Madison County News...

October 5, 2005

Citizens' group to push for well tests
McElheney says lack of accountability for pipeline spills is amazing
Any wells used for drinking or bathing around known petroleum spills need to be
tested
for contaminants.
That was the message at a meeting Thursday night at the Madison County Library
for
about 25 citizens in the Colbert Grove Church Road and Transco Road areas.
"We know it's a spill; we know it's Colonial's fault; what we're trying to do
is make sure
nobody's using water that's contaminated," said Dr. Lou Kudon, epidemiologist,
Northeast
Georgia Children's Environmental Health Coalition.
Colonial Pipeline, which has two pipelines that traverse Madison County, admits
to six
petroleum spills between 1966 and 1979 at its booster station just south of
Danielsville.
Benzene, a contaminant known to cause cancer, was found in residential wells
near the
booster station in the mid 1990s. The company bought over 30 homes in the
contaminated area. There have been reports of sickness in the area, but no
established
scientific link between the spills and health problems.
Last year, county industrial authority representatives held non-quorum, closed
door
meetings with Colonial Pipeline and the company agreed to pay approximately
$950,000
to establish a water line from Madico Park to the contaminated Colbert Grove
area.
Some residents of the area at Thursday's meeting said the water line is not
sufficient
compensation to those whose land was contaminated.
"People said this water line solves the problem, but who's going to buy your
property
when it's contaminated?" asked Kenneth Fowler of Double Branch Road.
One meeting participant said the water line was used as a way of expanding
water
services in the county to push for more residential growth. Another resident
said it's unfair
for Colonial to contaminate citizens' well water and then those residents be
forced to pay
the county for water services. Industrial authority members have said the deal
with
Colonial was a lot better option than years of litigation for perhaps no return.
For the rest of the story see this weeks Madison County Journal.