need remediation after all.