Leaking Underground Oil Tanks
What is the likelihood of leakage for underground oiltanks in Virginia?
Pollard Environmental has inspected over 7,000 heating oil USTs in Virginia, and over 70%showed leakage. If you think about it, this is not surprising. Most heating oil systems were installed before 1975 (alternative sources of heat became prevalent in the 70s). So, if a system utilizes a tank of that age, it would be more than 50 years old, and some as old as 70-80 years. Most residential heating oil USTs were constructed of bare steel and were notdesigned/manufactured to last that long – the metal corrodes over time and develops holes, which are usually, from what we have seen, along the bottoms of the tanks.
Why do underground oil tanks leak?
Why does leakage matter?
Leakage matters for several reasons. First, oil that is leaking from a tank is not getting to the furnace, thereby increasing heating costs, often substantially. Further, leakage may impact basements, crawlspaces, supply wells, or surface water bodies (such as creeks or lakes). Last, persistent leakage causes degradation of groundwater, and groundwater eventually becomes surface water. Once groundwater becomes contaminated with petroleum, it is extremely difficult and costly to restore it to its previous “clean” condition. Clean groundwater is an important resource that warrants our protection…for now, and for future generations.
How can you tell whether an underground oil tank isleaking?
Therein lies the problem…when an underground tank leaks, the released petroleum normally moves vertically downward through the soils until something, such as bedrock or groundwater, impedes it. So, with few exceptions, the leakage will NOT be apparent at the surface. If you suspect leakage based on increased consumption, it is likely that the tank has been leaking for a while (possibly many years) and may have already caused extensive subsurface contamination. Also, if you rely on water intrusion (into the underground tank) tosignal leakage, this may not ever happen because it depends on the conditions outside of thetank (soil types, drainage, etc.) as well as the level of fuel inside the tank (if you are onautomatic delivery, the fuel level may never get low enough to allow water to flow into thetank – although fuel may be flowing out).
The best way to determine whether an underground storage tank is leaking is by professional inspection. Pollard Environmental evaluates tanks by advancing borings around their perimeter to depths below the tank bottom and retrieving soil samples for analysis. The importance of having professionals, such as Pollard, perform the inspection cannot be overstated.
If a petroleum release is confirmed, Virginia law requires that the release be reported to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, which in turn determines the corrective action, if any, required to remedy the situation. The priority is to stop the release by removing the remaining petroleum from the tank. In some instances, natural processes may satisfactorily remediate the contamination over time. More serious leaks posing risks to groundwater, water wells, basements, creeks, and/or other receptors often require more aggressive action such as excavation and proper treatment/disposal of contaminated soils. VDEQ normally provides financial assistance from the Virginia Petroleum Storage Tank Fund (VPSTF) for required environmental corrective action. VPSTF assistance requires pre-approval of activities and accurate claim submittal, so it is important to have a professional, such as Pollard, handle this process.
What should you do if you have an older UST?
Most heating oil underground storage tanks (USTs), as well as farm and residential motor fuel USTs, are constructed of bare steel and have a life expectancy of 20-40 years. If you have a petroleum UST, in-use or abandoned, on your property that is older than 20 years, contactPollard Environmental for a free and confidential consultation. We have handled over 7,000 petroleum storage tank related issues in Virginia over the past few decades, and in so doing have earned a reputation for accurate evaluations and technically sound solutions.
“Pollard Environmental was a pleasure to work with when we had to have an old oil tank removed from our property. Everyone was professional, polite and punctual.”
“Removing an abandoned UST is a multi-step process, and Pollard Environmental was leading us through this process smoothly. I wish all services in Richmond were as professional and customer oriented as Pollard.”
“Pollard Environment is the best choice! I used them for an oil tank removal. They made the entire process easy and pleasant! They excel in communication, reliability, professionalism, and left my property better than how they found it. I don’t know of any contractor you can say that about!”