Yesterday we reported on a situation at Dixon Branch Creek.

As detailed in our early morning story here, the creek, which runs through the Highland Meadows neighborhood, is currently bearing the brunt of what appears to be illegal dumping of hazardous waste.

Just a few short hours after that initial report, around 4:00 p.m. yesterday, those claims were substantiated by Michael Thomas, president of the Highlands Meadows Neighborhood Association, in a phone call to Lake Highlands Today.

"It’s confirmed," said Thomas.

"Over the course of the weekend, through extensive testing that included the use of cameras and special dyes, [City of Dallas] Water Utilities was able to determine that the source of the gray water in Dixon Branch was not from a sewer line.”

Unfortunately, that left little else to suspect but the dumping of hazardous waste.

"Early Monday morning the white substance continued to empty into Dixon Branch," reported Thomas.

"Thanks to some good detective work by three individuals from Water Utilities, they were able to track the white substance to its source Monday afternoon – Lake Highlands Junior High School."

City detectives

The three individuals Thomas is referring to are City of Dallas employees Donald English, Francisco Rodriguez and Manuel Lopez who spent a great deal of time actually within the storm drains.

Thomas described these men as heroes, diligently working to track down the source of the creek contamination.

Late yesterday evening, Lake Highlands Today reached out to Donald English for confirmation of Thomas' report.

English declined to comment on the record, citing the need to first submit his official report to the city, which is expected later today.

He was, however, able to confirm the events as detailed by Thomas, who arrived on the scene at the junior high shortly after being contacted by city employees.

Thomas reported being told by Water Utilities that upon arriving at Lake Highlands Junior High, they found individuals in the act of pouring chemicals into the storm drain on the eastern side of the school.

Also found in the school's dumpsters and recycle bins were dozens of empty chemical containers.

Thomas further related what Water Utilities reported to him on the scene.

"Upon being confronted, the individuals stated they were employees of the Richardson Independent School District and that they’d been working on stripping and waxing the floors at the school since May."

According to Thomas, at that point the individuals immediately locked the doors to the school and left the premises.

Chemicals at the scene

Based on evidence left in the school's dumpsters, there appear to have been two types of products in use at the school.

Testing by the city is currently underway to confirm the presence and levels of the chemicals in the creek and whether they match those found on site.