Many common violations are easily prevented and relate to record keeping and document production. To help maintain compliance and prevent violations, ADEQ worked with owners and operators to develop a process focused on ensuring that required records are available at the time of inspection. The resulting pre-inspection process assists owners and operators by providing information about specifically what is needed and verifying that those records are available at the time of inspection. 

Tips for Making the Most of Your Pre-Inspection Period

• Ensure that you collect all relevant testing, inspection, and other important UST-related documents in a safe, easy-to-find place. For paper records, immediately scan and save a digital copy of the record on your computer, naming the file so it is easy to identify when needed.
• Schedule and conduct all required annual and triennial tests with an ADEQ-certified UST service provider prior to the expiration dates to ensure there are not gaps during which you are not in compliance | View UST Certified Provider Database >
• Use ADEQ-provided templates and forms to ensure that all required information is recorded on the documents you provide. See ADEQ UST walkthrough inspection forms, testing schedule, logs, and more | View Forms Page >
• Verify that your information on file with ADEQ, including your email address, is current and correct in your myDEQ portal profile | Log in to myDEQ >
• Once you receive your pre-inspection email, use the checklist and requirements at-a-glance tools as a guide to start gathering your documents. Contact the ADEQ Compliance Assistance Coordinator for clarification or further guidance, if needed.
• Begin this process as early as possible to allow time for review and any corrections that need to be made. Submit any missing or corrected documents to the ADEQ Compliance Assistance Coordinator before your inspection.
• If you have documents that cannot be provided electronically, be sure to have them easily accessible and ready for your inspector on inspection day.

During the course of a routine 3-year UST inspection, the ADEQ inspector will introduce themself, and advise the on-site representative of the rights of the inspector to be on the premises and the business owner's inspection-related rights. Following introductions and provision of inspection rights information, signatures are required of the inspector and the on-site representative on the Inspection Rights Form.

After the document review portion of the inspection is completed, the inspector will advise the on-site representative of the equipment inspection portion. The types and design of equipment to be inspected varies from site to site. General types of equipment that receive visual inspection include, but are not limited to:

• Spill Buckets
• Fill Pipes
• Emergency Alarms
• Fuel Turbines
• Sump Conditions
• Fuel Dispensers

This visual inspection is to ensure that all equipment and containment surfaces are intact and operating properly without leaking and/or issue. During this portion of the inspection, the inspector places safety cones around the area above the USTs, and opens up all sump lids and fill pipe/spill bucket lids. In addition, the inspector will look into the bottom of the fuel dispensers and check the audible alarm if it is present.

At the close of the inspection, the inspector will complete all necessary paperwork or electronic documents, present any concerns or violations, and provide explanations if needed. The inspector will collect the necessary signatures and provide a copy of the necessary documentation to the on-site representative or owner/operator.

Beyond routine inspections, ADEQ conducts additional inspections before, during, and after work is done at a site, to clarify on-site equipment/components, to assist owners/operators, to follow-up on violations, and in other instances where on-site review is necessary.