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West County Road 112, Midland, TX

Information on the chromium contamination in the groundwater near West County Road 112, Midland, TX.

On March 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added West County Road 112 Ground Water Site to the National Priorities List (NPL).

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Notes :

  • Property owners who would like to have more information about the groundwater contamination and sampling can call the TCEQ at 800-633-9363.
  • For anyone wishing to have their water wells sampled independently, the TCEQ has a list of laboratories accredited by the State of Texas under the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program.
  • Copies of maps can be obtained from :
    TCEQ Central File Room    , 12100 Park 35 Circle, Building E, First Floor, Room 103, Austin TX 78753, Phone : 512-239-2900,
    Fax : 512-239-1850, E-mail : cfrreq@tceq.texas.gov

On-Site Activities and Information

Site Background

The West County Road 112 Groundwater Site (the “Site”) is a groundwater plume of chromium underlying and centered at the intersection of County Road 112 and County Road 1205. The plume currently extends up to 1 ¼ miles from the center of the Site and is situated under approximately 260 acres.

The chromium contamination was reported to the TCEQ when a resident complained of yellow water to the TCEQ Region 7 office. The TCEQ regional office immediately collected groundwater samples from a domestic water well on West County Road 112 on April 8, 2009. The maximum contaminant level (MCL) for chromium is 100 parts per billion. The concentrations of hexavalent chromium in these samples exceeded the MCL for chromium. Additional private-water-well sampling was performed at the West County Road 112 Groundwater Site. Filtration systems were installed on drinking water wells that were in existence at the time the TCEQ became aware of the groundwater contamination and that contained chromium above the MCL.

Current Activities

The TCEQ has extended its current sampling area and will continue to expand the sampling area until the extent of the contamination is defined. To date, over 235 water wells have been sampled and the TCEQ has installed over 45 anion-exchange water filtration systems at homes where total chromium has been detected above the MCL. Due to fluctuations in total chromium levels in groundwater, some of the wells with filtration systems currently show total chromium levels below the MCL. This finding is not unusual due to the dynamics of groundwater flow in the Edward-Trinity and Ogallala aquifer systems. With respect to chromium, the anion-exchange filtration systems provide water that is safe for all household uses. These filtration systems are currently being installed and maintained at no cost to the homeowner.

The TCEQ has also sampled area wells for Volatile Organic Compounds ( VOCs), Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds ( SVOCs), and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH). No other contaminants have been identified that would interfere with the filtration systems.

TCEQ continues to sample wells with filters to monitor the filtration systems and will resample wells outside the currently established groundwater plume to monitor plume movement.

  • On April 20, 2009 and April 29, 2009, personnel from the TCEQ Region 7 office and the TCEQ Superfund Site and Discovery and Assessment Program (SSDAP) collected 14 additional groundwater samples from water wells surrounding the domestic well first reported to be impacted on West County Road 112.
  • Beginning in May 2009 and continuing until November 2009, the TCEQ SSDAP conducted sampling at the Site to document the plume extent and monitor the filtration systems. Property owners and occupants were sent letters with the sampling results for their property. By November 4, 2009, SSDAP had collected groundwater samples from 234 drinking water wells within a one mile radius of the site center.
  • The TCEQ held a community meeting on May 28, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at the Midland County Horseshoe, 2002 Cotton Flat Road, Midland, TX. A PowerPoint slideshow was presented.
  • On June 3, 2009, the Texas Department of State Health Services, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, sent a letter to the TCEQ which evaluated the potential health effects of chromium in private water wells in the area around West County Road 112 in Midland, Texas.
  • A community meeting was held on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at the Midland County Horseshoe, 2002 Cotton Flat Road, Midland, TX. A PowerPoint presentation was shown.
  • From July 20, 2009, through July 23, 2009, TCEQ conducted a Site Inspection (SI) for the EPA which consisted of collection and analysis of 30 groundwater samples and of four soil samples from the Site and from the surrounding residential areas around the Site. Property owners and occupants were sent letters with the sampling results for their property.
  • An Open House Availability Session was held on Thursday, September 24, 2009, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Midland County Horseshoe, 2002 Cotton Flat Road, Midland, TX. The Open House Availability Session was of an informal come-and-go format that allowed for one-on-one questions and answers between residents and staff from the TCEQ and Midland County.
  • In September and November of 2009, TCEQ conducted a quarterly sampling event on many of the drinking water wells in the area. Property owners and occupants were sent letters with the sampling results for their property.
  • In January and February of 2010, TCEQ conducted a quarterly sampling event on many of the drinking water wells in the area. Property owners and occupants were sent letters with the sampling results for their property.
  • The TCEQ continued investigating for a potential source or sources at the Site by conducting an Extended Site Inspection (ESI) for the EPA, from
    February 1-10, 2010. The ESI involved sampling a total of 23 monitor wells screened in the Ogallala and Edward-Trinity Aquifers and collecting 8 soil samples at the center of the Site in an attempt to determine a pattern of chromium concentrations and to possibly identify a point of release. Information obtained from the SI and ESI has not led to the identity of the source or sources of the hazardous substances.
  • In March 2010, staff from TCEQ and the EPA met with officials from the City of Midland and with County Commissioner Luis Sanchez to discuss options for alternate water supply sources for area residents.
  • In April and May of 2010, TCEQ conducted a quarterly sampling event on many of the drinking water wells in the area. Property owners and occupants were sent letters with the sampling results for their property.
  • In late July of 2010, TCEQ conducted a quarterly sampling event on many of the drinking water wells in the area. Property owners and occupants were sent letters with the sampling results for their property.
  • In late November of 2010, TCEQ conducted a quarterly sampling event on the drinking water wells with anion exchange filtration systems.

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