Requirements for Spill Buckets and Overfill Prevention Equipment

(1) All fill ports used to introduce regulated substance to a UST system shall be equipped with a spill bucket. (a) 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. 1. 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. 2. 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. (b) Spill buckets installed before January 2, 2015 shall have a minimum capacity of three gallons. (c) All spill buckets shall pass an integrity test at installation to ensure the spill bucket is liquid tight by using a vacuum or hydrostatic test in accordance with PEI RPI 1200-19. The Owner or Operator shall keep records of this test in accordance with 310 CMR 80.36. (d) Spill bucket covers installed on and after October 1, 2021 shall be designed and installed with a final grade that channels storm water away from the spill bucket and the paved surface is crowned as to protect the spill bucket and fill port from damage due to traffic. (2) UST systems shall have an overfill prevention device that is designed to allow a tank tightness test and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. (a) 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. (b) All UST systems shall be equipped with one of the following: 1. An automatic shut off device that shall automatically and completely shut off flow into the tank when the tank is no more than 95% full. 2. 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. a. All high level alarms installed on and after January 2, 2015 shall be visible and audible to the regulated substance deliverer. b. All high-level alarms shall be clearly labeled as a tank overfill alarm. 3. A ball float valve which shall alert the regulated substance deliverer by restricting the flow into the tank 30 minutes prior to overfilling, in accordance with 310 CMR 80.21(2)(a).