PARKER COUNTY —
When construction on the Ric Williamson Memorial Highway began in western Parker County the Upper Trinity Ground Water Conservation District (UTGCD) started receiving phone calls from the public.
“We had reports from the public that there were some (abandoned) water wells (being paved over),” UTGCD General Manager Bob Patterson said. “It was a critical matter for the contamination of the aquifer — those wells are required to be plugged by state law.”
Patterson contacted Parker County Judge Mark Riley. The district and county, along with the construction company in charge of the project, began working together to identify abandoned water wells in the right of way for the highway.
“When we went out there and looked, there were more wells that we could find that were not even on the list provided to the construction company (originally),” Patterson said. “As that project develops, more are being discovered than were provided at the (beginning).”
A notice from the UTGCD said that at least six abandoned water wells have been discovered along Phase III of the highway.
It is important for the abandoned wells to be plugged, Patterson said, because it can prevent contamination.
“That would mean (portions of) Weatherford would not have drinking water,” Patterson said.
Patterson said the district has received cooperation from the county judge and commissioners, Jay Mills Contracting and Freese and Nichols in capping the wells.
Plugging the wells is not an expensive fix, Patterson said.
“It’s not a big issue and it’s not very expensive, but it has to be done by state specifications,” Patterson said.
Parker County Judge Mark Riley said the capping of the wells has been “done in compliance with TCEQ regulations and certainly serves a benefit to prevent potential contamination.”
“The cost is covered within the budgeted contingency and we remain under budget and ahead of original schedule,” Riley said.
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Related Photos
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COURTESY PHOTO UTGCD Director of Field Operations, William Davis, finds many abandoned wells like this one where the pump and tank have been removed. The district has identified six wells like this one in Parker County in the last few months.
February 21, 2012
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