---
title: "RV Waste Reportedly Dumped Into Colorado Gas Station’s Diesel Tank"
url: "https://camperfaqs.com/rv-waste-reportedly-dumped-into-colorado-gas-stations-diesel-tank"
author: "Tory Jon"
published: "2026-05-29T11:13:17-05:00"
modified: "2026-05-29T11:13:20-05:00"
---

# RV Waste Reportedly Dumped Into Colorado Gas Station’s Diesel Tank

An RV waste tank was reportedly dumped into an underground diesel storage tank at a Maverik gas station in Montrose, Colorado, forcing the station to shut down its diesel pumps.

 

The incident happened on Monday at the Maverik station in Montrose, according to [Cowboy State Daily](https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/05/27/rv-driver-empties-waste-tank-into-colorado-gas-stations-diesel-supply/). A woman who answered the phone at the station on Tuesday confirmed to the outlet that someone had dumped an RV waste tank into the station’s underground diesel supply. She said the diesel pumps were shut down at the time.

 

The station has an RV dump station, but according to details shared in a local Facebook group and reported by the outlet, the waste was dumped into one of the large manhole-style covers near the road that led to the diesel tank, not the designated RV dump.

 

That difference could turn a bad mistake into a very expensive one.

 

The diesel tank will likely have to be pumped out and thoroughly cleaned before it can be used again. The cleanup may also involve filters, pumps, hoses, and other related equipment tied to the contaminated tank.

 

The timing may have made the situation worse. A local resident, Evan Peters, wrote in the Montrose Message Board Facebook group that a cashier told him the station had just received a new delivery of diesel.

 

The [Autopian](https://www.theautopian.com/a-rv-owner-just-dumped-their-waste-tank-into-a-gas-stations-diesel-supply-and-somehow-its-not-even-the-first-time/) later examined the station layout using Google Maps imagery and noted that the actual RV dump station appears to be near Pump 30. The underground storage tank covers are located on the other side of that pump area, which may explain how the mistake happened, though it still would have required someone to open the wrong access point before dumping.

 

Fuel stations use underground storage tanks for different fuel types and grades. Even a relatively small amount of RV waste compared with the size of a diesel tank can create a major contamination issue. Once waste enters the tank, the fuel cannot simply be sold as normal.

 

The situation raises the obvious question of who will pay for the cleanup. The Autopian noted that insurance companies are often involved when fuel tanks are contaminated by misdelivery or other mistakes, but it was not immediately clear what would happen in this case.

 

The incident also raised another question among RVers and fuel station customers: why was the underground diesel tank access not locked or more clearly marked?

 

Bill Sniffin, an RV enthusiast and columnist, told Cowboy State Daily the mistake was “almost unbelievable.” He said a proper RV dump station is usually clearly marked and self-explanatory.

 

Andrea Wood, general manager at the Devils Tower/Black Hills KOA campground, told the outlet that campground workers have seen plenty of bad dumping decisions over the years. She said the most common issue is people emptying black tanks into whatever hole they can find.

 

Wood called it more than an inconvenience. She said improper dumping is a biohazard and a safety concern.

 

The incident is strange, but it is not completely without precedent. The Autopian noted a similar reported case from 2020 in Canada, where an RV driver allegedly dumped waste into a fuel station’s regular gasoline supply.

 

For RVers, the lesson is not complicated. A dump station is not “any hole in the ground.” At truck stops, gas stations, campgrounds, fairgrounds, and other public dump locations, the correct access point should be clearly identified. When it is not, the answer is to ask before opening anything.

 

For stations that offer RV dump access, the lesson may be just as clear: if the wrong opening can be reached, opened, and mistaken for a dump point, it may need better protection.

 

One wrong cap can turn a routine RV chore into a fuel-contamination problem that shuts down pumps, creates a cleanup headache, and could leave someone with a very expensive bill.