If you’ve been in the fuel business long enough, you’ve heard it before.
A customer calls and says, “We have water in our fuel.”
My favorite reply has always been:
“We don’t sell water.”
It usually gets a laugh. But the conversation that follows is serious. The customer has a problem, and the most recent fuel delivery is often the first thing blamed.
The question is: Where did the water come from?
Without a sample or a test, neither the jobber nor the customer can answer that question with confidence.
Water Can Enter at Several Points
Water can enter a fuel system during transportation, delivery, or storage. It may enter a customer’s tank through a damaged fill cap, a faulty seal, a leaking fitting, or rainwater around an improperly maintained fill point. Water can also separate from fuel as conditions change.
Once water settles at the bottom of a tank, it can remain there until a delivery stirs it up or the fuel level drops low enough for it to reach the pickup. Water in storage systems can contribute to fuel quality problems, microbial growth, and damage to equipment.
That does not mean the delivery is never responsible. A problem can occur anywhere in the handling chain. It means everyone benefits from checking the facts before deciding where the water came from.
A Clean Delivery Can Stir Up an Old Problem
Consider a customer’s storage tank that has accumulated water and sediment over time. The equipment has continued to run, so nobody knows there is a problem.
Then a delivery arrives. Incoming fuel disturbs material at the bottom of the tank. Soon afterward, the customer sees cloudy fuel, plugged filters, or water in a separator.
The timing makes the delivery an obvious suspect. But timing alone does not establish the source. The problem may have been present before delivery, introduced during delivery, or caused by more than one condition.
Testing before and during delivery can help establish what was present at each point.
Test Before There Is a Dispute
A practical fuel quality program does not have to be complicated. A jobber can develop a consistent sampling procedure that fits the operation and customer agreements.
Consider these steps:
- Check the customer’s tank for bottom water before delivery, where access and the delivery procedure permit. Record the finding.
- Take a sample of the fuel being delivered using an appropriate sampling point and clean equipment. Label it with the date, location, vehicle or compartment, and delivery information.
- Inspect or test the sample for water and visible contamination. If a field test shows a concern, follow the test manufacturer’s instructions and arrange further testing when needed.
- Document any unusual conditions, such as a damaged fill cap, standing water around the fill point, or water detected in the tank before delivery.
- Retain samples according to company policy, using suitable containers, safe storage, and a documented chain of custody if a dispute is possible.
An industry storage guide recommends checking tank-bottom water before and after delivery. Clean sampling equipment and appropriate sample locations also matter: a bottom sample can help identify accumulated water and sediment, while a representative delivery sample helps assess the fuel being transferred. transportationenergy.org
A sample is only useful if it is collected and handled properly. A clear-looking sample is encouraging, but appearance alone cannot rule out every fuel quality problem.
What to Do When a Customer Calls
When a customer reports water in the fuel, the best first response is to listen and gather information.
Ask:
- When was the water first discovered?
- Was it found in the storage tank, a vehicle separator, or a filter?
- When was the tank last checked for water?
- Have other vehicles or pieces of equipment been affected?
- Is there a retained delivery sample?
- Can the customer’s tank be sampled safely before anything is removed or treated?
If there is a significant amount of water or equipment is being damaged, the customer should stop drawing from the affected system until the situation can be evaluated. Preserve relevant samples and records, and use an independent laboratory when the cause or extent of contamination is in dispute.
The goal is to solve the customer’s problem while establishing what the evidence shows.
Make Fuel Testing Part of Customer Service
Fuel jobbers do more than deliver gallons. They help customers keep trucks, generators, construction equipment, and other diesel-powered operations running.
Offering a simple fuel testing program can start a useful conversation about tank maintenance. For customers with storage tanks, periodic checks for water, visible contamination, and microbial activity can reveal problems before they interrupt operations.
Dieselcraft offers fuel test kits that can help identify signs of fuel contamination in the field. Testing can be part of a broader program that includes sampling, water removal, tank inspection, and fuel polishing when appropriate.
The Best Answer Is a Test Result
“We don’t sell water” may be a good opening line, but the strongest response is a documented fuel sample and a consistent delivery procedure.
When a customer calls with a complaint, both parties want the same thing: a reliable answer and a solution.
Test the fuel. Document the delivery. Help the customer find the source.
Meta description: Fuel jobbers often get blamed when customers find water in diesel fuel. Learn how sampling, testing, and delivery records can help identify the source and resolve complaints.
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