Colonial Pipeline Update
Colonial Pipeline Company continues environmental remediation and product recovery activities at the site of an August release from the pipeline outside of Huntersville, North Carolina, in close coordination with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) and Mecklenburg County.
Environmental Update
To date, Colonial has installed 140 wells to support the environmental remediation, including 84 monitoring and 56 recovery wells at the release location. Recovery wells are used to recover product from the subsurface. Monitoring wells are used to monitor groundwater, which allows Colonial to delineate the extent of product below the surface.
Additionally, Colonial has collected 200+ samples from water supply wells, including weekly samples from water supply wells within 1,500 feet of the release point, a radius established by NCDEQ and applicable regulations. Included in the testing radius are eight water supply wells that have been sealed to close off potential pathways for additional movement of product.
Test samples are collected by third-party consultants and then submitted for analysis under chain of custody to an NCDEQ certified third-party analytical laboratory. The results are then shared with residents and with NCDEQ. No petroleum constituents have been detected in any of those samples.
Although there is no evidence to suggest that the product has migrated from the general vicinity of the release, at the request of local officials and in consultation with NCDEQ, Colonial will conduct additional biannual testing of water supply wells that are located between 1,500 and 2,000 feet from the release point. This expanded program will involve seven additional water supply wells, two of which are not currently in use, one which is used for irrigation purposes and four that are used for potable water needs. These four potable water supply wells were sampled as part of Colonial’s initial response, and no petroleum constituents were detected in those samples. The following illustration provides an overview of Colonial’s water supply well sampling efforts:
Community Commitment
Colonial remains committed to regaining the trust of our neighbors who have been affected by this event. In a recent tour of the area conducted for officials with Mecklenburg County, Colonial reemphasized its commitment to restoring the natural environment, and meeting or exceeding all regulatory requirements. We will continue to work with local partners to remediate the Oehler Nature Preserve, and we will expand area partnerships as part of our ongoing Environmental Partners Program.
