NEWBURG — At least 30 residents attended the State Division of Environmental Protection’s Division of Mining and Reclamation meeting Tuesday on water coming from a mine near Newburg.
The question-and-answer session was held to address a sulphur smell coming from Raccoon Creek of Three Forks.
According to the DEP, Lexington Coal Co. acquired a reclaimed deep mine, formerly the Whitetail Mine, but water build-up in the mine was affecting nearby water supplies.
Lexington Coal drilled a hole into the mine to relieve this pressure.
Kevin Stewart, regional environmentalist for the DEP, said the smell coming from the water is caused by the decomposition of sulphates.
Newburg does not draw its drinking water from the creek, but some residents said their wells have been contaminated.
Roger and Brenda Simons, who live on Possum Hollow Road, filed a complaint last year about contaminated water in their well.
“It ruined our well, our bathroom. It smells like rotten eggs,” Brenda said. “They (DEP inspectors) came out in about two days and ran a hose up the hill. They gave us bottled water, then jugs of water, then delivered a container of water.”
She said water for the container is delivered weekly by Dean’s Water Service in Pennsylvania.
David Boggs with Lexington Coal said as part of the complaint Lexington was to deliver water until the investigation into the well is completed.
“Our first priority is to take care of the community,” he said.
“Our well water is bad, Roger Simons said. “The dogs didn’t want to drink it.”
He said the problem with the well water started when the mine closed.
Brenda Simons said she and her husband recently sent another letter to the DEP telling officials how the water has stained their bathroom.
“It stains the toilets, blocks the screens in the toilet and ruins our clothes,” she said.
Boggs said water coming from the mine is deep mine discharge.
“It’s not acid mine drainage,” he said. “We wouldn’t be allowed to drill into that.”
DEP engineer Randy Moore said the drilling at the mine was allowed because the water in it got to the point it created a potential blow-out.
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