The Shale Revolution and Water Quality
The risks to water quality from hydraulic fracturing remains a prominent concern related to shale development that can be reduced through evidence-based rulemaking and sufficient enforcement.
Key findings
- Improper well casing and cementing can impact groundwater, with hundreds of cases in Pennsylvania alone.
- There are very few cases where chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing have negatively affected water supplies.
- Methane migration, or “stray gas” is more common, and can in rare cases lead to an explosive hazard.
- Spills of oil and gas wastewater are also more common, and can occur during storage or transportation.
- State regulators can reduce each of these risks through evidence-based rulemaking and sufficient enforcement.
