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Site Remediation

Environmental
Fact Sheet
 New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services 29 Hazen Drive Concord NH 03301
 

Print Version
 

WMD-REM-22 2005

Recommended Practices for Closure of Residential Heating Oil
Underground Storage Tanks

Graphic - house and underground storage tank Residential heating oil underground storage tanks (USTs) used for the storage of heating oil typically have a life expectancy of approximately 10 years due to tank corrosion. Actual tank life is highly unpredictable and may vary widely depending on soil conditions and specific tank installation practices. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) estimates that approximately 20 to 25 percent of all bare steel USTs which remain in the ground are leaking. DES recommends that all residential heating oil USTs which are greater than 10 years old, be removed or closed in place.

DES Recommends the Following Procedures to Close a Residential UST:

  1. The tank system may be removed or "closed in place." Removal is generally recommended whenever possible to avoid future problems or questions concerning the UST.
  2. All product, liquid and sludge should be removed from the tank system. This includes the contents of the tank and associated piping.
  3. The tank should be tested for explosive vapors and rendered free of such vapors. A trained professional who is knowledgeable in tank closing procedures should perform this testing
  4. If the tank is closed in place, it must be filled with an inert material (sand, cement, etc.). Care must be taken to ensure that no voids remain and that none will develop through settling of the fill material. For a list of tank closure contractors that frequently do business in New Hampshire, please call DES at (603) 271-3644. Again, the preferred method of closure is removal whenever possible.
  5. Determine if the tank has leaked by evaluating the soil located under the tank for petroleum contamination. DES recommends that a soil sample be collected from beneath the tank and analyzed for petroleum compounds by a certified laboratory. If contamination is discovered, you must immediately notify DES at (603) 271-3440.
  6. Disposal of excavated tanks must occur in the proper manner. For guidance on the proper disposal practices for tanks, contact DES's Waste Management Division at (603) 271-3503.
IMPORTANT! During closure, if petroleum contamination is discovered around your UST, state funding may be available to help pay for costs associated with the investigation and cleanup of the contamination. For additional information concerning available funding, see FACT SHEET WMD-REM-15, "THE FUEL OIL DISCHARGE CLEANUP FUND FOR ON-PREMISE-USE HEATING OIL USERS," or call our office at (603) 271-3644. All releases of petroleum products to the environment that pollute or have the potential of polluting the surface or groundwater of the state must be reported to the Department of Environmental Services immediately.

Disclaimer: Information contained in this FACT SHEET is current as of January 1, 2005. Statutory or regulatory changes that may occur after February 1, 2005, may cause part or all of the information to be invalid. If there are any questions concerning the status of the information, please contact NHDES at (603) 271-3644.

 
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