A new EPA draft assessment finally gives an evaluation that will make oil and gas companies leap with enthusiastic applause: hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”, when done properly, has no negative impact on drinking water sources.
This much anticipated, Congress-initiated study, released this month, looked at the potential impacts that fracking can have on current and potential drinking sources.
While the report concludes that fracking has not had ‘widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water sources’, it notes that potential weaknesses exist.
These weaknesses have been mentioned several times throughout the last couple of years and include inadequately treated wastewater being discharged into drinking water sources and spills of fracking fluids or wastewater.
Engineering News-Record reports:
“Burke, EPA science advisor and deputy assistant administrator of its office of research and development, told reporters on June 4 that the document drew on more than 950 information souces, including published papers, technical reports, information from stakeholders and peer-reviewed EPA scientific reports, as well as EPA’s original research.
EPA’s data review found specific instances where well integrity amd improper fracking-related wastewater management harmed drinking-water resources, but they were a relatively infrequent, given the large numbers of fractured wells across the country, Burke said.
The study document is a draft and will go through a public comment and peer-review process with EPA’s Science Advisory Board before it becomes final.
Burke said, “Once final, this assessment will provide the states, tribes, communities and industry across the country with a critical resource that they can use to identify how they can better protect public health and our drinking water resources.””
This is great news for the companies employing fracking as a method, but requires some action by infrastructure asset management planners, as they will need to update plans with fracking taken into account.
Protection of drinking water sources from contamination remains a critical function of water authorities – to ensure potable drinking water, and to provide on-going confidence to communities using public drinking water.
Understanding and documenting the risks associated with the protection of drinking water sources, monitoring required, and any follow on actions is part of the risk management section of your Asset Management Plan.
Costs associated with monitoring and/or follow on actions should be added to your AMP’s asset lifecycle management planning section.
[…] but at the end of the day, you get some really clear direction from both your Regulators, the EPA and your community, and your board or your council or commission that says, “This is […]