AUSTIN, Texas — The Samsung Austin semiconductor facility disposed of nearly 763,000 gallons of sulfuric acidic waste into a stormwater pond and tributary of Harris Branch Creek, according to a memo by the Watershed Protection Department (WPD).
The memo sent to the Austin City Council on Thursday indicates the WPD found nearly no surviving aquatic life between that part of Harris Branch Creek and the Samsung facility. Scientists found that this discharge will have a significant “short-term impact on the aquatic community and the ecology of the tributary.” It remains too early to determine what the long-term impacts may be.
However, there were no significant impacts to the water further downstream, with no measurable changes to the water chemistry or aquatic life. There was also no iron staining to show a change in the pH level in the main part of the creek.
According to the memo, Samsung notified the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on Jan. 14 and reported a lower pH level in that section of the tributary. The TCEQ notified the WPD on Jan. 18, stating that this waste discharge had been occurring for as long as 106 days.
Spill investigators and environmental scientists went out to the site on Jan. 18 and 19 to survey the damage. They found iron staining and a lower pH level in the tributary where the waste was discharged for nearly 1.5 miles down toward Harris Branch Creek.
Further assessment on Jan. 19 found that the pH level had returned to close to normal.
Samsung will give WPD daily updates on completing the remediation process. Once complete, the department will inspect the pond. WPD will also perform weekly surveys to monitor the water quality.
The spill caused no reported danger to human health. There is limited public access to the tributary, and WPD did not see homeless encampments along the tributary. There is one household located south of the tributary and one apartment complex north of it. Any assessment and reports on human health impact must be given to the TCEQ.
Harris Branch Creek starts near Parmer and Yager lanes and flows into the Gilleland Creek.
Spectrum News 1 on Friday received the following statement from Samsung Austin Semiconductor Head of Communications and Community Affairs Michele Glaze.
- Samsung Austin Semiconductor is committed to environmental stewardship and recognizes our role in preserving the natural beauty of Central Texas.
- On Jan. 14, we discovered a release of industrial wastewater that entered our stormwater collection pond.
- A majority of the wastewater was contained on-site; however, a portion was inadvertently released into an unnamed small tributary that is upstream of Harris Branch Creek.
- We immediately stopped the release, retained a leading environmental engineering company as a partner and took action to implement a solution to minimize impact to the environment and restore the tributary.
- The ecological impact was a temporary lowering of pH levels in the tributary only – none in the creek.
- The water within the tributary has already returned to normal conditions.
- Harris Branch Creek is confirmed to be unaffected.
- Appropriate agencies were notified and we are fully cooperating with all of them.