CUPA - UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS (USTs)

Why are some underground storage tanks a problem?

Fuel leaks from underground storage tanks can pose a risk of fire and explosion. If leaking, they can also contaminate drinking water supplies are are extremely costly to clean up.

How can we protect our County from these problems?

The State of California has enacted a series of laws designed to prevent such leaks. The statutes (Health & Safety Code Chapter 6.7) and regulations (California Code of Regulatoins, Title 23, Division 3, Chapter 16) governing the UST program may be downloaded from www.leginfo.ca.gov and www.calregs.com respectively. The Certified Unified Program Agency enforces these requirements, which include:

• Review plans to install or modify USTs, to ensure compliance with equipment stantards;
• Inspect installation or modification of UST systems to ensure compliance with construction standards;
• Issue permits to install, operate, repair or modify and remove USTs;
• Require the following periodic testing to assess the integrity of UST systems. The frequency of testing required is based on the UST equipment existing at the site.
  • Integrity of the primary UST and product piping;
  • Integrity of the secondary containment;
  • Enhanced leak detection (required only for existing UST systems within 1,000 feet of a public water supply well, or new UST systems installed after July 1, 2003).

• Require annual certification and perform annual inspection of the leak monitoring equipment

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How do I find out about new requirements?

Following are the compliance dates for some of the newest of the evolving UST requirments:

• 1/1/00 - Under-dispenser containment required for all new UST systems installed after this date.
• 1/1/01 - Secondary containment systems installed on or after January 1, 2001 shall be tested upon installation, 6 months after installation, and every 36 months thereafter. LG Letter 160.
• 7/1/01 - Under-dispenser containment required for systems installed after July 1, 1987 that are located within 1,000 feet of a public drinking water well, as identified pursuant to the state Geographic Information System mapping database.
• 1/1/03 - Secondary containment systems installed prior to January 1, 2001 shall be tested by January 1, 2003 and ever 36 months thereafter. LG Letter 160.
• 7/1/03 - Post-installation UST testing (enhanced leak detection). LG Letter 162.1.
• 7/1/04 - New UST construction standards, including requirement for a continuous monitoring system "capable of detecting the entry of the hazardous substance stored in the primary containment into the secondary containment." LG Letter 162-1.
• 11/9/04 - Automatic line leak detectors shall be installed on all underground pressurized piping and shall be capable of detecting a 3-gallon per hour leak rate at 10 psi within 1 hour witha probability of detection of at least 95 percent and a probability of false alarm no greater than 5 percent, and shall restrict or shut off the flower of a product through the piping when a leak is detected.

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• Various - UST systems with a single-walled component located within 1,000 feet of a public well must perform Enhanced Leak Detection testing within 18 months following receipt of notification from the SWRCB UST Program, and ever three years thereafter. LG Letter 161-2.
• 1/1/05 - All UST "owners" must submit a signed statement Designated UST Operator Form by this date which includes:
  • Owner understands and is in compliance wtih all applicable UST requirements.
  • Owner notifies the local agency of the "Designated UST Operator for eacy facility owned. The owner shall notify the local agency of any change of designated UST operator(s) not later than 30 days after the change.
  For more information on the job duties of a designed UST operator, and who may qualify, click here.
• 1/1/05 - Designed UST Operator must be certified by this date. The Designated UST Operator means one or more individuals designated by the UST owner to have responsibiliteis for training facility employees and conducting a monthly visual inspection at the UST facility. The Designated UST Operator must:
  • Possess a current "California UST System Operator" certification issued by the International Code Council (ICC). Certification must be renewed every 24 months.
  • Perform monthly visual inspections and record results on an inspection report, which must be provided to the owner/operator.

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• 7/1/05 - The Designated UST Operator for each UST facility must provide initial on-the-job training for the facility employee(s). Facility employees hired on or after July 1, 2005 must complete initial training within 30 days of their date of hire.
• 7/1/05 - The facility employee must complete on-the-job training provided by the Designated UST Operator by this date, and every twelve months thereafter. "Facility employee" means an individual who is employed on-site at an UST facility, and who may be called upon to respond to spills, overfills, or ther problems associated wiht the operation of the UST system. The training for facility employee must include, but is not limited to:
  • The operation of the UST system in a manner consistent with the facility's best management practices.
  • The facility employee's role with regard to the monitoring equipment as specified in the facility's monitoring plan.
  • The facility employee's role with regard to spills and overfills as specified in the facility's response plan.
  • The name of the contact person(s) for emergencies and monitoring equipment alarms