How does a station operator remove the water from a phase-separated blend?
The best way to correct a water problem in an ethanol/gasoline tank is to drain the tank completely and replace it with uncontaminated product. An alternate method is to remove the ethanol/water mixture from the bottom of the tank and then wait 24 hours. The product CANNOT be sold to the public during this time. If more ethanol/water precipitates out, the operator must remove it from the tank and wait another 24 hours. If no more ethanol/water precipitates out, the tank may be `topped off’ with a mixture of ethanol and gasoline. It is very important to contact the Weights and Measures Division when using this method since the quantities of ethanol and gasoline added will depend on the size of the tank, the amount of the product remaining, and the amount of ethanol removed from the original blend. When the Weights and Measures Division determines that the product in the tank meets all octane and oxygenate requirements, the product may again be put up for sale to the public. The operator
