Vol. 18, No. 37July 22, 1999

Underground oil tank replacement under way

A 50,000- gallon fuel oil tank was removed near the Maintenance Center on Academy Street July 7 as part of the Facilities Management central utility plant tank upgrades project under construction this summer.

The project entails the removal of five underground fuel oil tanks (including an additional 50,000-gallon tank and three 20,000-gallon tanks) and their replacement with two new 40,000-gallon tanks. The use of cleaner burning fuel and more natural gas has dramatically reduced the need for on-site oil storage.

With the advancing age of the existing tanks, this project will allow the University to stay ahead of the increasing underground storage tank regulatory requirements, provide a cutting edge underground storage tank system and ultimately offer a greater level of security and comfort for faculty, staff, students and visitors.

This project involved coordination among staff from Facilities Management, the Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Tier DE Environmental, PWI Engineering and numerous public and private permit and authority groups.

-Beth Thomas
Photo by Robert Cohen