Oil burning furnace keeps RCS bus garage warm

RCS is now able to take waste oil from its buses and turn it into heat for its workers.

Facilities Director Eugene Doane said that work on installing a waste oil burning furnace in the RCS bus garage is complete and the furnace is operational.

Doane said the waste oil burning furnace will allow the district to lower energy costs while at the same time saving the environment. The unit provides supplemental heat to the main boiler in the garage and allow the Transportation Department to lower its thermostat and as a result reduce the use of natural gas.

"It's an extremely clean burning unit and it will allow us to get rid of the waste oil we gather from the oil changes on the buses and other district vehicles in the fleet," said Doane.

The waste oil burning furnace costs $6,700 to purchase and Doane said his maintenance personnel will install it at a cost of another approximately $2,300.

Superintendent Vicki Wright praised the planned installation of the new furnace as a win-win situation.

"We are able to reduce our energy costs and at the same time eliminate a waste product," she said.