Immediate action should be taken to stop drinking water contamination from leaking natural gas well in Ohio
Posted January 18, 2012 in Health and the Environment
I just learned from a news article that, in 2008, two families in Medina County, Ohio, reported that their drinking water became contaminated after nearby natural gas drilling and fracking. After the fracking, their water smelled and tasted bad, bubbled, became flammable, and contained a gray slurry of cement. Even though there were documented flaws in the cementing of the wells, state authorities repeatedly told the families that the contamination could not have been caused by the nearby industrial activity. One family has spent $15,000 of its own money for a water cistern so they can have clean and safe water.
In October, 2009, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources documented another source of contamination--an abandoned well near these homes. This natural gas well on a neighbor’s property is not properly sealed and is leaking into the local aquifer.
I am very upset to learn that in two years no action has been taken to reseal that well. This is just one illustration of why Americans across the country do not want new oil or gas drilling in their communities. State or federal regulators should take immediate action to clean up this dangerous contamination. They have the authority to protect an underground source of drinking water. Why haven't they?
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Comments
Jeff F — Jan 23 2012 12:53 AM
I learned a long time ago when we had a problem with water contamination that you can't count on government agencies or regulators to insure safe water. I got really sick from contamination that we had to prove existed because the experts said there was no issue. The problem is that stuff is going to happen because of the economy and big money. So we bought a bereky water filter here goo.gl/wQlXG as our little insurance policy just in case, but you can get them everywhere now and they are very effective. There are a lot of good filters today and they are easy to buy and cheap enough that it just isn't worth not doing. I think that people in America do want new exploration here, but like me, most are in fear that big oil and big money will overlook health. So you find a balance. You do everything you can do to protect yourself and also work to make sure that the big companies are being responsible by doing whatever you can in your local area. In all our advancements it seems like it is getting easier to make mistakes that can harm people. There will be genuine accidents. However, authority is one thing, but motive and someones interest can cause those in control to turn a blind eye. Frustrating.