County inspects gas pumps for accuracy
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

With the price of gas weighing heavily on the minds of Moorpark residents, consumers are paying more attention to the figures that roll by on the pump's digital display when they fuel up at one of the eight service stations in town.

Inspectors for the Ventura County Weights and Measures Division spend their days making sure the numbers displayed match the actual amount of gas delivered at the pump. They also verify the accuracy of grocery store scanners and scales and other transactions that involve some form of weighing and measuring in the exchange of goods, property or services.

Gas stations are inspected annually, said Jim Delperdang, sealer for the agency. If violations are discovered during the assessment, the service station is reinspected to verify that corrections have been made, he said. Inspectors not only ensure that dispensing sensors are accurate and the fuel is clean, but they also check that all the required features on the commercial equipment are operational.

"We inspected eight service stations in Moorpark and issued notices of violations at seven of them," Delperdang said.

Six of those stations had minor violations that didn't affect the bottom line for consumers, but one station had more significant errors, he said.

Some of the 24 pumps at the Chevron station on Los Angeles Avenue at Spring Road need to be recalibrated because they were slightly off in favor of the business, Delperdang said. Even small amounts can add up when dealing with thousands of gallons of fuel.

Because weights and measures officials believe the discrepancy at the local Chevron outlet wasn't intentional, they didn't issue any penalties, but the operator will be required to recalibrate before certification, Delperdang said.

Overall, dispensers throughout the county have a 96 to 97 percent accuracy level, and few cases involving weights and measures end up in court. Legal action usually involves fuel quality issues, which haven't been a concern in Moorpark.

In about half a dozen instances, stations in Ventura County sold gas that contained water, sediment or traces of diesel in unleaded product. The agency took immediate action in those cases because the fuel could harm vehicles, Delperdang said.

"As a consumer I know that a lot of gas stations are owned by franchisees, so the integrity of one owner to the next can vary greatly. It's nice to know someone is checking for accuracy," said Moorpark business owner Randy Wheeler.