KUSA – 9NEWS Reporter Steve Staeger got a new look Tuesday at the Gold King Mine, where 3 million gallons of toxic water spilled into the Animas River, devastating communities downstream.
The water was accidentally released by EPA crews earlier this month.
Todd Hennis, the owner of the mine, took Staeger on a tour of the area that is still discharging more than 500 gallons of contaminated water per minute.
Hennis' theory is that after the EPA backfilled the portal shortly before winter, that water backed up behind the wall of dirt and rock. He thinks when crews came back to dig it out, it blew out.
The EPA will not confirm this theory.
Meanwhile, the EPA is holding contaminated water in tanks before treating it on its way back to the Animas River.
The Department of Interior announced Tuesday it will conduct an internal review, and hopes to have an idea of the cause in 60 days.
(© 2015 KUSA)
