EPA Fracking Water Pollution

           Fracking is a process of extracting natural gas from the ground by means of inserting liquids into the ground that displace the gas and allow it to be collected and used for energy.  This process has been used for several decades and there have been regulations as to where and how deep the fracking occurs, but ever what chemicals are placed within the water that displaces the gas.  Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a study in Pavillion, Wyoming, which is home to several fracking locations, and has also experienced water contamination.

            In order to accurately monitor these sights, the EPA first did their research of the area.  Before the fracking first occurred in the 1950’s, a preliminary water quality study was conducted and several contaminants were found without any fracking fluids in the area.  Several decades later, the EPA returned after several residents complained that their well water turned brown and there were other peculiar qualities.  The EPA then monitored several wells and collected data as deep as 1000 feet below the surface.  The data was irrefutable: several of the fluids found were identical to those contained in fracking fluids – many of these even carcinogens, meaning they cause cancer.  EPA quickly advised the residents to not drink their well water and also recommended that they ventilate their houses while showering, since the high concentrations of methane in the water might ignite an explosion.

            When presented with the findings of their research, the fracking companies denied any correlation between the fracking and the pollution, saying that there were other reasons and fracking should not be pin-pointed as the sole contributor.  The EPA then did an extensive historic study of Pavillion, Wyoming and found that there were thirty-three abandoned oil and gas wells dotted across the city, and that those are also possible contributors of the pollution.  However, they could not have contributed to pollution 1000 feet deep; the technology to extract that deep was only used with the fracking companies.

            Although no conclusive data has yet to be presented to the fracking companies or government regulating the laws, the EPA’s findings is scheduled to be peer reviewed and released the following spring.