In Midland County, Texas, residents have been unknowingly consuming well water contaminated with arsenic for years, a situation left unaddressed by both the well's operator and state regulators.
Carlos Nogueras Ramos reports for The Texas Tribune.
In short:
- Despite being fined by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the well's former operator failed to notify residents about the water's arsenic contamination.
- The well, serving a predominantly Hispanic community, has seen almost 600 violations since 1997, underscoring systemic neglect in Texas's unincorporated areas.
- New management has taken over, but the well remains non-compliant with state standards, leaving residents facing health risks and higher bills.
Key quote:
“We have extensive work to do after six years of neglect. It was the Wild West, trying to figure out what was happening with the system.”
— Lisa King, co-owner of New Water System
Why this matters:
When arsenic seeps into groundwater, often through mining or agricultural runoff, it can become a silent threat to communities. Long-term exposure to arsenic, even at relatively low concentrations, is linked to serious health issues. According to research, chronic ingestion of arsenic-contaminated water can lead to skin lesions, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancers of the lung, bladder, and skin.
EHN journalist Hannah Seo’s 2020 piece wrote about a study showing that Southwest U.S. communities and Hispanics were most likely to have arsenic-laden water.
