UST systems shall be equipped with a spill bucket. Spill buckets, including replacement spill buckets, installed on or after January 2, 2015 shall have a minimum capacity of five gallons, unless it is not physically possible to replace a three gallon spill bucket with a five gallon spill bucket. "Not physically possible" means that the area where the three gallon spill bucket is installed cannot be made to accommodate a five gallon spill bucket by any physical means, including, but not limited to, digging or jack hammering.
- If it is not physically possible to replace a three gallon spill bucket with a five gallon spill bucket, the Owner or Operator shall certify to the Department that it is not physically possible in a letter signed in accordance with 310 CMR 80.11.
- If it is not physically possible to replace a three gallon spill bucket with a five gallon spill bucket, the Owner or Operator shall install a spill bucket no smaller than three gallons.
- All spill buckets shall pass a tightness test at installation to ensure the spill bucket is liquid tight by using vacuum, pressure, or liquid testing.
Requirements for the proper operation and maintenance of spill buckets are as follows:
- The Owner or Operator shall keep spill buckets clean and free of solid and liquid material.
- The Owner or Operator shall maintain the spill bucket and cover so that they are free of cracks and holes at all times.
- The Owner or Operator shall remove and manage any solid or liquid material that collects within a spill bucket in accordance with local, state and federal laws and regulations.
- The Owner or Operator shall maintain spill buckets in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.
The Owner or Operator shall inspect spill buckets monthly in accordance with the following:
- Visually inspect the spill bucket to determine if there is solid or liquid material in the spill bucket.
- Visually inspect spill buckets and covers for signs of corrosion, breakage and wear.
- Verify that sensors are set in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, if applicable.
- The Owner or Operator shall test spill buckets in accordance with 310 CMR80.28(2)(g) on or before January 2, 2017 and once every five years thereafter.
- The Owner or Operator shall test spill buckets in accordance with the schedule at 310 CMR 80.28(2)(f) and in accordance with the following requirements:
- Spill buckets shall pass an integrity test to ensure the spill bucket is liquid tight by using vacuum or hydrostatic testing.
- The standard for declaring a failure is 1/8 inch or greater loss of water within one hour (which is equal to a release or leakage of 0.05 gallons per hour in a typical 12-inch diameter basin)
- If the spill bucket fails the test, the Owner or Operator shall repair or replace the spill bucket.
- The Owner or Operator shall keep the following spill bucket records:
- Records of spill bucket inspections.
- Records of spill bucket integrity tests.
Requirements for proper operation and maintenance of overfill prevention equipment are:
- The Owner or Operator shall inspect and test the overfill prevention equipment as required by the manufacturer's specifications to verify that the overfill protection is operational. If no manufacturer's specifications exist, the Owner or Operator shall inspect and test the overfill prevention equipment annually to verify that the overfill protection is operational.
- The Owner or Operator shall repair or replace components as necessary.
- Overfill prevention equipment that is repaired shall be tested to determine that it is operational.
The Owner or Operator shall keep records of the following for the overfill prevention equipment:
- Records of inspections as required by the manufacturer's specifications or, if no manufacturer's specifications exist, an annual inspections.
- Records of testing.
On or after January 2, 2015, new or replacement ball float valves are prohibited from being used as the primary overfill prevention device. Owners and Operators may continue to use ball float valves as a secondary overfill prevention device, unless the ball float valve interferes with the operation of the primary overfill prevention device. Ball float valves installed prior to January 2, 2015 may be used as the primary overfill prevention device until the ball float valve is replaced. All UST systems shall be equipped with one of the following:
- An automatic shut off valve, float or flapper that shall automatically and completely shut off flow into the tank when the tank is no more than 95% full.
- A device which shall sufficiently alert the operator and regulated substance deliverer when the tank is at a maximum of 90% full by triggering a high-level alarm.
- All high level alarms installed on and after January 2, 2015 shall be visible and audible.
- All high-level alarms shall be clearly labeled as a tank overfill alarm.
- A ball float valve which shall alert the regulated substance deliverer by restricting the flow into the tank 30 minutes prior to overfilling.