‘It’s a lot of money’: Customers with water in their gas tanks to be reimbursed by Circle K

Circle K confirmed water got into the storage tank at a south Edmonton gas station after multiple people reported car troubles. Amanda Anderson reports.

An Edmonton gas station says it is working with customers that got water in their gas tanks after filling up last week.

“The issues experienced by some customers who purchased fuel at our location at 8403 Ellerslie Rd SW, Edmonton, AB, have been linked to water intrusion into the underground storage tanks at this site,” Amine Ndamama wrote in an email to CTV News Edmonton on Saturday.

“As soon as we became aware of the situation, we took immediate action, including shutting down the pumps and initiating a thorough investigation.

“Unfortunately, we have heard from several customers who reported vehicle issues following a visit to this location.

“We regret the inconvenience this has caused and are actively supporting affected customers through our claims process, while continuing to address the underlying issue at the site.”

Dozens of customers who filled up at the Esso Circle K station at Ellerslie Road and Summerside Drive have reported experiencing car trouble soon after.

CTV News Edmonton spoke to a repair shop that found that the gas in the tanks of at least seven impacted vehicles was actually 50 per cent water.

Dan Brault took his vehicle in for repairs last week after getting bad gas from the station on April 13.

“There was water in the gas,” he told CTV News Edmonton on Monday.

“Enough to affect the vehicle. The spark plugs, the gas pump, the fuel pump and the gas tank and various other parts had to be replaced.”

He said he’s glad to hear Circle K has taken responsibility for the issue.

I hear that Circle K had a resolution to the problem, which is great, because my bill was $2,700 for repairs," he said.

“To most people, that’s a lot of money, especially when you’re not planning for it.”

He said he’s already submitted a claim with the company.

“They’ve asked me to provide receipts and documentation from the dealership and a short narrative as to what happened. And I just finally finished that this morning and sent it off.”

Circle K says the gas station will remain closed until remediation work is complete.

“Fuel operations at this location will resume once the system has been fully cleared and validated by independent third-party technicians,” Ndamama wrote.

Anyone who believes their vehicle was damaged as a result of gas from the station should contact Circle K customer service at 1-855-276-1947.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson.