AQUIFER CONTAMINATION WATCH

Sadly there doesn't appear to be any ongoing monitoring of aquifers related to drilling activity, This is not a single county issue, but an environmental issue that each of us needs to be alert to. I'd like to suggest that each and every landowner take it upon him/herself to do the necessary looking out for their own health and for the health of their neighbors.

When/if you become aware of an issue-don't keep it to yourself. Yell about it loudly and often, in newspaper article alerts as well as challenges to our representatives and legislators. Get your local reporter involved-in short-you take charge.

All good thoughts,

Dan.

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Permalink Reply by craig on January 15, 2014 at 9:21am

After you do your due diligence on both of sides of the subject you will find the majority of your current concerns are not worthy of being concerned about. Then again, you may find a few new concerns that you should be concerned about..... of course this all depends if you can research with a neutral view or not. 

You Tube videos are not a reliable place to look daniel, but you should already know that.

Videos do not truth make, in fact they are making lots of lies nowadays. 

A large portion of well problems are related to the construction and the age of the well, not drilling. Usually it is found because the individual had never tested their well, or at least not every few years, or the well had no real casing to any depth, or it wasn't capped properly. As far as sediment goes, it would be nice to know the age of that guys well in the link you posted. I have dealt with similar sediment problems decades before fracing started around here. People think that you drill a hole in the ground and magically safe drinking water will be available to you for your whole life.

I know that to be factual.

Yes there have been a few isolated problems, there always will be when humans do anything. We just need to keep the companies feet to the fire and also our supposed gov't entities'. 

Drill On !

Permalink Reply by daniel cohen on January 15, 2014 at 11:18am

Craig,

If I am reading you correctly, you're of the opinion that there are few problems to be concerned about with reference to aquifer contamination, that the problems that have been reported are basically due to the landowner himself or possibly human error, and that the O/G companies basically have experienced only a few isolated problems.

On that analysis we differ greatly. As to holding the companies feet to the fire as well as our representatives, we are in total agreement. 

Dan

Permalink Reply by craig on January 15, 2014 at 10:45am

Make sure that you actually read the whole article. The one article basically makes it sound like a complaint being filed is reason enough to say it is true AND caused by drilling. Ridiculous at best. Lets see, two confirmed cases in Pa out of how many? Sure we don't want any contamination, but we humans do make mistakes.

If you want to be concerned about something drilling related, concern yourself with surface spills, not the little one, the possible big ones.... that is where real problems can occur. Just look at the recent spill in WV that was storage related for the coal industry. Boy, you would think we would hear from the anti fracers/enviroweenies about this major environmental spill in every media, every hour, but no you don't. The anti's always have an agenda that isn't necessarily what you think. 

Permalink Reply by MJ on January 15, 2014 at 10:53am

I think we should put diapers on our farm animals to prevent excrement from leaching into our water supply......Come on folks, what ever happened to common sense?

Permalink Reply by Peacer on January 15, 2014 at 11:32am
MJ, we really aren't talking about someone peeing in the pool with these accidents. I think the whole point of David's post was how can we put checks and balances into place to make sure bad stuff doesn't happen. Look what's happening now..

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/boehner-untroubled-as...

Can you imagine what's going to happen to you cows when they drink the water? They are going to need more than a diaper..

Peace.
Permalink Reply by daniel cohen on January 15, 2014 at 11:33am

MJ,

Proper care to prevent excrement from entering the water supply would make very good sense. As for 'common sense', what is there about holding people/companies responsible for what they say and what they do that seems to be upsetting you?

Dan

Permalink Reply by MJ on January 15, 2014 at 1:00pm

Not upset Dan,  did'nt mean to derail the post either.  I have had more than my share of dealing with nonsensical anti's lately.  It has gotten to me I guess.  Sorry for the intrusion.

Permalink Reply by daniel cohen on January 15, 2014 at 11:29am

Craig,

Your point about being concerned with surface spills is right on target, and we can agree that we need to be alert to whatever is done to protect ourselves and our neighbors. Your reference to the limited number of cases is way off, as is your characterization of "anti's". The major point that you make "Sure we don't want any contamination, but we humans do make mistakes." I believe we can agree on.

Perhaps we can also agree that our job going forward is to hold those who make the mistakes responsible for taking correct remedial actions.

Dan

Permalink Reply by Mark McGrail on January 15, 2014 at 1:59pm

daniel,

I have two concerns with your post.

