Owners and operators of
regulated underground
storage tanks (USTs) on tribal
lands must comply with
federal UST regulations.
This compliance assistance
brochure highlights best
management practices for
storage tank release
detection.
Note: This document is a
resource to promote
compliance and does not
replace the federal UST
regulations.
EPA developed this
brochure to help UST
owners and operators in
Indian country comply with
the federal UST regulations.
This brochure is one in a
series of EPA compliance
assistance brochures
designed to help owners and
operators comply with UST
regulations.
Other brochures focus on
spill buckets, overfill
protection, recordkeeping and
notification, financial
responsibility, insurance, and
piping release detection.
www.eoa.aov/oust/Dubs
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Manual Tank Gauainn—SBl Tank Tightness
&EPA
Office of Underground Storage Tanks
www.epa.gov/oust
August 2013
EPA-510-F-13-003
Compliance Assistance In
Indian Country
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RELEASE DETECTION
What is release detection?
Underground storage tank (UST)
release detection is an electronic or manual
method or combination of methods designed to
help you quickly detect releases from your tank.
What type of storage tank release
detection must you use?
You must conduct one of the following:
Your release detection
device must be installed,
calibrated, operated, and
maintained according to
manufacturer's
instructions.
^ automatic tank gauging
(ATG),
^ interstitial monitoring,
^ groundwater monitoring,
^ vapor monitoring,
^ manual tank gauging
(for tanks 2,000 gallons or less),
^ tank tightness test and inventory control (in
some cases, there is a ten year limit), or
^ another method approved by the
implementing agency.
What should you do to ensure your
release detection method is
working properly? If you use:
C5° ATG: Check your printout and make sure:
* the ATG probe is working;
* there is enough down time between fuel
delivery and testing; and
* the tank product level is at an appropriate
test level.
LEAK TEST REPORT
T 2:SUPER
TEST STARTING TIME:
JAN 22, 2007 2:02 PM
TEST LENGTH 5 HOURS
STARTING TEMP - 31.0 F
ENDING TEMP - 27.7 F
LEAK TEST RESULT
0.2 GAL/HR TEST
0.2 SAL/HR FI
RECENT DELIVERY
CHANGE IN TANK TEMP ZONE
TEMP CHANGE TOO LARGE
TEST ENDING TIME:
JAN 22, 2007 7:02 PM
START LEAK TEST
FEE 7, 2011 12:30 AM
TEST LENGTH 2 HOURS
T i:UNLEAD
VOLUHE =
ULLAGE =
905! ULLAGE'
TC VOLUME -
HEIGHT •
WATER =
TEHP =
601 GALS
2407 GALS
2106 GALS
613 GALS
16.25 INCHES
0.00 INCHES
30. 9 DEC F
LEVEL TEST" ERROR
Immediately respond and
investigate any audible alarms or
flashing lights.
Not all ATG alarms are due to
releases. However, releases have
gone undetected when alarms are
either ignored or the ATG is turned
.off to stop flashing lights or beeps, j
ATG in alarm status
Interstitial monitoring: Inspect your system
and:
* look for liguid at the lowest point of the
UST containment and record the results;
* if the sensor alarms, contact your service
provider to find the source of the alarm
and replace malfunctioning electronic
sensors.
Vapor or groundwater monitoring: Check
your well and well cover and make sure:
* it is installed in an area where leaks can
not enter into the monitoring well;
* the well caps are secure; and
* the well caps are not damaged.
Monitoring well placed in the flow
surface run-off
Monitoring well with missing cover
and filled with debris
Inventory control: Use the right
equipment and make sure:
* the gauge stick is not warped; its
ends are not worn, broken, or
shortened; and markings are clear-
ly legible
* readings are recorded daily
and reconciled monthly.
Use water finding paste to check
for water on the tank bottom with
record the reading.
Checking for
water on bottom of
tank with paste.
Statistical Inventory Reconciliation (SIR):
Collect the right information and:
* record the data according to your
vendor's instruction; and
* have a trained professional analyze your
data.
What are some common UST
release detection problems?
ATG
^ Not performing a monthly leak test.
^ ATG malfunctioning or improperly
programmed.
^ Not responding to ATG alarms.
^ Malfunctioning or disconnected probe.
^ Not having printer paper installed.
^ Not having enough product in tank.
^ Not allowing enough time for tests.
Interstitial Monitoring
^ No sensor.
^ Malfunctioning sensor.
^ Improperly installed sensor.
Interstitial monitoring sensor
^ Not further investigating
inconclusive results.
^ Not obtaining vendor reports in a timely
manner.
Inventory Control
^ Not gauging the tank daily, checking for
water monthly, or recording all deliveries.
^ Not performing proper calculations to
reconcile data at the end of each month.
^ Not conducting an annual tightness test.
Tightness Testing
^ Not having enough product in the tank to
perform the leakiest.
Recordkeeping
^ Not maintaining printed copies of electronic
monthly leak detection records.
^ Not maintaining written logs of manual month-
ly interstitial monitoring checks.
^ Not keeping daily and monthly inventory
records.
For more information on storage tank
release detection, see EPA's Straight Talk
On Tanks: Leak Detection Methods For
Petroleum Underground Storage Tanks
And Pipings
www.epa.gov/oust/pubs/straight.htm or
order free copies by calling (800) 490-9198.
invalid test due to inadequate down-time
Invalid test due to low product level
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