In arid West Texas, water seeps and bubbles from old wells, sometimes carrying oil, brackish water or other pollutants to the surface. But the real danger lies underground — where oil, salt, and toxic minerals could migrate into the aquifers that supply water to cities, farms and ranches.

These leaky wells are called P-13 wells, named for a Railroad Commission form. They’re the result of oil exploration that began nearly a century ago.

Wildcatters searching for oil have punched thousands of holes into the Texas soil in search of black gold over the past 150 years. When wells proved unproductive or dry, companies often transferred ownership to landowners who repurposed them as water wells.

Today, the state has r

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