Kinder Morgan Gasoline Pipeline Contamination Clean-Up Update
According to the latest figures released by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, more than 35,000 gallons of gasoline were released during the pipeline rupture on July 30, 2003. The gasoline at the surface was removed immediately. The remainder has percolated down through the soil, and some has reached the groundwater beneath the spill site.
Kinder Morgan has completed the drilling of 25 small groundwater monitoring and/or clean-up wells in the vicinity of the gasoline spill. The wells are used to monitor the extent of the groundwater contamination in the area and to extract any gasoline products found in the groundwater or the soil beneath the spill site. These wells have helped determine the size of the area where groundwater contamination has occurred. (Note: These wells are not, and will never be, part of our drinking water system.)
Since the start of groundwater contamination clean-up, more than 25,000 gallons of gasoline products have been removed from the groundwater in the area. As of the end of April 2004, the closest City of Tucson water monitoring well (WR-070) continues to test free of any gasoline contamination.
Kinder Morgan has installed two “vapor-extraction” wells that are designed to remove gasoline products from the soil beneath the spill site. Because gasoline products evaporate easily, some of the vapors are trapped in the soil between the land surface and the top of the groundwater table. Vapor extraction removes these contaminants by “vacuuming” them from the soil and containing them for later disposal. This process is commonly used to remove contamination from soil and has a good record of success.
