Groundwater & Soil Safety • 6 min read • Last Updated October 28, 2026

Underground Storage Tanks (UST/LUST) Near Residential Property: Risks & Lookup

How petroleum service stations, fleet fueling depots, and underground fuel tanks impact nearby homes—and how to screen within 0.25 miles (1,320 feet) of any address.

Why Petroleum Tanks Are the #1 Most Common Neighborhood Point Source

Across the United States, hundreds of thousands of retail gas stations, fleet depots, and petroleum terminals store fuel in underground storage tanks (USTs). Older bare-steel tanks and piping corroded over time, releasing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) as well as MTBE into surrounding soil and shallow groundwater.

Evaluating Proximity: The 500-Foot and 1,320-Foot Rule

When a gas station or fuel terminal sits within 500 to 1,320 feet (0.25 miles) of a home—especially upgradient or within a shallow water table—buyers should check whether the facility has active RCRA permits, compliance violations, or formal enforcement actions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to buy a house next to a gas station?

Distance and compliance status matter. Homes within 300–500 feet of an older fuel facility with compliance violations face higher vapor intrusion and benzene exposure risks than homes 0.5 miles away from a modern, compliant station.