Landgraf provides update on water situation following Odessa chemical fire

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) State Representative Brooks Landgraf provided an update Tuesday following a fire at a chemical storage company last week that left many Odessa residents without drinkable water.

The fire happened July 23 at Permian Basin Containers and left residents in the area of 81 ^st Street and West County Road dealing with a “nuisance” in the aftermath; the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality officially deemed the area a nuisance after many living in the area complained of a bad smell.

The investigation into the site is ongoing and state officials are continuously monitoring air quality at and near the site. Readings from mobile air monitors continue to show air quality to be at “nuisance” levels.

Testing of the water in the area is a “bit more tricky”, Landgraf said.

“The long and short of it is that the water in this area are all privately-owned water wells. TCEQ only has jurisdiction over public water systems and supplies. However, several residents I’ve spoken with have collected water samples from their own homes to send them off to a lab for testing. Results from those tests should be arriving soon,” Landgraf said.

In the meantime, Ector County Commissioner Mike Gardner said people in the area should not drink water from their private wells until cleanup efforts have been completed and until their water has been tested. For more information on how the County can help with testing your well, visit this website .

The West Texas Food Bank has donated a pallet of water for anyone in need; the water may be picked up at 715 W 81st Street.

“If you live in one of the homes that has lost drinking water in the aftermath of the PBC fire, please feel free to take bottled water that you need for your family. Libby Stephens, the great boss at the Food Bank saw me at a separate meeting and offered to send water to the neighborhood, and I really appreciate her for doing that,” Landgraf said.

TCEQ officials said the owner of the fire site will be responsible for cleaning up the area and must prioritize pumping out the standing liquids that have pooled on and near the site. According to TCEQ, the site owner has been cooperative so far and as long as remediation progress is made in a timely manner, TCEQ will simply supervise the clean-up process.

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