Concerns continue on Arkansas River's contamination levels

TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa residents warned the city councilors on June 15 about unsafe water quality in the Arkansas River at Zink Lake and The Flume.

Despite the city’s plans to open the area for recreational use on Labor Day, concerns continue about the river's contamination levels.

Charles Pratt, Kelsey Royce and Anne Marie Beer, three Tulsa residents, spoke about their concerns.

"Don't let your kids get in the water anywhere in the flume, or in the lake. It's just too, too dangerous," Pratt said.

Royce added, "You are going to come into contact with that water, and it is unsafe."

Beer advised, "Make smart decisions, don't go in the water."

The residents presented a PowerPoint based on in-depth research to the city council, highlighting the chemicals in the water.

"They're not testing properly for the hydrocarbons and pollutants," Pratt said.

"You have a refinery that is seeping hydrocarbons. These chemicals are not chemicals I want my children coming in contact with," Royce said.

The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality acknowledged historical contamination from the Sinclair Refinery.

Amy Brittain from ODEQ noted, "These spills have happened throughout the history of that facility."

The Sinclair Refinery has spent millions on containment efforts, but concerns remain.

The city claims it has tested for hydrocarbons since January, with favorable results, but Pratt criticized the testing as inadequate and hard to find on the city’s dashboard.

"They think that they can put the monkey on the citizen's back to decide whether or not it's safe with some of this statistical data, which most people don't understand," Pratt said.

The city said water testing and the dashboard are works in progress, with improvements expected by Labor Day. If the water is ever deemed dangerous, the city promises to post signs warning residents.