Underground Gasoline Tanks Excavated at Rojo’s on Route 1 Found Free of Leaks, Fire Chief Reports-August 16, 1990

Underground gasoline storage tanks excavated this week from Rojo’s Car Wash on Route 1 showed no evidence of structural leaks, according to Fire Chief Thomas Barry.

Rojo’s, one of the town’s largest independent service stations, is currently replacing five large subterranean fuel vessels: four 10,000-gallon gasoline tanks and one 10,000-gallon diesel tank. Having remained in the ground for up to 17 years, the tanks were found to be in remarkably good condition, still bearing their original paper stickers and displaying no signs of corrosion. Chief Barry confirmed that the final tank was successfully removed on Tuesday.

While the tanks themselves were intact, Barry noted that a minor leak was detected in the delivery piping connecting the storage tanks to the above-ground pumps. Rating the pipe leak a four on a scale of one to 10, Barry remarked, “It didn’t look like a big deal. There was evidence of something, but it really wasn’t too bad.” He explained that pipe wear is relatively common and typically occurs before tank degradation, with new piping scheduled for installation as part of the month-long upgrade project.

State environmental officials are reviewing soil and site data compiled by Corporate Environmental Advisors, a private engineering firm retained by Rojo’s. Mark Casey of the state Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that the state is not conducting independent testing due to the case’s low priority. Authorities are examining whether any petroleum seepage reached nearby Purgatory Brook, a tributary of the Neponset River that flows roughly 200 feet from the tank site. Officials emphasized that local drinking water supplies face no contamination threat, as Norwood’s municipal water is sourced from the distant Quabbin Reservoir via the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) rather than local groundwater wells. (Reporting by Lyndsey Layton, The Patriot Ledger).

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger

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