For additional information and industry guidance and further fact sheets, please visit NSW EPA’s website.
For further assistance, please contact Council’s Environmental Health Officers of 9748 9999 or council@strathfield.nsw.gov.au
Underground Petroleum Storage Systems
From 1 September 2019, most sites with UPSS in NSW are regulated by local councils.
Underground petroleum storage systems (UPSS) are most common at service stations, however may be found where fuel is used, for example at car dealerships, industrial and commercial businesses, and government facilities.
These petroleum storage systems have the potential to leak and contaminate surrounding land areas and groundwater systems. This creates a hazard to human health and the environment; therefore, operators of UPSS must have systems in place to prevent, report, and fix leaks if they happen.
The Protection of the Environment Operations (Underground Petroleum Storage Systems) Regulation 2019 (UPSS Regulation) governs the use and maintenance of UPSS.
The person who has “management and control” of the UPSS is the “person responsible” for the system. The responsible person must have procedures and systems in place to detect and fix any fuel leaks as early as possible, and document these in a Fuel System Operation Plan for the site.
Ignoring a leak or failure to report the leak from a UPSS is against the law. The person responsible for the UPSS must notify pollution incidents immediately to the appropriate regulatory authority; NSW EPA or local council through the UPSS Regulation leak notification form within 30 days.
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