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Westchester weighs replacing 50+-year-old underground fuel tanks ahead of 2028 state mandate
Summary
Village staff and a petroleum contractor told trustees the three underground fuel tanks serving Westchester are well past their expected life and face a state requirement in October 2028; the board reviewed options, rough cost estimates, and a state reimbursement fund that could offset remediation costs.
Tom Doherty, owner of Petroleum Technologies Equipment, told the Village of Westchester Committee of the Whole on Feb. 24 that the municipal fueling facility contains three underground storage tanks — two roughly 52 years old and a third about 44 years old — well beyond the typical 30‑year service life for such systems.
"One's 52 years old, the other one's 52 years old, and the third one's 44 years old," Doherty said. "Typically, an underground storage tank system max 30 years." He warned that a state regulation taking effect Oct. 13, 2028, will require owners to either upgrade tanks or remove them and complete cleanup work.
Steve, a village staff member who introduced the presentation, said the fueling station is used not only by the village but also by the Western Broadview Water Commission (tenth Avenue water), the park district and the school district, so any replacement or relocation would affect multiple local agencies.
The contractor and staff presented three rough paths: invest to bring the existing underground tanks into compliance (staff estimated about $100,000 "to bring it up to mandate" if no additional contamination is found), replace with a new underground system (presented as roughly $600,000), or install a modern above‑ground system. Tom described a proposed above‑ground option as a 12,000‑gallon compartment tank supplying gas and diesel with two pumps, a concrete pad and collision protection.
"All the inspections you currently pay and the testing, that all goes away with above ground tanks," Doherty said, noting above‑ground tanks can be moved if the village relocates fueling operations. Staff provided a turnkey figure for the above‑ground option of about $243,000.
Doherty also outlined the Illinois LUST (Leaking Underground Storage Tank) Fund, which he described as a reimbursement program funded by taxes on gasoline and diesel. He estimated the fund takes in about $4,000,000 a month and said reimbursements typically cover roughly 60% of cleanup costs (with regional variance sometimes producing payments nearer 70%). He cautioned the village that cleanup costs vary by region and that worst‑case cleanup estimates he provided could reach the mid‑six figures, though he said his budgets typically err on the high side.
Board members discussed phasing the work across two fiscal years — installing an above‑ground system first, putting it into operation, then filing paperwork to decommission underground tanks with 12 months to complete remediation — and the possibility of cost sharing with other local agencies that use the pumps. Village staff said they will produce more detailed pricing and proposals for the board to consider.
The presentation was informational; no formal policy was adopted. The board signaled preliminary interest in preparing budget options and further cost breakdowns ahead of the 2028 mandate.
