In 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated the 1988 underground storage tank (UST) technical regulations. The 2015 UST regulation changed certain portions of the 1988 regulation including the addition of periodic operation and maintenance requirements for UST systems. Among those requirements was the walkthrough inspection. The EPA stated that the walkthrough inspection must meet one of the following options.

Option 1: Every 30 days (except spill prevention equipment at UST systems receiving deliveries at intervals greater than every 30 days may be checked prior to each delivery), check your spill prevention equipment and release detection equipment. Annually, check your containment sumps and any handheld release detection equipment.

When conducting the walkthrough inspection, check the following:

Spill prevention equipment

• Check for damage

• Remove any liquid or debris

• Check for and remove any obstructions in the fill pipe

• Check the fill cap to make sure it is securely on the fill pipe

• Double walled spill prevention equipment with interstitial monitoring check for a leak in the interstitial area

  Release detection equipment

• Ensure it is operating with no alarms or other unusual operating conditions present

• Ensure records of release detection testing are reviewed and current

  Containment Sumps

• Check for damage, leaks into the containment area, or releases to the environment

• Remove any liquid or debris

• Double walled containment sumps with interstitial monitoring check for a leak in the interstitial area

  Handheld release detection equipment (for example tank gauge sticks or ground water bailers)

• Check for operability and serviceability

Option 2: Conduct walkthrough inspections according to a standard code of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or independent testing laboratory. The code of practice must check equipment comparable to Option 1 above.

Option 3: Conduct walkthrough inspections according to requirements developed by your implementing agency. These requirements must be comparable to the requirements described in Option 1 above.

Link to the U.S. EPA - Walkthrough Inspection Requirement on the EPA website