New testing builds on ongoing work to support community well-being
Union Pacific completed a new round of groundwater sampling at the former Houston Wood Preserving Works (HWPW) site in July 2025. This was the second site-wide sampling event of the year and part of the company’s ongoing monitoring in compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Environmental consultants collected groundwater samples over a roughly three-week period and tracked water levels at 129 monitoring wells on Union Pacific property and in the surrounding neighborhood north of the site. The sampling monitored groundwater quality,
tracked changes over time and checked for movement of chemicals from past site activities.
Results from previous semi-annual groundwater sampling show the plume has remained stable, and there is no exposure pathway to reach the community. Data from this latest round of sampling will be submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in line with regulatory requirements. The results will help guide future remediation actions and provide information about the current status of groundwater at and near the site.
Groundwater monitoring is one of several steps Union Pacific is taking to support community well-being as part of ongoing work at the former HWPW site.
For more information about ongoing work at the former HWPW site, please visit Union Pacific’s project website at hwpwinfo.com.