Contact: Dan Olson, 218-846-8108
Detroit Lakes, Minn. — With snowmelt and more rain and snow expected, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is urging Minnesotans to prepare their fuel oil, gasoline and other petroleum tanks for possible flooding.
Because water is heavier than fuel, floodwater can enter buried and uncapped tanks, forcing fuel out, into yards or residences with tanks in their basements.
Doug Bellefeuille, emergency responder at the MPCA’s Detroit Lakes office, said farmers and other rural residents who have underground fuel storage tanks should make sure their tanks are vented above the height of potential floodwater.
If you have an above-ground storage tank, it will also need attention.
“The best way to prepare an above-ground fuel storage tank for a flood is to have it emptied,” Bellefeuille advised. “Your bulk fuel distributor can do that. If that’s not possible or practical, the tank should be secured to concrete anchors or deadmen in the ground so it can’t float away or turn over, spilling its contents.”
If floodwater comes into contact with unsecured fuel oil tanks in basements, it will cause them to become unstable, tip over and/or float on the surface of the water. If a tank’s vent, fill pipe or other openings are not watertight, floodwater will enter the tank and displace the fuel into the home or office.
“A fuel spill in a home can be very costly,” Bellefeuille said. “In addition to creating possible fire and environmental hazards, the fuel will be absorbed by any porous material it comes in contact with, such as wood, cinder block, carpet and drywall. Once that happens, fuel vapors may persist in the building indefinitely.”
Bellefeuille said these steps will help prevent spilling or leaking of fuel from an indoor tank in the event of a flood:
- If floodwater is expected to be high enough in your home or office to cause your tank to tip over or float, have a bulk fuel distributor remove the fuel from the tank and plug its vent and fill pipes. Although this will make the tank more buoyant in water, it will prevent or reduce leakage of fuel into your home or office should floodwater tip the tank over or enter it through an opening.
- The tank may float like a bobber if your basement becomes flooded. Secure the tank in such a way that it will be kept in an upright position if floodwater causes it to float. Anything used to secure the tank must be able to withstand buoyancy forces. The fill and vent should be plugged to prevent water from entering the tank and displacing the fuel.
- If floodwater gets into your home or office but does not come into contact with the tank, monitor the situation to ensure that the tank’s supports are secure and its stability is not undermined by the water.
- If the tank is no longer in service, remove the unused equipment, including all piping, and seal the vent and fill openings on the building.
Underground tanks at commercial facilities should be topped off and their vents and fill openings sealed so the tanks are watertight.
Tank owners who notice that their tanks have leaked must report the leak to the Minnesota Duty Officer at 800-422-0798.
If they have questions, tank owners may call the MPCA’s offices in Detroit Lakes, Marshall, Willmar, Rochester, Brainerd, St. Paul or Duluth toll-free at 800-657-3864.
More advice on what to do before and after flooding to minimize risks to health and damage to property and the environment is on the MPCA’s Floods: Minimizing pollution and health risks page.
