Public calamity: San Antonio River Authority acts to stop dumping of trash from hospital demolition

KARNES COUNTY – County officials are struggling to find a way to clean up a mess that they are now calling a “public calamity” – the possibly illegal dumping of demolition materials from an abandoned hospital into and near the San Antonio River underneath the Wofford’s Crossing bridge.

According to Karnes County Road and Bridge Administrator Jeff Wiatrek, the plan to place the materials around the support structures of the bridge, was his and his alone.

Wiatrek said he talked TEC Construction, the contractor hired for the hospital demolition project, and he and the contractor reached an agreement to have the contractor deliver materials to sites along County Road 326 near the bridge for later use by county workers.

“The first few loads that were hauled out there looked good,” Wiatrek said. “And then all of a sudden – I wasn’t paying attention and all of a sudden, when we started getting into the river, we saw all this black paper and everything... a little roofing here, and a little insulation here and there, and some boards, here and there.”

More at http://mysoutex.com/view/full_story_landing/22673890/article-%E2%80%98Public-calamity--San-Antonio-River-Authority-steps-in-to-stop-dumping-of-trash-from-hospital-demolition-site-into-river-and-under-Wofford%E2%80%99s-Crossing-Bridge?instance=landing_2nd_news_lead_story .