The national average price of diesel fuel rose by 2.6 cents, putting the weekly amount at $3.252 a gallon, according to the U.S. Energy’s Department’s report released on September 4. Diesel now costs 49.4 cents a gallon more than it did a year ago when its average was $2.758 a gallon. This rise in diesel fuel is attributed to Tropical Storm Gordon, which made landfall near the Alabama-Mississippi border earlier this week.
The average price of diesel has risen in every region of the country, forcing water well contractors across the United States to account for this increased business expense. The largest increase was in the Midwest, which saw average prices increase 3.8 cents to $3.191 from $3.153. The least expensive diesel can be purchased in the Gulf Coast. However, the price there rose 3.1 cents to $3.035 from $3.004.
A positive note is unleaded regular gasoline dropped nationally, dropping three-tenths of a cent to an average of $2.824 a gallon compared with $2.827 the previous week.