Kirtland Air Force Base to host open house on gas spill

Kirtland Air Force Base hosting open house on gas spill

The base is hosting an open house to discuss how they've worked to remove groundwater contamination caused by a fuel leak, discovered 25 years ago.

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. — Kirtland Air Force Base is hosting an open house Thursday to discuss their work to remove groundwater contamination caused by a fuel leak.

After officials discovered the leak 25 years ago, they created treatment systems to clean the groundwater. On Thursday, experts will talk about their clean-up efforts, offer tours and answer questions.

“This map here, this beige color outlines the fuel release contaminant plume. So you can see where the fuel had spread back in 2015. And this is when we put in our first extraction well, so before any treatment was being done. And then you can see now we’ve put in four extraction wells in the area,” said Ryan Wortman, of the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineering Center.

The open house is Thursday from 5-7 p.m. at the base’s groundwater treatment system. You can enter at the Ridgecrest Drive gate. You’ll have to go through security with your ID. As always, weapons and illegal substances aren’t allowed on-base.