First; that there is no ongoing monitoring of aquifers related to drilling activity (I assume you mean oil and gas/shale drilling activity) . Why single out  this activity ? Why shouldn't an aquifer be monitored for any related activity ? You also post no proof that there is no monitoring of an aquifer. (As an aside, what type of monitoring would you suggest ?)

Second: When have land owners kept concerns about the effects of oil and gas/shale development to themselves. Much of this very forum deals with those concerns. I also must assume that you do not read the papers, watch TV news, or listen to the radio. As for myself I constantly read and hear about land owners expressing their concerns.

Permalink Reply by daniel cohen on January 15, 2014 at 5:20pm

Mark,

Your concerns about my post are on target.I agree that we ought to be actively monitoring the aquifer for any activity that might negatively impact it. I used the drilling activity since that is the most clearly disturbing activity going on.

Are you suggesting that you are aware of ongoing monitoring? If so, I'd be pleased to hear about it.I would have expected county/state/federal oversights to be in place to ensure that there would be no detrimental effects. As far as I know, these are still not in place.

Land owners tend to be independent sorts, relying upon their own smarts and extending themselves to their neighbors when they see a need. Salt of the earth folk-rugged individualists-and only when things go very wrong do they start to share with others. The origin of this forum grew out of the need to reach out, and slowly we begin to see the magnitude of the things being done to us in one way or another.

Your last point about the plight becoming more newsworthy is accurate, but that is already late in the game.Currently, what I hear and read about is the growing voice of discontent-and the very new attempts to try to do something about it.My posts and comments are along the lines of trying to make us all a bit more proactive as far as the aquifer is concerned, as compared to the reactive approach of the past.

Dan 

Permalink Reply by Mark McGrail on January 16, 2014 at 4:08am

daniel

By law all wells within 1500' of the well bore of a horizontal well must be tested prior to commencement of drilling. This establishes a baseline for any wells within the 1500' area.

As for ongoing; there have been over 80,000 wells drilled in Ohio. In 2010 there were 37 complaints no confirmed cases of pollution; 54 complaints in 2011 two confirmed cases of pollution; 2012 59 complaints and two confirmed cases of pollution, 2013 40 complaints two confirmed cases of pollution. All of the confirmed cases of pollution were not related to horizontal drilling and or "fracing". They were related to older vertical wells.

Could there be some undetected or unreported instances of pollution ? Yes. But to overcome these missed cases of pollution a system of testing would have to be instituted that would test each water well in the state. Is this the type of monitoring that you suggest ? Can you imagine the cost ? Who would pay the bill ? To make it cost efficient the testing couldn't occur every year, so what time frame ?

Permalink Reply by daniel cohen on January 16, 2014 at 9:14am

Mark,

I understand the economics involved as you have so carefully detailed, and that is very helpful to understanding both the problem and hopefully a solution. I agree with your observation that economically a period of testing on any regular basis would be prohibitively costly.

Let's try to think a bit outside of the box for now. What if there were a mechanism for both oversight and enforcement . That ought to give potential polluters a lot to consider before being careless or worse, and serve us all in protecting a common resource.

How to implement such a thing? Perhaps by starting to put teeth into the DEP and EPA agencies and pertinent laws already on the books that deal with this issue.. Perhaps by motivating our legislators to the issues that we are concerned about, and letting them know that we are watching to see that they properly represent us. Perhaps by making it clear that we speak with our votes, and that we will educate our neighbors about the positions they (legislators) take.

Next I'd encourage the establishment of a water watch hot line, manned throughout the year 24/7 to encourage any and all suspicious activity. Then I'd try to publicize it as much as possible so that folks would know that if/when something screws up, they have  recourse to a rapid response attention from the powers that be.

I'd also encourage each landowner to monitor their own wells and waterways carefully, and to report if they are concerned about something. This is a very long way of saying something rather simple- for us to be the custodians of that which we hold dear-Mother Earth in all her glory, and to do the right thing as well meaning folk and neighbors.

Sadly for where we are culturally, we need to play a defensive role in what we do/say, and not to expect others to do the right thing without the threat of legal action. Perhaps by doing due diligence, and being the change we wish to see in others, we can bring about that better state of affairs .

Sorry for the very long winded speech, but you did ask! Thank you for that.

All good thoughts,

Dan

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