Posted By Alan Hewett
Liz,

You could take advice from the environment Agency and your Local Authority Environmental Health Department.

Regards,

Alan

Posted By Bennie
Hi Liz - my heart goes out to you and the many thousands in the same predicament.

The problems are out of control and you dont know what is present in the water, so I suggest that you take extreme care with personal hygiene at the moment ( that is if you still have fresh water and power).

Once the water recedes, you still dont know what is present, then again supreme care with yourself and the young ones.

You may think I am stating the obvious, but it is the best I can offer as no one know what is present.
I think your biggest problem will be from raw sewage and not the oil. I sincerely hope it all ends soon and you and the little ones are safe and well. That also to the many thousands also affected.

Best regards

Posted By Liz Bennett
Thanks. We are fine here and have made many new friends. Interestingly the sewage may be a help in digesting the oil. Oil is after all natural and the bugs that would eat it in nature love a bit of help. I am told sheep droppings are best and some sawdust. We have advised lots of manure and sweet smelling roses in abundance!
Seriously, though, this is not a problem only for us so it is a wonder there is not more about it anywhere technical. Environmental scientists tell me "Cap it", which does not work in this case. We shall see what the contaminants are. After all, used mineral oil is carcinogenic. Liz

Posted By Merv Newman
Liz,

having only seen the TV news reports, I'm somewhat puzzled as to why people are being helicoptered out. Surely, if you can get to the top floor, bedroom, this is not a life threatening situation. You may need food and water but you are not going to die.

Really, my sympathies to everyone affected but I would much rather stay in my flooded home, with help and support, than abandon it to stay in a refugee centre.

30 minutes to evacuate one person by helico as opposed to 30 minutes bringing food and water to 10 people ?

And a dog ?

Merv

Posted By Della Pearlman
Liz - I am a construction researcher, and have carried out a quick search of the research literature for you, as local authorities do not have very much information. Try these sources - (for the Administrators - these are all copyright free):

FROM the US:

Alabama, A&M and Auburn Universities
Alambama Fuel Tank Guidelines For Private Property Owners
A US document with guidance on what to do if you have a fuel/oil spillage and contamination. http://www.aces.edu/wate...cles/0606004/0606004.pdf

State of Alaska. Department Of Environmental Conservation
Division of Spill Prevention and Response.
Prevention and Emergency Response Program.
Flood: Public Health and the Environment (quite a lot on fuel contamination)
http://www.borough.kenai.../Handout%20-%20Flood.pdf

Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soils By Paul T. Kostecki, Marc Bonazountas, Edward J. Calabrese (abstracts and extracts from a book)
http://books.google.com/...O2XJvyCaMWXOJzMM#PPA2,M1


“Fuel damage from flooding” by Carol Poteria. 2003
http://www.femainfo.us/L...ge%20from%20Flooding.htm

Also - experience from New Orleans after their flood –

“New Testing Shows Widespread Toxic Contamination in New Orleans Soil, Neighborhoods” http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/051201.asp

The Meg Perry Healthy Soil Project-Rebuilding New Orleans From the Ground Up
http://www.commongroundrelief.org/node/437


And in the UK:

Health Protection Agency – has a website on flooding
http://www.hpa.org.uk/flooding/default.htm

Health Protection Agency - Flooding Chemical Event Checklist (with advice to returning residents)
http://www.hpa.org.uk/ch...ts/flooding_july2006.pdf

The NHBC (National House Building Council) and Environment Agency, publish a report “Guidance for the Safe Development of Housing on Land Affected by Contamination” at: http://publications.envi...uk/pdf/SR-DPUB66-e-e.pdf - gives guidance on how to manage the land after contamination, and the risks of various contamination.

Repairing flooded buildings: Published by IHS BRE Press, Order reference EP69, ISBN 9781860819032, 2006, 108 pages, £27.50
Flood damage is a complex area, in terms of insurance and building repair issues. "Repairing flooded buildings" is a practical guide that has been compiled by the Flood Repairs Forum to rationalise and simplify the issues involved, with the aim of improving service to the building owner from the insurance, loss adjusting, surveying and contracting sectors. It follows the sequence of events in a flood claim - insurance, inspection, drying, monitoring, repair, health and safety, and damage avoidance.

It helps those who are less experienced in flood repairs to understand the basic insurance and technical issues involved, and the key elements of customer care - recognising that communication and management of expectation rest at the heart of many of the difficulties which can occur.

Hope these help

Della

Posted By jom
Hi Liz.

I wish you well and hope you are all coping and will get back to normal soon.

I'm curious - how have you managed to continue with electronic communication in the middle of this crisis?

John.

Posted By Liz Bennett
Life in the flood zone depends on where you were and what services were interrupted. I am based in Shipston on Stour, which was badly affected on Friday night and cut off by raging torrents that washed away railway lines and roads and damaged bridges. We are used to floods (See EA Reports on the Warwickshire FLoods of 10 years ago) but this was something else! Some people had no services and some still do not have phone lines but we are not as bad as others so have kept on marching on!
The oil is worse than I had thought as it is used engine oil from vehicle engine oil changes, which I know is carcinogenic. I am told there is to be a prosecution because of the spill. That does not really help anyone, even the garage business owners, who have lost their business in any case but I suppose it acts as a warning.
I have been advised that sawdust and sheep droppings are really good at supporting the bacteria that eat up oil but it is everywhere and vile, like a dreary black cloud of depression.
Life is often difficult and so is the alternative. We keep on! I thank everyone who has posted help in this. I have passed a useful bundle of info on.
Back to saving the construction industry now!
Liz

Posted By garyh
As others have stated, oils and petrol etc tend to be biodegradable, especially in sunlight! the volatile compounds will evaporate off, especially the petrol.

Also consider the fact that oil spreads out on the surface of water (eventually I believe only 1 molecule thick) so the actual amount deposited may be quite low.

In my opinion, burying the oil under soil is a poor option. EA should provide advice.