When muddy water started pouring out of their faucets, Blanco County landowners knew something was wrong.
An underground drilling accident led to fluid loss while construction crews were working on the Permian Highway Pipeline owned by Kinder Morgan, according to the Houston Chronicle.
The incident occurred on a segment of the pipeline that goes through Texas Hill Country. The construction of this pipeline has been marred by controversy.
Texas Hill Country landowners did not want the pipeline in their community, citing safety concerns and possible environmental issues. This spill validates their concerns, a senior campaign representative with the Sierra Club told the Chronicle.
Landowners claim Kinder Morgan never notified them about the accident.
"The fact that this spill was not made public until residents spoke out about contamination in their drinking water makes it clear that Kinder Morgan can’t be trusted to build this pipeline safely," the representative said.
An investigation found a mixture of water and non-toxic bentonite clay spilled into the landowners' water wells, according to the Chronicle.
Kinder Morgan has released a statement about the incident and has suspended drilling operations in the area while it works to determine what caused the spill. The company also said it's been talking to local landowners to determine how best to assist them at this time.
"We are also consulting with our Karst expert and the local water district manager to determine the best way to mitigate any current and future impacts," a company spokesperson told the Houston Chronicle.
"All of the appropriate regulatory agencies have been notified."
The $2 billion Permian Highway Pipeline is 430 miles long and, according to Kinder Morgan, the pipeline can move 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas from the Permian Basin to areas along the Gulf Coast.
Alerts Sign-up