Contaminated borehole – Chevron gives comment
Oil company says a survey of private boreholes was carried out within the Wilro Park area.
According to the fuel giant Chevron, Leroy Rabie’s demands for compensation can not be met.
This comes after Rabie, who resides on Karnelian Avenue, has claimed that the company’s fuel tanks at a nearby fuel station have been leaking and contaminating the groundwater that feeds his borehole. According to Rabie he started noticing the problem in 2014 and discovered that the fumes were coming from his irrigation system. The company admitted that the groundwater was contaminated but refused to meet Rabies demands that the company compensates him by buying his house at bank value, reimburse him the R1 million he has invested in the house or give him a monthly compensation. According to Rabie the boreholes of two of his neighbours have also been contaminated.
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A spokesperson of the company, Darren Rix had the following to say.
“As part of an environmental assessment, a survey of private boreholes was carried out within the Wilro Park area. An independent environmental consultant appointed by Chevron identified contamination at two locations (of the private boreholes identified) which included the one in question in Karnelian Street [sic]. Every effort has been made to identify and understand boreholes in use within the area. The project includes the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the data collected. Those affected have been and continue to be engaged and no other health and environmental risk has been identified through the investigation,” said Rix.
“Due to the specific borehole at Karnelian Street [sic] being impacted, Chevron offered to replace the lost use of the borehole water, while carrying any additional costs associated with this change, so covering for the property owner’s (Rabie) losses. The property owner has declined this offer and is instead seeking that the property be purchased outright for an inflated, non-market related price or that he receives unquantifiable monthly compensation,” Rix continued.
He concluded by saying, “Chevron is committed to working with all stakeholders and relevant authorities to ensure that this situation is resolved amicably and in an environmentally sound manner”.
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