What Should You Do If You Are buying a Property With an Unused Underground Storage Tank?
If you have purchased a property you plan to develop and there is an unused underground tank there, you may be wondering what steps you need to take to deal with it safely. Whether you are building a commercial or residential structure, there are protocols you need to follow. Here's an overview of the steps involved:
1. Educate yourself on the tank.
When buying the property, talk with the buyer and your broker about the tank. Find out when it was last used, what is was filled with and if there have been any problems. Also, inquire about any recent safety inspections.
For example, if it's a defunct propane tank that has never been properly emptied, and a pipe breaks, it may cause a disastrous leak. Alternatively, if it's a water tank that has been corroded through, there may be a risk of falling through the ground when walking above it. Talk with the seller so you know how to tread forward.
2. Assess if you can remove the tank.
Consult with a company who provides tank solutions to see if the tank can be moved. Ideally, defunct tanks should be removed, but in some cases, such as if the tank is under the foundation of an existing structure, it may not be possible to remove it.
Companies that specialise in installing, maintaining and removing tanks can help you keep and safely decommission the tank or remove it.
3. Schedule a risk containment survey.
Whether you end up removing the tank or keeping it, you should schedule a risk containment survey of the area. These surveys check the surrounding area to ensure it has not been contaminated by the contents in the tank during its lifespan or whilst it was being removed. They look at the surrounding groundwater and the soil.
4. Work with the risk containment officials to deal with the issue.
If the risk auditor determines that there has been an unsafe level of toxins in the area from the metals in the tank, the materials in the tank or any other causes, they will advise you on what to do next. In some cases, they may have soil or water mediation strategies that can help clean it. In other cases, they may advise removing some of the soil and integrating fresh fill into the plot.
For more tips on the risks of unused underground tanks, contact a risk containment surveyor.