by Jaycob Davies
Underground storage tanks (USTs) are used across the country to store petroleum and other hazardous substances. USTs have been in use since the early 1900s and come in many forms and sizes. Due to the nature of the substances being stored within these tanks, a UST does not have in an infinite lifespan. Substances have the potential to corrode the linings of the tanks they are stored in and if this occurs, the substances will contaminate the surrounding subsurface soils and potentially the surrounding groundwater. Therefore, it is important to perform regular inspections of USTs.
Up until the mid-1980s, most tanks were made of bare steel which is likely to corrode over time. The average age of USTs in Washington State is 24.2 years old. Luckily, this means that a lot of today’s USTs are made with corrosive resistant materials. Unfortunately, many tanks still in use are older than the average tank age. With a total of 8,500 tanks regulated by the Washington State Department of Ecology, this leaves thousands of USTs with a potential of leaking contaminants in the State of Washington and as tanks age, there will be more and more tanks which need to be inspected and potentially replaced. The Department of Ecology currently estimates that for gas stations alone, there are 2,500 existing gas stations needed to be cleaned, amounting to around 10,000 tanks!
There are many incentives in why a property owner should regularly check and potentially replace a UST. In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a study on housing depreciation associated with UST releases. The study showed that, on average, there is a 3 to 6 percent depreciation when a high-profile UST release is discovered and a 4 to 9 percent appreciation after the UST release is cleaned up. On top of this property depreciation, the property owner must also deal with the cleanup costs associated with the released substance. Cleanup costs can vary depending on the size of the release and how long the tank has been releasing. Unfortunately, though, this cost is never cheap.
For example, in Van Zandt, WA, a small grocery store and gas station had been operating for 49 years as of May 2019. Three gas pumps had operated on the property since at least 1934, well before the present owner purchased the property. Because of the age of the tanks servicing the gas pumps, there have been leaks discovered. Due to the generations of contamination from the USTs, the owner was stuck with a $3 million-dollar cleanup fee!
The Riley Group, Inc., (RGI) has a team of experienced UST inspectors who have extensive knowledge on how to find USTs on a property and recognize signs of UST leaks and contaminations. Our goal is to provide our clients with sound technical knowledge that utilizes innovative, cost-effective solutions to quickly resolve any environmental issue(s). RGI’s team has effectively lead hundreds of projects through the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) and No Further Action (NFA) process.
Sources:
• King 5 Aging Fuel Tanks
• PLIA Aging Tanks Report
• EPA Reference
