Petroleum fuel is often stored in large amounts in underground infrastructure – for example, at petrol stations.
Underground petroleum storage systems (UPSSs) need to be regularly maintained and monitored for leaks. We have conducted many investigations where the failure of a UPSS has leaked petroleum into the environment.
Petroleum leaked from a UPSS can:
- contaminate the soil, groundwater, surface water and air
- impact underground structures such as water pipes, sewer systems and stormwater systems.
Undetected leaks, even slow leaks, can move considerable distances off site.
UPSS leaks and the law
If you store petroleum in a UPSS, you must meet the general environmental duty. This means you should follow a risk management process to:
- assess the risks of harm from leaks
- act to eliminate or reduce those risks so far as reasonably practicable.
If your UPSS leaks and causes pollution or could potentially cause pollution, these duties may apply:
- duty to notify Authority of a notifiable incident
- duty to take action to respond to harm caused by pollution incident.
When land or groundwater is contaminated, you must meet the duty to manage contaminated land. In certain circumstances the duty to notify of contaminated land may apply.
If you hold a permission, such as a GO4 – bulk storage – operating licence, you must notify us immediately if there's petroleum leak that may harm human health or the environment. This is a condition of your permission.
There are penalties for not meeting these duties and obligations.
Our role in managing UPSS leaks
We regulate the management of petroleum storage to protect human health and the environment. We do this by:
- conducting inspections at sites with a UPSS, including retail petrol stations
- monitoring compliance with duties and enforcing the law
- providing advice and guidance to support compliance.
We work with the service station industry to increase:
- awareness of the health, environmental and financial risks of UPSSs
- understanding of the requirements, duties and obligations related to UPSSs
- detection and enforcement of non-compliance.
Impact of UPSS leaks on your health and the environment
Some of the components of petroleum are very toxic and carcinogenic – for example, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene.
Petroleum leaked on site can affect employees, customers, site visitors and maintenance workers through:
- direct contact with skin
- accidental ingestion
- inhalation of vapours
- explosion.
The broader community can be impacted if the leaked petroleum moves off site to:
- neighbouring land
- waterways where people swim and fish
- groundwater bodies where water is extracted for use, or which discharge to waterways.
Leaked petroleum can also impact the environment. Plants can be impacted by contaminated soil and water. Aquatic ecosystems can be impacted if leaked petroleum moves into waterways.
For more information, visit How contamination can cause harm.
Manage risks of harm from UPSS
Our guidance The design, installation and management requirements for underground petroleum storage systems details the minimum requirements for managing your UPSS.
You’re expected to follow these requirements to meet the general environmental duty. Alternative approaches need to achieve an equal or higher level of performance in eliminating or reducing risk to human health and the environment.
For more information about preventing and managing leaks, refer to:
- Victorian underground petroleum storage systems: A guide to preventing and managing leaks and spills
- Leak detection for underground petroleum storage systems.
Learn more about contaminated land and groundwater.
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