Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1920-01-15
FEAR FOR WATER
SAND SPRINGS In DANGER
FROM OIL WELLS?
The State Engineer of Board Of
Health Says Drilling May Pol
lutte Supply-No Law to
Regulate Situation.

Dickinson may trade Sand Springs
water for Oil-that is il 1t gers a
real oil field in this section. The
State Board of Health has been ask
ed by the committee OF the Com
mercial club to tell what is the ac
tual danger and what legal steps can
be taken to prevent pollution or
Sand Springs and the reply Of the
state engineer does not look en-
,couraging. He says there is no law
to protect water supply in such con-
ditions and that there is grave dan
ger Of injury to the springs from oil
test wells. This is his letter which
was presented to the business men
at their luncheon today:
Lawrence. Jan. IL Mr.. G. NJ. Har-
ger, Abilene, Kansas.-Your letter Of
January to DIR. Crumbine has been
referred to the writer for reply. The
question which you bring up is one
which has been of considerable in
terest to a large number Of cities in
the state during the past three or
four years and am sorry to have 10
inform you that If any considerable
oil developments spring up In the
vicinity of Sand Springs, more es-
pecially, of course, to the north Of
them, since / presume the ground
water which supplies the springs oc-
ours to the north, there is great dan
ger of the pollution of the springs by
salt water.
Practically the whole of central
and eastern Kansas is underlain with
strata which contain salt water,
usually under some pressure and
when these strata are punctured by
wells there is enough head on them
to cause the water to rise in the hole
to a distance which depends upon
the quantity of the pressure.
If the water flows out Of the well
1t is usually called "Artesian", In
practically all Of them. however,
even IL the water does not flow
above the surface it rises to. CON
siderable distance If a porous stra-
tum is encountered and the casing Ia
imperfectly connected or, as usually
experienced in oil development when
a dry hole is encountered the casing
is pulled, then the salt water has
free access to the stratum and usual
1y flows out into it causing wells ana
springs in the vicinity to become
unfit for use.
Many of these wells when abHnd-
.oned are left in condition to CON
tinue this pollution of water bearing
strata indefinitely, on account Of our
inadequate laws governing the plug
ging of wells.
Many of the producing wells make
some salt water and this may either
pollute the ground water through
imperfect casing, or as usually ex-
perienced the surface water by dis
charging salt water onto the water
shed or directly into the stream.
The Walnut River which drains
the Butler County fields was used
for the source of water supply by the
the cities of Winfield, Douglas, Au
gusta and Eldorado prior 10 tne oil
developments there Within a few
months after the discovery of oil at
Augusta, Winfield and Douglas city
water became so salty that it was
unfit for use, and Winfield was fore
ed to abandon an elaborate and ex-
pensive water publication plant to
seek a new water supply from wells
ten or fifteen miles to the west
Douglas was unable to bear the ex-
pense and is now practically without |
water
The first dose of salt water did not
affect Augusta because most of the
development occurred 'on a stream
which entered the main river below
this city intake, but at the present
time the developments in Eldorado
have resulted in such a high increase
in the chloride content Of the An
gusta water that this city is now
seeking new supply.
The writer investigated a proposed
supply for them within the past few
DAYS which is estimated to cost
5000, 900 and which it is believed
win not nearly supply the city with
water. Practically all of the well
waters in this district are salty AMI,
of course, it is not safe to develop
reservoir site where it will be neces-
sary to impound rain water from
sheds containing oil wells.
An attempt was made to get an
adequate law passed in 1917 and
again in 1919, but we were unsuc-
cessful both times The existing
laws seem to be wholly inadequate
CHAS. A. HASKKINS,
Chef Engineer.
II p. Glidden. Of the Sinclair Oil