Groundwater Contaminated Near Midland

If you listened to the Republicans, you'd think all we need to do to solve our energy problems is to unleash the corporations to drill for more oil and gas anytime and anywhere they want to. Never mind that the fuels they drill for is damaging the planet and destroying the environment. To hear them tell it, as long as Exxon and Shell and BP are making massive profits then everything is all right.

But consider the case of Cotton Flats, just outside of Midland in West Texas. Their water. has turned the color of urine. They just found out two months ago that much of their groundwater has been contaminated with hexavalent chromium -- a known cancer-causing agent. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is still testing water wells in the area to determine the extent of the contamination.

So far, at least one third of the 125 wells tested so far, has been found to be contaminated. And its not just a little contaminated -- the wells contain 50 times the maximum amount allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency. That's enough to cause serious health problems.

Although they just discovered the contamination, they believe it may have occurred as long as five years ago. Who did it? They don't know that yet. TCEQ said they'll look for the culprit once they know the extent of the contamination. But the area only has one real industry -- the drilling and pumping of oil and gas, and it is strongly believed that is the source of the contamination.

The wells found to be contaminated have been outfitted with water filtration systems (pictured), which are supposed to make the water safe for all uses. Resident Sheldon Johnson says he checks and changes his filters frequently. He said, "We go to bed with it on our minds, we wake up with it on our minds. All of us worry, 'Is our filtration system working?'"

Are you paying attention FORT WORTH? Your greed has let the drilling companies inside your city limits. Will this be your groundwater that's contaminated next?