Halliburton confirms Duncan water well contamination, takes corrective action

“Halliburton has made arrangements to supply affected residents with bottled drinking water and, if needed, with a temporary water supply system, at no cost to the residents,” the company said in a news release. “Halliburton will continue providing these temporary solutions until a long-term solution can be implemented.”

Halliburton officials described perchlorate as a colorless salt that may cause adverse health effects — mainly with respect to the thyroid gland — at sufficiently high concentrations. The substance is not a carcinogen, the company said.

The contamination was discovered near Halliburton property along Osage Road, where Halliburton employees used to remove and burn spent missile fuel contained in missile casings under a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, the company said.

Halliburton ceased such activities at the site in 1991, but believes they likely contributed to the contamination, company officials indicated.

Halliburton officials recently detected the contamination in water samples collected from the 18 wells as part of state Department of Environmental Quality requirements for ongoing closure activities at the property.