Section 175.700  Repairs Allowed

Owners and operators of USTs shall ensure that repairs will prevent releases due to structural failure or corrosion as long as the UST is used to store regulated substances. Any hole or penetration made into a tank, including, but not limited to, any bung openings or any entrance way established for interior lining inspection, shall be installed and closed as per this Section.

a)         All repairs to USTs shall be properly conducted in accordance with manufacturer's recommended procedures and a code of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or an independent testing laboratory and 41 Ill. Adm. Code 172, 174, 175, 176 and 177. For repairs involving tank penetration or tank entry, the vapor freeing and inerting procedures and related requirements of Sections 175.500(a) and (c) and 175.830(a) shall be followed.  No welding or cutting will be allowed inside the tank in conducting repairs.

b)         Repairs to fiberglass-reinforced plastic tanks shall be made by the manufacturer's authorized representative or a representative of any fiberglass tank manufacturer in accordance with a code of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or an independent testing laboratory.

c)         Metal pipe sections and fittings that have released product as a result of corrosion or other damage shall be replaced.  The entire pipe run shall be replaced upon finding a second corrosion-related piping leak in the wall of the same pipe run.  Noncorrodible pipes and fittings may be repaired in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.  All repairs shall comply with the requirements of Section 175.420. 

d)         Repairs to secondary containment areas of tanks and piping used for interstitial monitoring must have the secondary containment tested for tightness according to the instructions of the manufacturer of the tanks or piping, or a code of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or independent testing laboratory, prior to being brought back into use and within 30 days following the date of completion of the repair.  All other repairs to tanks and piping must be precision tested in accordance with Sections 175.630(b) and 175.640(a)(4) prior to being brought back into use and within 30 days following the date of the completion of the repair.

e)         Within 6 months following the repair of any cathodically protected UST system, the cathodic protection system must be tested in accordance with Section 175.510(f) to ensure that it is operating properly.

f)         All repaired spill prevention equipment and all repaired containment sumps shall be tested for being liquid-tight before being put back into operation. All repaired overfill prevention equipment shall be inspected before being put back into operation to insure it is operating properly. The testing or inspection described in this subsection shall be done according to the respective requirements of Sections 175.405 and 175.410.

g)         UST owners or operators shall maintain records of each repair for the remaining operating life of the UST that demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this Section. The last 2 years of records shall be retained on site.

h)         All materials used to make necessary repairs shall comply with Subpart D of this Part.

i)          When a tank is determined to be leaking, it can be permanently abandoned-in-place (subject to Section 175.840), removed (subject to Section 175.830), replaced (subject to Section 175. Subpart D) or repaired (subject to this Section).

j)          Removal or abandonment-in-place of a leaking tank shall be in compliance with Sections 175.830 and 175.840. Leaking piping shall be removed or abandoned-in-place in compliance with these Sections.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 6837, effective May 2, 2023)