In the summer of 2022, Tammy and Chris Boarman moved into a new home 30 miles from Oklahoma City only to discover that their private well water tasted salty, their yard plants turned yellow and their ice maker spewed clumps of wet salt that smelled oily.
Reporting Highlights
- Salty Water, Delayed Tests: When the couple’s water turned toxic, state oil regulators delayed key tests that could find a source of contamination.
- Polluted Plume: The state didn’t tell the couple for over a month that tests showed their drinking water was contaminated with high levels of barium, which can cause heart problems.
- No Answers: Despite evidence showing pollution consistent with oil‑field waste, the state closed the family’s complaint and dismissed its own findings.
How the contamination unfolded
The Boarmans’ well had been drilled the year before they moved in. Within months, the water’s salt concentration rose dramatically, eventually reaching nearly ten times the EPA’s recommended limit for chloride. State sampling in August 2023 and again in early 2024 confirmed the water was too salty even for agricultural use.
Oklahoma’s groundwater is riddled with legacy pollution from decades of oil production. A 2024 report from the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments warned that “people buying homes on water wells… may discover two or three years later that they’re drinking salt water.” The state has roughly 130,000 private wells and many unplugged oil wells that can allow industrial waste to spread underground.
Investigators identified 26 oil wells within a half‑mile of the Boarmans’ property, more than half of which were improperly plugged. The closest active injection well, McCoon 3, operated by Callie Oil Co., was missing twelve years of required injection‑data forms and a cement layer meant to prevent shallow leaks. Agency staff debated whether the well’s design was sufficient.
In early 2024, agency manager Everett Plummer requested mechanical testing of McCoon 3. The test was not performed until ten months later, when a hole was found in a steel pipe about 2,700 feet deep. Callie Oil patched the hole, but state records later indicated the well had continued injecting wastewater through the summer.
An electromagnetic survey conducted in May 2024 revealed a “swirling red cloud” of dissolved solids directly beneath the Boarmans’ house. Subsequent analysis showed the plume’s concentration was up to 72 times the EPA’s drinking‑water standard. The survey, however, did not pinpoint a source.
While the Boarmans pursued answers, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s oil division delayed additional testing recommended by its own staff. The division finally reported elevated barium—three times the EPA limit—in December 2024, but the results were not shared with the family for over a month.
After months of advocacy, state Senator Grant Green intervened in September 2024, prompting the agency to finally run pressure tests on McCoon 3. The well’s pressure test failed, suggesting a possible leak and the hole was patched. Yet a later leak‑survey that only examined deeper sections found no issues, and a full‑depth survey was never ordered.
In March 2025, internal emails revealed staff considered that the Boarmans’ well might have been drilled into a natural pocket of salt water, unrelated to oil activity. Cost concerns also surfaced. legal adviser Jeff Kline noted the division “doesn’t have the funds” for further consulting. The agency ultimately closed the case, stating no responsible party could be identified.
Despite the closure, the Boarmans continue to seek answers. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s Charlie O’Malley affirmed the well was drilled correctly but believed historic oil‑field pollution was the culprit. Meanwhile, Senator Green secured $2 million to connect the Boarmans and nearby residents to a rural water system.
What may happen next
Analysts suggest that continued public and legislative scrutiny could push the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to allocate more resources for comprehensive well‑integrity testing, potentially leading to stricter enforcement of injection‑well mapping requirements.
There is also a possibility that affected residents will pursue civil litigation against oil operators, especially if further evidence links specific wells to contamination.
Finally, the $2 million water‑system funding secured by Senator Green may serve as a model for other communities, encouraging state lawmakers to prioritize rural water infrastructure as a buffer against future groundwater threats.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the Boarmans’ water to become salty?
State testing repeatedly found high concentrations of salt and toxic metals in the Boarmans’ well water, signatures that investigators linked to oil‑field wastewater contamination.
What actions did the Oklahoma Corporation Commission take?
The commission’s oil division sampled the water, identified elevated chloride and barium levels, delayed additional tests recommended by its staff, and ultimately closed the case without identifying a responsible party.
What assistance did the state provide to the Boarmans?
State Senator Grant Green helped secure $2 million in funding to connect the Boarmans and nearby homes to a rural water system, offering an alternative source of safe drinking water.
How do you think communities facing similar groundwater issues should respond?
