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s: 4) Of the estimated 78,000 HLTS, very few cases of HLT leaks to ground water have been reported, and only five that reached groundwater potentially affected a drinking water supply 5) Most local implementing agencies lack resources to regulate this segment of the UST universe, given the many demands on their fee-supported programs. 6) The public health and environmental benefits of complying with the UST leak prevention and corrective action requirements do not appear to Justify the expense to the regulated community. 7) Most HLTS store a much smaller liquid volume of fluid than other petroleum USTs. Added to this is the fact that when a significant leak occurs, the equipment stops working. Therefore, the likelihood of sizeable HLT leaks relative to fuel tank leaks is much lower. . 8) Regional Water Quality Control Boards retain their authority under the Water Code to require cleanup of HLT leaks where beneficial uses of water are adversely affected or threatened. B. BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR HLTS The following three management practices are recommended to the DIR and the HLT industry to encourage leak prevention and prompt, appropriate response to leaks that do occur. 1) Encourage industry to emphasize the need to repair systems that are found to leak small amounts of fluid continually 2) Encourage the use of alternative fluids that do not contain any hazardous materials. For example, Mobil Oil Company has developed a vegetable-based hydraulic fluid that they think is environmentally friendly. Testing of this product, in its virgin and used states, is under way, using California standards for hazardous waste and threat to water quality. 3) Encourage industry to develop and install secondary containment on new HLTS systems, where feasible The feasibility of retrofitting existing HLT systems as part of a major overhaul or repair should also be investigated.