VUI: Drilling not affecting water
Responding to media reports and public criticism, Virginia Uranium Inc. issued a news release Tuesday stating categorically that its exploratory drilling at Coles Hill near Chatham had nothing to do with elevated lead levels found in at least one resident’s water supply.
A Pittsylvania County resident who lives about a mile from Coles Hill says the amount of lead in his drinking water skyrocketed to unsafe levels after Virginia Uranium Inc. began exploratory drilling began about a year ago.
Allen Gross, who lives in Sheva, said Virginia Uranium contracted for test and analysis of five water samples on his property from December 2007 to September 2008. Before drilling began, the first test showed a lead measurement of 2.83 parts per billion. But the last sample taken in September showed a level of 17.9 parts per billion, Gross said last week.
The maximum acceptable level of lead in drinking water is 15 parts per billion, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. One part per billion is analogous to one penny per $10 million or one second in 32 years, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
Patrick Wales, geologist and spokesman for VUI, said the company was required to take water samples of eight locations including wells and ponds around Coles Hill, as well as monitor flow in 15 surrounding creeks and tributaries. The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy required the testing and monitoring so VUI could obtain an exploration permit, Wales said.
VUI went beyond its requirement and tested water at about 80 residences around Coles Hill, Wales said. None of the wells are located in a watershed that could be affected by VUI’s exploratory activities, Wales said.
“Wells with reported lead levels in the water are all in geologically and hydrologically isolated areas that are unaffected by activities conducted by our company,” Wales said.
Also, ridges of land and several creeks form boundaries separating the area of VUI’s activities from the sites, Wales said.
“Water doesn’t flow uphill,” Wales said.
Dan Richardson, environmental health manager for the Pittsylvania/Danville Health District, said last week he was not sure what caused the elevated lead content. Elevated lead levels can come from the aquifer, pumps, piping or spigots, Richardson said.
The engineering firm Dewberry conducted the water sampling at Gross’ residence and ProChem Analytical Inc. analyzed the samples.
Virginia Uranium seeks to mine and mill a 119-million-pound uranium ore deposit at Coles Hill, about six miles northeast of Chatham. Virginia has banned the practice since the early 1980s.
Gross said he and his wife, Deborah, no longer use their tap water. They drink, cook and brush their teeth using bottled water, he said.
Wales said three creeks separate Coles Hill from the Grosses’ home, which is about a mile southwest from the uranium ore deposit.
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Reader Reactions
Look since these people are so concerned not even to keep in mind that those deposit are used in making bombs or dangerous weapons,with no chance of harming anyone at all ask them to move their family members or them and their children closer to the site where all this drilling will be taken place I think that will be fair see it is known that if other Nations would like to have that matter and have Ideas why wouldn’t some of the groups of hate not try and find a way to steal or purchase some these folks are not that sure for if they were they would have done this 10-20 years ago yet ask them to move their family within at least 10 miles of the propose drilling and mining.
I can only speak for myself. Our water on our land is contaminated, from pollutants from Goodyear that were buried in 55 gallon drums in the late 60’s and early 70’s. They have long since rusted out, and leached the chemicals into our water table, and straight into Pumpkin Creek, through South Danville. And once polluted , it is gone forever. To see what I am talking about, read and look for yourself.
http://bryantfarmdrumdump.blogspot.com/
God knows what we are supposed to do about it now. If only we had known before we bought the property. It is a Superfund Hazardous Waste dump, but the deeds office does not mention chemicals or hazardous waste, only solid waste, which we thought was tires. I wish had known before, but wishes to the past don’t produce anything. To the people of the area surrounding the proposed mine, unless you are prepared to move, don’t give up the fight. But it may be a good time to get top dollar for your property, from the uranium group. Could go either way.
I personally don’t think mining for Uranium is a good idea in this area. They say there is no ground water contamination but you’ll never know till someones well is contaminated then it’s to late. Check out the link below to see some of the results of drilling for natural resources. It’s a shame the public has to find out about these things via comments by a non journalist like myself.
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/flammable.water.fort.2.967611.html
Let’s not just take VUI’s word for it, independent testing should be done by more than one entity. The impact of uranium mining on the agricultural and residential interests in this area, and down stream for hundreds of miles is much too important to take the word of the fox, when it comes to affairs of the chicken coop.
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