Hennessey Mayor Harold Shaw told fellow town board of trustees members that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission has recommended the town shut down two of its water wells temporarily.

Shaw said during the trustees’ meeting last Tuesday that the OCC is planning to drill two wells in the area of Hennessey water wells.

“It could suck drilling mud and stuff like that into our wells - and our pumps and mess them up,” Shaw said.

“So, they recommended, if we could, to shut them down while they’re drilling surface. Because once they do surface, it will be cemented and we’d be good to go back on.” Shaw said he asked Jeff Levins of the OCC how it would drill so close to the town’s wells.

“I said they shouldn’t be drilling a rat hole without you knowing first,” Shaw said, adding that he thought the water well would likely be down two to three days.

“Harold, I think I saw the rat hole out there the other day, but I was going to suggest that you guys take a water sample,” said Frank Patton from the audience.

“We already did that,” Shaw said.“I’ve been in contact with (Town Attorney) Jared (Harrison), DEQ and the Water Resources Board.”

“Honestly, I think it was one of those deals when someone dropped the ball.

“It was going to be impossible for us to stop it anyway,” Shaw said. “There’s already a well out there in that section that’s been going for probably 30 years... We have enough well fields besides that one that we’re able to pump both pumps out at the water plant.”