• Real Estate Disclosure Requirements

Residents in the older sections of the Village, especially north of Elk Grove Boulevard, may have unused underground heating oil tanks in their rear yards. If these tanks were not abandoned properly, any remaining fuel oil in the tank may have the potential to escape.

These tanks were usually installed next to the house in the back yard. You may notice one or two pipes sticking up out of the ground behind your house. Some owners may not notice any pipes, but may see an oil sheen on the soil surface next to the house after a heavy rain. This is an indication of an underground tank.

The tanks should have been properly abandoned when your home was converted from fuel oil heating to natural gas heating. Proper abandonment of the tank includes having all remaining fuel pumped out of the tank and the tank being refilled with an inert material such as gravel or sand. If residual oil remains in the tank, it could work its way to the surface and contaminate your yard and possibly surrounding properties.

If you are unsure of the condition of the tank, we recommend that you contact a professional environmental remediation company to conduct an inspection.

While the underground tanks themselves are not regulated by Federal or State codes, you can be held responsible for any costs or inconveniences that leaking fuel oil cause to surrounding properties.

For more information and for a list of Remediation Contractors, please click here.