27 August 2014, Kampala – The Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (UNBS) has asked consumers and dealers to be cautious with the fuel they buy or sell to avoid contaminated fuel on the market.
Launching the fuel quality and quantity awareness campaign at Shell petrol station, Lugogo, Ben Manyindo, the UNBS executive director, said water can easily slip into the tanks and cause fuel contamination.
“So far, water is the biggest challenge that leads to contamination. Most cases are areas with a lot of rainfall so it is the responsibility of the station owners to check for that. UNBS encourages the use of dipstick and water guide,” he said.
He also explained that there is a lot of water underground and any station is supposed to have a water guide, which detects water in the fuel, and this should be done on a regular basis.
He said: “I urge fuel retailers and consumers to be vigilant whenever you are fuelling vehicles. Ensure that fuel does not contain any water because the water mixed with petrol wears out engines quickly.”
Manyindo also decried the other problem of fuel adulteration. He said fuel adulteration is mainly done by mixing petrol or diesel with paraffin, and sometimes water, to dupe retailers. He warned that any fuel outlet found to be selling adulterated fuel would be closed.
Edward Walugembe, the retail manager Vivo Energy Uganda, said Vivo energy was committed to maintaining the Shell superior brand through a stringent quality control processes.
Walugembe added “In March this year, we launched the first mobile fuel-testing lab, and this conducts random tests in all our stations. The tests check for the presence of water or any other contaminant in our products.”
– The Observer