With today's heavy rainfall, the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment is advising Island homeowners to take steps to protect outside oil tanks.
Minister Chester Gillan said the rain will have caused a tremendous increase in the weight of snow and ice which has accumulated around oil tanks.
"Even if it doesn't seem like there is a great deal of snow around the tank compared to last winter, the problem is that the rain makes the snow so heavy that the additional weight causes the fuel lines to snap," the Minister said.
"The weight of the snow last winter resulted in more than 100 oil spills. While some homeowners have been lucky enough to avoid an oil spill so far, I encourage them to take the proper preventative measures before their luck runs out."
Minister Gillan said the first thing homeowners should do is clear away snow and ice that has accumulated around oil lines, filters and valves, taking care not to damage the product line and fittings while doing so. Once the snow is cleared away, the Minister recommends homeowners install a weather protection device to help prevent further buildup of snow and protect against falling icicles or chunks of snow and ice.
Weather protection devices are usually made of welded steel, sheet metal or solid wood. They sit over the filter and product line, helping to keep these vulnerable parts from being broken off or damaged by heavy snow and falling ice. As of June 2001, weather protection devices are mandatory on all new outside tank installations. They will be mandatory for all existing outside tanks by September 2006.
"While weather protection devices are not yet required on all tanks, my Department is asking homeowners to consider installing one today to help prevent oil spills," said Minister Gillan. "It could end up saving anywhere from several hundred to hundreds of thousands of dollars in cleanup costs and prevent even more costly environmental damage. Oil leaks are one of the most common causes of groundwater contamination. Just one litre of oil can contaminate up to one million litres of drinking water."
For further information on protecting against an oil spill or any other home heat tank issue, Island homeowners can contact the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment at (902) 368-5042.