WATER QUALITY SAMPLES FROM COLLIER-HOGAN WELL SITE RECEIVED FOR PROCESSING AT DEP LAB

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 27, 2014

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us

WATER QUALITY SAMPLES FROM COLLIER-HOGAN WELL SITE RECEIVED FOR PROCESSING AT DEP LAB

~DEP laboratory staff will work through the weekend to expediently process samples~

TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) continues efforts to ensure drinking water is safe for Collier County residents and the environment. Today, the department’s laboratory staff in Tallahassee received the first water samples taken from the six new aquifer monitoring wells installed this week, as well as samples from two pre-existing wells at the Collier-Hogan site used for on-site operation.

“Our outstanding laboratory staff will immediately begin analysis of the samples and will be working through the weekend to ensure these samples are processed as quickly as possible,” said DEP Secretary Vinyard. “The department remains committed to protecting the health and safety of Collier County residents and to maintaining transparency throughout this process. The results will be shared with the public in an open and expeditious manner just as soon as these results are available.”

Six wells were installed – four at the Collier-Hogan well site, one at the location of the former oil well drill site permit 86 and one one-half mile north of the Collier-Hogan well for the purpose of determining background surface water quality. 

The department’s laboratory in Tallahassee, along with two private labs in Jacksonville, will analyze the samples for more than 160 constituents, including all chemicals injected into the Collier-Hogan well during the workover procedure.

DEP’s lab is a member of an elite national network of laboratories known as the Environmental Response Laboratory Network. This network provides critical services to support response and recovery operations following a terrorist attack or other emergency of national significance. The Environmental Response Laboratory Network is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with support from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Results of the analysis are expected as early as next Thursday.

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