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Detecting Releases
All regulated tanks and piping must have release detection so that leaks
are discovered quickly before contamination spreads from the UST site.
You must provide your UST system with release detection (often also called
"leak" detection) that allows you to meet three basic requirements:
- You can detect a leak from any portion of the tank or its piping that
routinely contains petroleum;
- Your leak detection is installed, calibrated, operated, and maintained
in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and
- Your leak detection meets the performance requirements described in
the federal regulations sections 280.43 and 280.44.
The leak detection requirements are summarized in the table below:
| Leak
Detection Requirements |
| UST
System Component |
Leak
Detection Method |
Tanks
Two choices
|
- Monthly
monitoring or
- Monthly
inventory control and tank tightness testing every five
years.
This
option can be used only for 10 years after installing
a new UST or upgrading an UST with corrosion protection.
After this 10-year period, monthly monitoring is required.
|
Pressurized
Piping
Choice of one from each set A and set B:
|
Set
A.
1. Automatic shutoff device -or-
2. Flow restrictor -or-
3. Continuous alarm system
|
-AND-
|
Set
B.
1. Annual line testing -or-
2. Monthly monitoring (except automatic tank gauging) |
Suction
Piping
Three choices
|
- Monthly
monitoring (except automatic tank gauging,
- Line
testing every three years or
- No
requirements if the following characteristics are
readily determinable:
· Below-grade piping is sloped so its contents will
drain back into the storage tank if the suction is released.
· Each suction line has only one check valve that
is located directly below the suction pump.
· System must operate at less than atmospheric pressure.
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For more information, visit the EPA's Office of Underground Storage Tanks
Detecting
Releases Web site.
Published: April 1, 2002
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SERVICES