Soil and Groundwater Remediation

When the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection discovers a discharge of fuel, septic tank material, or another fluid on a property, they typically assign a case number. This designation indicates that the property needs to be brought back into compliance with the NJDEP technical requirements for a contaminated site.

If heating fuel leaks from a storage tank and comes into touch with groundwater or soil, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) requires homeowners to respond quickly to reduce the risk. No matter how much or how little heating oil has leaked on your property, you must notify the NJDEP about it. As soon as a spill is discovered, contact the NJDEP’s toll-free, round-the-clock Environmental Action Hot Line at 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337).

The regulations titled Technical Requirements for Site Remediation (N.J.A.C. 7:26E et seq.) outline the minimal work required for cleaning up affected properties. The DEP’s webpage can be accessed at https://dep.nj.gov/srp/unregulated/. Your chosen environmental contractor should be aware of and abide by these regulations when handling the cleanup.

The severity of the problem will directly influence the measures needed to restore compliance with the contaminated site. Hydroscience Group has a team of highly trained and experienced technicians who can assess the problems with an above-ground or underground storage tank to determine the extent of the problem to the tank.

The extent of the issue will have a direct bearing on the steps required to bring the contaminated site back into compliance. A group of highly skilled and knowledgeable technicians at Hydroscience Group can evaluate issues involving above-ground or underground storage tanks and identify the full impact on the property.

Our scope of service also includes testing and assessing the site to gauge the environmental impact of the compromised tank or spilled material. This typically includes testing the groundwater as well as the soil. Soil testing is required once a release of fuel has been determined. The NJDEP requires testing and inspection from a licensed professional such as the specialists at Hydroscience Group.

Once we have thoroughly assessed the extent of the problem, we will present you with the necessary remediation strategy to restore compliance with the NJDEP.

Hydroscience Group has extensive experience with both residential and commercial properties that have soil or groundwater contamination issues. The standards, regulations, and insurance policies that pertain to these issues have changed a little over the years, yet much of the closure process remains essentially the same.

Our specialists pay close attention to all factors of the remediation and closure process to ensure that every facet meets regulatory compliance.

The Hydroscience Group has a great deal of experience dealing with groundwater or soil contamination on both commercial and residential sites. While there have been some changes over the years to the standards, laws, and insurance policies on these matters, the closure process has mostly remained unchanged.

Throughout the remediation and closure process, our specialists closely monitor every detail to make sure that it complies with regulations.

The first phase of the remediation process starts with what is called a plume delineation. This is designed to clearly outline the extent of both the vertical and horizontal contamination in the soil layers. It also helps to effectively determine what, if any impact has been made to the existing groundwater. This can also help to assess the environmental impact if the area is prone to seasonal changes in groundwater levels.

This phase of the process is especially important for times when a fuel release may have impacted the groundwater table. The NJDEP typically requires this type of documentation for final closure and analysis.

The second phase of the process calls for analyzing the data to generate a highly accurate blueprint or map of the contamination. Hydroscience Group’s project managers can explain all these factors to you as part of presenting you with the most effective remediation strategy.

We recognize that no two contamination events are the same. A customized approach helps ensure that the entirety of the event is accounted for and that all aspects of regulatory compliance are properly addressed.

Throughout this phase, we will create a breakdown of the various processes, the materials, equipment, and the time frame involved. All of these factors will then be presented to you as part of a comprehensive budget analysis.

We will develop an outline of the different procedures, supplies, tools, and timelines throughout this stage. After that, a thorough budget analysis that includes all of these elements will be given to you.

Some insurance policies for residential and commercial properties might include coverage for a contamination event. Some commercial property insurance policies require it to be included, for certain types of construction, or a company that needs to store fuel or industrial chemicals on site.

This isn’t always the case with some single-family, residential homeowner’s insurance policies. However, it is still worth a phone call to your agent to see if there is some level of coverage in place. Some premium policies might even have a high percentage of coverage, especially if an existing tank was noted in the disclosure process when you purchased the property.

Other insurance factors could vary depending on the length of time you have been with the carrier, time-sensitive provisions in your policy, or other liability issues. Hydroscience Group’s specialists can help guide you and any other third parties through the process, to ensure that you get the maximum amount you are entitled to from your insurance policy.

In many cases, where coverage is not provided by insurance or some other type of legal covenant, there might be public assistance programs available.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) formed the Environmental Claims Administration (ECA) program, financed by the New Jersey Spill Compensation Fund (Spill Fund), to help innocent individuals, businesses, and local governments suffering direct or indirect damages from the discharge of a hazardous substance.

The Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund (HDSRF) provides financial assistance and grants for investigations and/or remediation of certain contaminated properties.

The Petroleum Underground Storage Tank (UST) Fund provides financial assistance in the form of loans and grants to eligible owners and operators for the closure and remediation of discharges from residential and other unregulated petroleum underground storage tanks and for the closure and remediation of State regulated petroleum underground storage tanks.

Our project managers can help guide you through this process by applying for and being reviewed for financial assistance on a needs basis. Please note that Hydroscience Group has no bearing on determining whether or not our clients will be awarded a grant or loan.

At Hydroscience Group, safety always comes first. Our technicians are meticulous in executing your service plan with respect to protecting people, facilities, and equipment, as well as the surrounding environment.

When soil and other on-site materials are contaminated, they often need to be removed. We have extensive experience in these situations and access to the proper disposal or treatment methods.

The NJDEP and organizations at the local and federal levels typically require documentation to ensure that every aspect of the site is once again in full compliance. This process might also include things like follow-up inspections and site scans.

Hydroscience Group can handle every aspect of the compliance and documentation process as part of our soil and groundwater remediation service. We also archive each event to make sure that you can access the necessary documents, should you need them in the future.