MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
A Hutchinson-based company is drawing attention for its unique approach to managing industrial and agricultural waste — and for its growing impact on the local economy.
Vaulted Deep, which began operating at its current salt cavern site in 2012, has evolved from a small family-run operation into a major local employer, now planning to add up to 15 more positions to its current staff of nearly 30.
The company uses the region’s naturally occurring salt caverns — once mined for natural gas storage — as secure underground vaults to permanently store waste materials that would otherwise risk contaminating surface soil or groundwater.
“Salt caverns are naturally impermeable and self-healing, so they make an ideal permanent storage solution,” said co-founder and executive chairman Omar Abou-Sayed. “Once these materials go underground, they’re isolated from the water cycle and the environment for good.”
Originally focused on oil and gas drilling waste, the site now accepts a range of organic waste streams, including biosolids from municipal wastewater treatment plants and surplus cattle manure that local farmers cannot reuse. The company says all waste is tested and approved by state regulators before it’s stored underground.
“Everything we do is regulated by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,” said site manager Steven Pangburn. “We’ve invested heavily in groundwater monitoring, and our records show we’re not a source of nitrate pollution. In fact, we’re helping remove excess waste that could otherwise pollute groundwater if left piled up at the surface.”
Vaulted Deep says its operations have contributed about $5 million to the local economy in the last 18 months, including wages, local trucking contracts and purchases from area suppliers. Trucks now deliver up to 30 loads of material a day, up from just four daily loads when the new business model launched.
The company’s leadership credits its steady expansion to its close ties with the community and the local workforce. “Most of our employees are from Hutchinson or surrounding small towns,” Pangburn said. “We’re proud to be providing stable jobs and good pay for folks who want to work hard.”
To help address public questions, Vaulted Deep will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for local leaders on Tuesday, July 15, from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by an open house for the public the next day at Career and Technical Education Academy, 800 Fifteenth Circle from 4 to 6 p.m.
The facility currently uses only about 5% of its available cavern capacity, with plans to continue expanding in the years ahead. “We see this as a long-term, responsible operation,” Abou-Sayed said. “We’re here for the long haul, protecting groundwater, supporting jobs, and helping our region manage its waste sustainably.”