What do I do if I suspect my tank is leaking?

As a tank owner or operator, you must be alert to potential tank system leaks and know how to address them quickly and properly. Some conditions that may indicate your tank system is leaking are:

• A sudden drop in fuel inventory
• Unexplained water in the tank
• Strong petroleum odors
• Equipment alarms that indicate a release has occurred
• Customers complaining that gas is dispensing too slowly 
• An oil sheen on the surface of a nearby waterbody, such as a creek or river
• Taste or smell of petroleum in a water supply

If you think that a leak may have occurred, report the suspected leak to your DEQ Regional Office immediately and investigate to determine whether a leak or other release has actually happened. 

Some actions to take if you suspect your tank is leaking:

• If you have an automatic tank gauging system on your tank (known as an “ATG”), use it to run another leak test.
• Hire a professional to test your tank and its piping for leaks
• Take soil samples around the tank system to check for petroleum in the soil

If you own a heating oil tank, visit the DEQ Heating Oil page to figure out if your tank is leaking.

DEQ staff are available to assist if you think you have a leaking tank.

What happens if my tank has leaked or had a spill?

Report to DEQ

Report a leak or spill to DEQ within 24 hours of discovery. You can report by:

• Emailing an Environmental Pollution Report (EPR) form to DEQ
• Calling or emailing your DEQ Regional Office
• Using DEQ’s environmental pollution reporting portal

Call your local fire department or 911 in the event of a hazardous or catastrophic leak or spill.

DEQ has fact sheets that outline reporting requirements for suspected and confirmed leaks. Failing to report a leak can result in enforcement action with accompanying civil penalties and/or losing access to DEQ’s reimbursement fund, which assists with cleanup costs.

After you report the release, DEQ will issue a tracking number called a Pollution Complaint (PC) number. All correspondence will use this number to identify the site of the leak.

Hire an environmental professional

Unless you are qualified or have qualified staff to perform a petroleum cleanup, DEQ recommends hiring an environmental professional to assist you. Environmental consultants (or contractors) are professionals that have the equipment, knowledge and labor to assist tank owners in cleaning up releases. Environmental consultants often have educational backgrounds and professional certifications in fields like environmental engineering or geology (P.E. or P.G.). Search on the internet or Yellow Pages for environmental consultants near you.

DEQ’s oversight function

DEQ staff will oversee your cleanup, but your consultant will plan and perform the cleanup on your behalf. Your consultant will establish a work plan for DEQ to approve prior to work being performed. This “pre-approval” step is important, because although DEQ may have funding available to address certain types of cleanups (see Financial Assistance section below), activities must be pre-approved to be eligible for reimbursement. DEQ will establish due dates for reports detailing site work. Although DEQ works closely with consultants, tank owners are responsible for ensuring deadlines are met to avoid enforcement action. 

Cleanup Process and Goals

Each tank release is different and requires its own approach. However, the first task is to stop any leak and identify what is nearby that could be impacted by the leak, such as drinking water wells, streams, utilities and basements.

Your consultant will then gather information on the extent of the problem through a variety of methods -- including: collecting soil samples, installing monitoring wells, and testing nearby streams or wells for contamination. Based on the information collected, DEQ will decide if further site work or cleanup is necessary. 

If necessary, your consultant will develop a Corrective Action Plan to propose actions specific to this cleanup. These plans contain cleanup goals that need to be met in order for DEQ to close the case. Examples of cleanup methods are soil excavation, groundwater treatment using a temporary or permanent cleanup system, soil vapor extraction, drinking water well replacement or other innovative technologies.

Closing a Cleanup Case

DEQ will close the PC case once the cleanup goals have been met. Closure means that any remaining contaminants no longer pose a risk to receptors. DEQ documents the closure by issuing a letter stating that no further cleanup action is necessary. DEQ does not issue letters stating that a site is “clean.”

Financial Assistance

DEQ has a Virginia Petroleum Storage Tank Fund that may reimburse a tank owner for eligible cleanup costs. It’s important for tank owners and consultants to work with DEQ for preapproval of cleanup activities in order to be eligible for reimbursement. Not all site activities are eligible for reimbursement. Please see the Reimbursement page for more information.

State-directed Cleanup

Although the vast majority of cleanups in Virginia are handled by the tank owner (or other persons responsible for the cleanup), there are situations where DEQ takes a more active role. In some emergency situations or when the person responsible for the petroleum leak cannot be found or is unable to handle the cleanup, DEQ may dispatch a contractor to address the contamination. DEQ’s contractor may handle the entire cleanup in some cases, but may also get the cleanup started and hand it over to the responsible person once identified. In those cases, DEQ will recover the state’s cleanup costs from the responsible person, if possible. If you are the person responsible for the petroleum leak and can demonstrate through the submission of financial information that you cannot afford a consultant or cleanup, DEQ may take over the cleanup. Contact your Regional Office for additional information. 

Laboratory Certification Requirements

Sampling analytical results submitted to DEQ must meet standards set out in the Virginia Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program established by the Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services. In the Petroleum Tanks Program, failure to comply with the provisions of this accreditation program may result in the lab cost not being reimbursed. In addition, reports containing analytical data produced by laboratories without accreditation may be deemed incomplete.

Public Interest Cleanups

These cleanups have been identified as especially relevant to the public interest. This may be due to the nature of the release, the number of affected individuals or other factors. If you have any questions about a site, please contact the Case Manager for that site. Contact information for the Case Manager is on each cleanup page. Please refer to the site name and pollution complaint number in your call or email.