Petroleum tanks buried for decades can cause big headaches for homeowners, who have to decide how to best decommission an unused or leaking underground storage tank, or UST. An older underground tank holding petroleum or home heating oil is a prime target for corrosion, damage, and decay, all willing contributors in the inevitable environmental degradation of any UST.
If you own or are purchasing a Northern Virginia property with a UST, ask local building code officials for applicable regulations or ordinances. Home heating oil and petroleum tanks should be properly closed if abandoned or safely removed. Potential buyers may not want a property with an abandoned UST. Removal eliminates the potential health and environmental risks common with untended petroleum tanks.
Check with local authorities regarding required permits and inspections and confirm Miss Utility is involved before you dig. Contact your local Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Regional Office immediately if signs of a leak, spill, or contamination are found. These may include soil staining, strong petroleum odors, oil slicks and puddles.
Property transaction requirements of your lender or insurance company usually dictate if a UST will be or is safely closed in place or properly removed. Home heating oil tanks are exempt from the UST Technical Regulation, so sample collection at decommissioning is not required, but always check with local authorities for their sampling requirements to be safe.
For spills, overfills, and other signs of a UST petroleum leak found in contaminated well water, contact the Virginia DEQ within 24 hours. For professional petroleum tank inspection, decommissioning, and removal services contact SES, where our people are our difference. SES – keeping soil and people safe since 1987.