The Curious Case of Sand Branch

Only 15 miles southeast of downtown Dallas, Texas sits a small ex-Freedman's town named Sand Branch. Founded in the 1880's by former slaves it is a remnant of the past still grasping for recognition and basic rights. For decades the residents have survived without clean running water, sewage or trash services. There are also no emergency services, schools or grocery stores. Situated in Dallas County, it has been denied incorporation for decades due to the steep fees associated with that process. Dallas city government has also refused to annex the town. Sand Branch currently has a population of 60 remaining, with 5 children residing.

As a result of the lack of running water, residents are forced to drink, cook and bathe with either donated bottled water or groundwater from poorly dug wells. Recently the well water has been tested to be highly toxic and laden with heavy metals. All residents are below the poverty line, living mainly on government assistance and poorly kept livestock. There is no public transportation nearby, and most do not have their own, so commuting for work is not an option. Of the remaining citizens, 75% of them are over the age of 65. County officials prohibit any existing structure repairs or new construction, due to the claim that Sand Branch sits in a flood zone, forcing the population to use dilapidated housing in extreme weather. The town sits next to the Trinity River but has never been flooded (according to records) since it was founded over a hundred years ago. Many other parts of Dallas find themselves underwater and in constant danger of flash flooding anytime it rains more than 2 inches. There are no similar construction restrictions on those areas of the county.

Stoking additional fears, Dallas constructed a wastewater plant on the border of town in 1967. It has openly admitted that part of their process requires dumping waste solids (known as sludge cake) into the ground after extracting all water from the waste. There is belief by some town advocates that this is partly to blame for the contaminated groundwater. The city denies all wrongdoing and the plant remains in operation today. In addition, surrounding industries have been caught dumping illegally within town limits, prompting county officials to install cameras on the perimeter to try and catch perpetrators. Tire dumping is common there which has also been suspected in ground contamination.

The fight for clean water went into overdrive around five years ago when Eugene Keahey was installed as the preacher at the town’s last remaining church. He organized food and water donations and established a commission for water rights using the help of pro-bono attorneys in Dallas. In 2019, Pastor Keahey died tragically in a house fire, along with his wife and 15 year old daughter. As a result of this devastating loss, the commission has been even more vigilant in pressing for the rights of Sand Branch citizens. This project started in October of 2018 and continues today.