Leander family strikes oil on property

A Leander family has struck oil on their property, but it's not necessarily a good thing.

Running water at the Ingram home has suddenly turned from light to dark, leaving behind a greasy residue.

"The water smelled and felt a little different, looked a little murky. We thought it might just be dirt or sand from all this rain," says Greg Ingram, homeowner.

When Greg Ingram and his son looked inside their water tank, they were shocked by what they saw.

"I mean it's just this black, nasty, grease, oil film," says Ingram.

That's why these homeowners had to get a hose and connect to their neighbors running water, which has been big help in the meantime.

But the've noticed that their contaminated well has already affected their pipes and all the appliances connected to them.

"Anything that this sticks to, it really sticks to. It's not runny. It looks shiny, it looks wet but it really adheres to whatever it sticks to," says Ingram.

One of their neighbors has been facing this problem for the past several years.

Ingram is unsure if this is something they can even fix, especially since the oil is starting to seep through parts of their yard.

"I have no assurances or guarantees that it's not going to happen again at any given moment. I just can't imagine any person going through this onces, much less going through it again," says Ingram.

That's when Eric Thomas with the Williamson County Precinct 3 Constable's Office got involved.

He investigates environmental crimes and ruled out any criminal activity, but he does have a theory of what might be happening.

"With all the flooding and all we had, the water table came up, and because that oil floats on top of the water, it got to the pump," says Deputy Constable Eric Thomas, Williamson County Precinct 3 Constable's Office.

The family was told to get their water tested and see a doctor.

That's what is even more concerning to them.

"We haven't been feeling too well. We've had some unusual headaches and things over the last eight days, strangely enough," says Ingram.

For the Ingram's, this sudden oil surge isn't as nice as it sounds.

They just want their water back.

The family just wants to get some answers.

They are hoping they can have a driller come out to their property and figure out why this is happening.