JSOnline - A growing number of residential wells found to be polluted with gasoline from a July 17 pipeline break and dramatic increases in levels of benzene in the wells prompted state environmental officials Sunday to broaden the search for contaminated groundwater in the town.
As of Sunday afternoon, three more private wells in the Town of Jackson were found to be contaminated with gasoline, bringing the total to seven, said Scott Ferguson, spills coordinator with the state Department of Natural Resources in Milwaukee.
The three latest wells were added to the list this weekend after tests of water samples found that they contained levels of benzene exceeding the federal safe drinking water standard of 5 parts per billion, Ferguson said.
The break in the pipeline occurred in the 1800 block of Western Ave., generally midway between Maple Road and county Highway G.
The pipe is owned by West Shore Pipe Line Co. of Arlington Heights, Ill.
Two of the three latest wells are west of the pipeline break in the 1900 block of Western Ave.
A third is northwest, in the 1800 block of Mill Road.
On Sunday, the DNR pushed its search for polluted wells even farther afield, generally to the southwest, west and northwest of the break. A total of 70 residential wells have been tested at least once, and the investigation now extends north of Mill Road and south of Spring Valley Road, Ferguson said.
Contractors for West Shore started installing water treatment systems at each of the seven polluted wells Saturday, and the work continued Sunday, he said.
In addition, West Shore is providing the seven families with bottled water.
By Monday, a total of 11 private wells are to be equipped with water treatment systems capable of removing gasoline, Ferguson said.
