Gas Leaks

Most of Utah’s drinking water comes from underground water sources. So it’s alarming to hear that
4,000 cases of leaking underground petroleum storage tanks have been reported since 1988, according to an article in today’s Deseret News. Cleanup efforts are approaching the $1 million mark.

A Lehi, Utah company is intending to use a more environmentally friendly cleanup method, a subsurface metabolism enhancement, or SME, a process that encourages the growth of naturally occurring microbes that feed on petroleum. According to the method’s creator, Mark Ellis, this new cleanup method is cheaper, faster and more effective alternative to traditional cleanup methods, like excavation or pumping.

The new method, projected to go into production by 2006, would be locally produced and would detect leaks early and could even be used to monitor landfills, meth lab cleanups and vehicle emissions testing.