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i <br /> HYDRAULIC LIFT TANK REPORTvr�� <br /> N <br /> PEWIr <br /> EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> Assembly Bill 1061 (Costa), Chapter 432 of 1993, requires the State Water <br /> Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to assess the threat of leaks from <br /> hydraulic lift tanks (HLTs). The law directs the SWRCB to prepare a report <br /> that estimates the number of HLTs in the state and the number of these <br /> tanks that have leaked, and evaluates the types of dangers to the <br /> environment that HLT leaks might pose <br /> To estimate the total number of HLTs and the number of these tanks that <br /> have leaked fluid into the environment, staff surveyed local regulators, the <br /> Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), and the affected industries. <br /> To assess the danger that HLT leaks might pose to the environment, SWRCB <br /> staff conducted a review of scientific literature to ascertain the toxicology <br /> • and environmental fate of fluids commonly used in HLTs. <br /> There are an estimated 73,000 HLTs in California, 78 of which have leaked <br /> to the environment, as reported to local regulatory agencies. Five of the 27 <br /> leaks that reached ground water required cleanup to avoid an adverse impact <br /> on drinking water or other current uses of drinking water <br /> Based on the findings of this report, the SWRCB recommends that all HLTs <br /> be permanently exempted from regulation under the Underground Storage <br /> Tants law. The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Water Code) <br /> provides ample authority fir the Regional Water Quality Control Boards <br /> (RWQCBs) to regulate those few HLTs which may threaten beneficial uses of <br /> water. <br /> The following three management practices are recommended to the DIR and <br /> the HLT industry to encourage leak prevention and prompt, appropriate <br /> response to leaks that do occur. <br /> 1) Encourage industry to emphasize the need to repair systems <br /> that are found to leak small amounts of fluid continually <br /> • 2) Encourage the use of alternative fluids that do not contain any <br /> hazardous materials <br /> 3) Encourage industry to develop and install secondary <br /> containment on new HLT systems, where feasible The <br /> feasibility of retrofitting existing HLT systems as part of a major <br /> over,-aul or repair should also be investigated <br />