Huntersville leaders get update from Colonial Pipeline on massive gasoline leak

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Monday night, town leaders in Huntersville got an important update on a massive gas leak.

Channel 9 has reported the spill disrupted the ecosystem around the neighborhood and nature preserve. It happened along Huntersville-Concord Road last summer.

Last week, Channel 9 learned more than a million gallons of gas leaked which is almost 18 times more than the first numbers reported.

>>Watch the video at the top of this webpage for Colonial Pipeline’s update to the town council.

The pipeline carries jet fuel and gasoline for cars up from the Gulf to the East Coast, but it spilled in the Oehler Nature Preserve from a crack in the pipeline.

In August, the company estimated 63,000 gallons spilled. A month later, that number jumped to an estimated 273,000 gallons.

In November, Colonial Pipeline reported 354,000 gallons released. Now in a new report filed to the DEQ, Colonial said 1.2 million gallons of gasoline leaked underground.

DEQ: Gasoline spill in Huntersville at 1.2M gallons, 4 times higher than initial estimate

Officials estimate crews will be in the area for years cleaning up the mess. There are about 50 workers at the site each day.

As of Monday morning, Colonial said it has recovered more than 660,000 gallons of gasoline so far and they have not found petroleum in any well water after tests in a 1,500-foot radius of the spill.

The company still doesn’t know what caused the crack. Officials are analyzing that portion of the pipeline in a lab.

Despite the negative tests, neighbors are still concerned about their well water and their property values.

Colonial is required to give updates to local, state and federal leaders.

Cox Media Group