The pipe belonged to Tesla. The dark liquid was wastewater from the company's nearly $1 billion lithium refinery, which began operations in December 2024 and
The sample was collected on April 7. Eurofins issued its results on April 10. According to the lab report, the 24-hour composite found:
• Hexavalent chromium at 0.0104 milligrams per liter, just above the lab’s reporting limit of 0.01 mg/L. Hexavalent chromium is classified as a known human carcinogen by the US National Toxicology Program. It is the substance the Erin Brockovich case was built around.
• Arsenic at 0.0025 mg/L. That is below the federal drinking water standard of 0.01 mg/L, but present.
• Strontium at 1.17 mg/L. Mazloum’s technical report on the findings noted that long-term exposure can affect bone density and kidney function in humans and wildlife.
• Lithium and vanadium at concentrations Lazarte’s letter described as abnormally high relative to rainwater or normal groundwater.
• Elevated levels of manganese, iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and potassium consistent with industrial discharge. Manganese, a battery process tracer, can have neurological effects at chronic doses. Excess phosphorus can cause algae blooms that strip oxygen from waterways.
• Ammonia in the form of nitrogen at 1.68 mg/L, amplifying the algae bloom risk
That’s a suspiciously low level of arsenic. Where is the arsenic from their wells or municipal water ending up or are they clandestinely pumping river water?
If a discharge pipe is traced back to a company - and it is discharging unsafe levels or typically unexpected chemicals - then it should be on that company to get their waste water into a manageable condition.
Just because a municipal/council/whatever has above average water processing, doesn’t mean companies get a free pass to abuse it
Isn’t that the important part of the story? Effing Texas regulators didn’t detect Strontium (or other pollutants the factory didn’t mention) so didn’t test for it?
We’re so used to the idea that companies will do the least they are mandated to, but isn’t that why we have regulators? If I get a new water heater I’m required to have an inspector sign off and his job is to flag anything that is off. Why can’t a multibillion dollar industrial facility be held to the same standard?
Effing Texas regulators didn’t detect Strontium (or other pollutants the factory didn’t mention) so didn’t test for it?
I mean, they did. That’s how we know about it. But what can they actually do about it? Prince Abbott will just cover this up and fire anyone who won’t shut up about it.
Per the article:
Let’s hope they didn’t just make the data up. Or falsify it at the request of Musk. https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2018/03/14/Pennsylvania-DEP-sanctions-Eurofins-QC-for-water-testing-violations/
3.6 Roentgen, not great, not terrible.
That’s a suspiciously low level of arsenic. Where is the arsenic from their wells or municipal water ending up or are they clandestinely pumping river water?
And I’m guessing water treatment doesn’t fix these, does it?
It can. But you’d need a facility built to do it.
If you don’t anticipate Strontium in your wastewater, you’re not going to build a system to leech it out or neutralize it.
Given the state of Texas’ infrastructure, probably fair to assume this doesn’t exist.
Houston has one of the better waste water treatment plants in the country.
Robstown, though? Idk. Doubt it
If a discharge pipe is traced back to a company - and it is discharging unsafe levels or typically unexpected chemicals - then it should be on that company to get their waste water into a manageable condition.
Just because a municipal/council/whatever has above average water processing, doesn’t mean companies get a free pass to abuse it
Isn’t that the important part of the story? Effing Texas regulators didn’t detect Strontium (or other pollutants the factory didn’t mention) so didn’t test for it?
We’re so used to the idea that companies will do the least they are mandated to, but isn’t that why we have regulators? If I get a new water heater I’m required to have an inspector sign off and his job is to flag anything that is off. Why can’t a multibillion dollar industrial facility be held to the same standard?
I mean, they did. That’s how we know about it. But what can they actually do about it? Prince Abbott will just cover this up and fire anyone who won’t shut up about it.