Elon Musk’s Boring Company fined nearly $500K after it dumped drilling fluids into Las Vegas manholes—then ‘feigned compliance’ and was caught doing it again

Elon Musk’s Boring Company has been fined nearly $500,000 by the Clark County Water Reclamation District (CCWRD) for dumping drilling fluids into Las Vegas manholes. The company allegedly refused to stop the discharges when inspectors arrived, and then appeared to resume the activity after inspectors left, a practice described as "feigned compliance." This dumping caused substantial damage to the county's infrastructure. CCWRD crews had to clean out 12 cubic yards of drilling mud and waste from a sewage treatment facility. The drilling fluids can contain toxic chemicals, which have reportedly caused burns to Boring Company workers. The fines, totaling $493,297.08, include reimbursements for the district's cleanup expenses. CCWRD stated the penalty reflects the severity of the violations, the infrastructure damage, the emergency resources used, and Boring Company's acknowledgment of responsibility. Boring Company executives attended a hearing and agreed to meet certain conditions before expanding operations. The investigation into Boring Company's actions began after an anonymous complaint. Inspectors confirmed active discharges into sewer lines and manholes, leading to extensive infrastructure damage. A Boring Company superintendent was accused of falsely claiming the discharge had only recently begun. While Boring's director of legal affairs acknowledged improper disch... download the app to read more