Gas Pipeline Under Lake Leon Could Contaminate Eastland County's Water Supply
By: Homa Bash
Updated: August 29, 2012
A company has proposed pumping natural gas through an old pipeline that runs right under Lake Leon in Eastland County.
It is a controversial proposition and one that is not being taken lightly by city leaders in Eastland.
"To say we're concerned is a gross understatement," said Ron Holliday, Eastland City Manager, on Tuesday.
Hanlon Gas, a company based in Breckenridge, proposed pumping natural gas through a pipeline that already runs under a portion of Eastland County.
But here is the problem -- the pipeline, originally used for oil, was built back in 1919 and according to Holliday, it has been left abandoned for decades.
Hanlon, however, has told the city that the pipeline was used as recently as the 1990s.
City leaders said representatives from Hanlon showed up to a water district meeting in the spring and assured residents that the pipeline was buried, but a closer look at a part of Lake Leon reveals the pipeline jutting out from the ground, making officials further concerned that there is no guarantee it actually remains buried under the lake.
Pete Perez has worked as a landscaper in the area for more than 30 years and back in 1983, had his own run-in with the buried line.
"We were digging a water leak and as we dig, we find that 12-inch pipe and we punched a hole in it with our shovels," Perez explained. "From there, we found sand and green stuff inside, like oil."
Perez and his crew patched up the pipe, then let it lie, not thinking of it for years -- until now.
Now, he is just one of many concerned residents who are uneasy at the thought of natural gas getting dangerously close to their drinking water.
"This lake supplies over 10,000 people and if it gets contaminated, we're out," Perez said.
Holliday agreed and said that the city feared the loss of water in 2011 due to the drought, which would have occurred during a prolonged period of time.
"With a gas leak under the lake, the impact is immediate," Holliday said.
Whether Hanlon is testing the waters with the idea or is ready to dive in and get to work on the pipeline, it is obvious they will face plenty of push back.
A representative for Hanlon said officials were unable to comment Tuesday, but would like to do so at a later date.
It is a controversial proposition and one that is not being taken lightly by city leaders in Eastland.
"To say we're concerned is a gross understatement," said Ron Holliday, Eastland City Manager, on Tuesday.
Hanlon Gas, a company based in Breckenridge, proposed pumping natural gas through a pipeline that already runs under a portion of Eastland County.
But here is the problem -- the pipeline, originally used for oil, was built back in 1919 and according to Holliday, it has been left abandoned for decades.
Hanlon, however, has told the city that the pipeline was used as recently as the 1990s.
City leaders said representatives from Hanlon showed up to a water district meeting in the spring and assured residents that the pipeline was buried, but a closer look at a part of Lake Leon reveals the pipeline jutting out from the ground, making officials further concerned that there is no guarantee it actually remains buried under the lake.
Pete Perez has worked as a landscaper in the area for more than 30 years and back in 1983, had his own run-in with the buried line.
"We were digging a water leak and as we dig, we find that 12-inch pipe and we punched a hole in it with our shovels," Perez explained. "From there, we found sand and green stuff inside, like oil."
Perez and his crew patched up the pipe, then let it lie, not thinking of it for years -- until now.
Now, he is just one of many concerned residents who are uneasy at the thought of natural gas getting dangerously close to their drinking water.
"This lake supplies over 10,000 people and if it gets contaminated, we're out," Perez said.
Holliday agreed and said that the city feared the loss of water in 2011 due to the drought, which would have occurred during a prolonged period of time.
"With a gas leak under the lake, the impact is immediate," Holliday said.
Whether Hanlon is testing the waters with the idea or is ready to dive in and get to work on the pipeline, it is obvious they will face plenty of push back.
A representative for Hanlon said officials were unable to comment Tuesday, but would like to do so at a later date.
Comments
Oh my my, I'm thinking you guys should've checked out the facts instead of the politics of this story!!!
Joan R.
August 29, 2012 at 9:57 pm
