Countywide : Wells to Be Drilled to Test for Pollution

Environmental consultants plan to drill wells along the Santa Clara River within the next two weeks to determine if underground drinking water has been contaminated with pollutants from a 75,000-gallon oil spill, caused when a pipeline broke Feb. 2, according to officials.

Preliminary tests have found no underground contamination, and water experts say they don’t expect any unless Ventura County gets a heavy rain before the spill is cleaned up.

Nevertheless, Jim Gross, ground water resources manager for the United Water Conservation District, said water officials have urged Mobil Oil Corp., which owns the pipeline, to conduct detailed tests on the underground water.

Mobil officials could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

According to Gross, representatives from various state and local agencies along with officials from the water district met with Mobil managers to discuss the eight-mile oil slick that spread along the river from Valencia to Piru.

Mobil will pay to drill the test wells.

Meanwhile, according to state Department of Fish and Game officers, about 135 birds have been injured in the slick.

Seventy-two birds, 10 fish and several muskrats have been killed.