2 Gas Stations Cited for Selling Watered-Down Gas

A second gas station, this time in the Beverly neighborhood, has been pinged for selling watered down gas, according to Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th).

After a Citgo station in Mt. Greenwood had six of its tanks turned off because 4 inches of water was discovered in the underground storage tanks, O’Shea said his office received complaints about another gas station in the neighborhood.

• Also on Patch: City Cites Gas Station for Allegedly Selling Watered-Down Gas

Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection officials came out Thursday afternoon to inspect the Shell station at 9955 S. Western Ave. after customer complaints the gas station was selling watered-down gasoline.

Inspectors confirmed the underground tanks used for both regular unleaded and mid-grade gas contained water. Eight pumps were tagged and citations issued for each. The citations carry fines between $50 to $2,000 per pump.

These pumps cannot be used until they are re-tested and approved by BACP. The Shell station is only allowed to legally dispense premium gasoline.

City officials cited and turned off six pumps at the Citgo station, 3700 W. 111th St., after a resident complained about watered down gas.

“It’s being investigated, we don’t know what happened,” O’Shea said. “As we speak, I don’t have 100-percent proof, but based on the timeline if someone knew something was amiss and they continued to operate, than I want those fines to be $2,000.”

The alderman said six people visited his office, who filled their cars with the watered-down gas.

“They showed me bills for hundreds of dollars in damages to their cars,” O’Shea said. “The mechanics bills were for $400 to $1,000.”

O’Shea asks anyone who may have gone to the two gas stations and is now experiencing problems with their vehicles to call 311 and contact his office at mattoshea@the19thward.com.

Symptoms of water in vehicle’s gas tanks include stalling, engines not starting and poor gas mileage