Valley company makes concrete septic tanks

A Codroy Valley company is breaking new ground in the septic business.

Gales Welding and Septic Cleaning Ltd. of South Branch recently acquired several new fibreglass moulds that will allow the company to fabricate concrete septic tanks.

The technology comes from a British Columbia company and was purchased with the aid of a $36,000 term loan from the provincial government.

Marg Gale, co-owner of the company, said concrete tanks are more environmentally friendly than the common steel tanks, which rust and leak over time.

She said steel tanks generally have a 20-year lifespan, while new concrete tanks could last indefinitely.

"There's a lot of interest in this," said Mrs. Gale. "Steel tanks are going to become obsolete. In Nova Scotia, they're not even allowed to use them any more."

Mrs. Gales' new setup allows her staff to fabricate six tanks at once, or about 21 in a week. As far as she knows, hers is the only company in the province currently manufacturing concrete tanks.

Each tank is egged-shaped, which is a better design for a container that receives a lot of pressure on all sides once buried.

"If you put an egg between your hands end-to-end and try to break it, you can't do it," said Mrs. Gale as she explained the reason for the shape. The 1,000 gallon tanks are tested to withstand 90,000 pounds.

Shawn Skinner, minister of innovation, trade and rural development, said the investment by the province will help the company move into production instead of just sales and service.

"The new ability to manufacture a much sought-after product is an important step towards increasing the company's competitiveness," said Minister Skinner in a media release.

Mrs. Gale said demand is high for the new tanks. The company is currently serving from Rose Blanche to Stephenville and the Port au Port Peninsula. She thinks the potential for growth is there but wants to go slow.

"We're just taking this one step at a time," she said. There's five employees here now. We're hoping if this takes off, we can hire on a lot more people."

reporter@gulfnews.ca