Contaminated well in Cochecton

COCHECTON CENTER, NY — People who have experienced gas drilling in other states have urged landowners to have their wells tested to establish baseline conditions before any drilling begins.

That might have been good advice for Don Heinle, the owner of this house on Route 52 in Cochecton Center. A community source informed The River Reporter that the well that serves the house has been contaminated. The house is located about 40 feet from a prodigious amount of turned up earth where Precision Pipeline is installing new gas pipelines.

Michael Armiak, a spokesman for Precision, confirmed that the well is contaminated. He said, however, that the issue arose after drilling work the company did in 2007 in preparation for this year’s work. He said that it’s not certain that the contamination is related to the drilling because no baseline tests were taken before the drilling work began. He added, however, that the company is working with the owner to address the situation.

Heinle now lives in Georgia and was unavailable for comment. Brian Heinle, who rents the house from his uncle, did not return a call seeking comment.