Aboveground Storage Tanks

An aboveground storage tank (AST) is a tank and any piping connected to the tank, all of which is above the ground. ASTs are regulated to prevent release of substances which can cause contamination to the soil, surface water runoff and groundwater.

Keep your aboveground tanks in secondary containment. They’re available, they’re cheap, and they’re smart. Really smart.

Aboveground storage tanks are best kept behind a containment system, such as a plastic, resin, or a concrete pit to prevent spills and leaks from spreading. Without these containment systems in place the surface runoff from a leaking tank can get into streams and rivers and causes significant damage to the ecosystem.  A leak from the tank can cause substantial harm to the groundwater as well and thus subsequently the drinking water in the area. The leak can also affect the soil which can damage and kill plant life. Being aboveground, ASTs are much more susceptible to human damage than a Underground Storage Tank (UST). ASTs provide a considerable threat to the environment and as such are regulated and monitored with care.