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Multiple Violations For Company Allegedly Dumping Pig Blood

Dallas officials have told the Columbia Packing Company in Oak Cliff it cannot operate until 18 violations are corrected. KERA’s BJ Austin reports the company says it’s already fixed “the big one” – pig blood flowing in a creek toward the Trinity River.

In December, aerial photos captured the creek flowing “blood red.” Columbia Packing, in a statement, said that was the result of a clogged sewer line that pushed the flow into a vent pipe and into the creek. The company says “lines are now flowing cleanly into the city’s sewer main in compliance with city code.”

City officials dispute that. In a letter to the company’s lawyer, they say it is illegal to dump pig blood, hair, fleshings, plastic gloves and other materials into the wastewater system.

The company could face fines of $1,000 a day for each violation found by inspectors. Columbia’s attorney says the pig blood incident was an accident that could have been cleared up quickly had the city not spent about a month investigating.

Other violations include: discharging large amounts of wastewater into the system without a valid permit.

 

Former KERA reporter BJ Austin spent more than 25 years in broadcast journalism, anchoring and reporting in Atlanta, New York, New Orleans and Dallas. Along the way, she covered Atlanta City Hall, the Georgia Legislature and the corruption trials of Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards.