Heating oil in water?! Help!

Caoimhelicious

Hi all!
Recently we had some home heating oil delivered and the driver accidentally put home heating oil into a water tank we have instead of the oil tank. The water tank has something to do with controlling the pressure of our water, but anyway now when we run the hot water tap/shower there is a strong smell of kerosene. We rang the company and they came and left some pads onto the water tank to soak up the kerosene. But it's been a while since they did that and out water is still the same. Wondering what can we do to get the kerosene out of the water as I suffer from eczema and extremely sensitive skin and am afraid to shower at home! Any help or suggestions appreciated !

Dtp1979

Caoimhelicious wrote: »

Hi all!
Recently we had some home heating oil delivered and the driver accidentally put home heating oil into a water tank we have instead of the oil tank. The water tank has something to do with controlling the pressure of our water, but anyway now when we run the hot water tap/shower there is a strong smell of kerosene. We rang the company and they came and left some pads onto the water tank to soak up the kerosene. But it's been a while since they did that and out water is still the same. Wondering what can we do to get the kerosene out of the water as I suffer from eczema and extremely sensitive skin and am afraid to shower at home! Any help or suggestions appreciated !

Well don't use the water. It's a grey area as to whose at fault. Did you label both tanks OIL and water? Was you oil tank in the shed? I personally would blame the oil company. I was only talking about this the other day with a few plumbers. They said there is a chemical you can add to the water that clears the kero out. It was sourced up north. Where, I'm not sure though

Caoimhelicious

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Well don't use the water. It's a grey area as to whose at fault. Did you label both tanks OIL and water? Was you oil tank in the shed? I personally would blame the oil company. I was only talking about this the other day with a few plumbers. They said there is a chemical you can add to the water that clears the kero out. It was sourced up north. Where, I'm not sure though

No we're not looking to blame anyone! Lovely people that run the company and the tank was in the shed! it's just trying to figure out how to get oil out of water, I'll try and Google the name of that chemical thanks !

agusta

The first thing i would do is dip your tank with water seeking paste on the dipstick and see exactly how much oil is in the tank.

Dtp1979

agusta wrote: »

The first thing i would do is dip your tank with water seeking paste on the dipstick and see exactly how much oil is in the tank.

Would it matter now though cause it's gone through the system. Although saying that the kero should've floated on top of the water

agusta

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Would it matter now though cause it's gone through the system. Although saying that the kero should've floated on top of the water

My thinking was the kero would be on the top.If there was 4 inches of kero in tank,remove 3.5 inches of kero.remove the next one inch and keep that seperate.then remove the rest of the water from the tank,disconnect tank and professionally clean tank.

Dtp1979

agusta wrote: »

My thinking was the kero would be on the top.If there was 4 inches of kero in tank,remove 3.5 inches of kero.remove the next one inch and keep that seperate.then remove the rest of the water from the tank,disconnect tank and professionally clean tank.

That'd be grand except they're showering in 62cent per litre water

agusta

Dtp1979 wrote: »

That'd be grand except they're showering in 62cent per litre water

Do you mean 62 cent per litre kero

agusta

Or is that the cost of water charges :eek:

K.Flyer

If you think of the pressure that the kero hit the water it would have gotten well mixed up with the water and drawn into the domestic pipework before the error was realised. Which means that traces of the kerosene will be still found in the pipework and the tank even if you remove aIl of the kerosene that has separated and is floating on the water.
I would think, (other than replacing the tank) that you will need to completely drain the tank and steam clean the insides using a mild detergent and the fully rinse it after that.
Then you will have to flush out the pipework, again using a detergent, to remove all traces from the pipework.
Doing all of this, or whatever you decide to do, you will need to keep in mind that all fuel contaminated water cannot be let spill all over the ground or allowed into water ways as it now poses an environmental hazard as well as a health hazard.

Dtp1979

agusta wrote: »

Do you mean 62 cent per litre kero

As in the water has kero in it

jimf

as k flyer says the whole content should be treated as contaminated

imho I would ask the oil company to sort this maybe replace the tank and try and flush the relevant pipework might be the easiest option

sky6

jimf wrote: »

as k flyer says the whole content should be treated as contaminated

imho I would ask the oil company to sort this maybe replace the tank and try and flush the relevant pipework might be the easiest option

I think it's the only option. New tank and flush pipework.
If you could set up a continuous loop and and pump detergent around the system. finishing by doing the same with plenty of Water.
I'm sure the company is insured for these type of errors.

SpaceTime

I wouldn't use the water at all until that's resolved properly. Kerosine is toxic.

Have a read through : http://www.who.int/ipcs/emergencies/kerosene.pdf