Water contamination news:

Stony Brook University – Researchers find substantial water pollution risks from “Fracking” to recover natural gas.

This is the original study by Stony Brook University scientists which appears in the August 2012 issue of the journal Risk Analysis:

Newswise — STONY BROOK, N.Y., August 6, 2012 – Stony Brook University scientists have found that the disposal of contaminated wastewater from hydraulic fracturing – commonly known as “fracking” – wells producing natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region poses substantial potential risks of river and other water pollution that suggests additional regulation to reduce the potential of drinking water contamination.

In a paper titled “Water Pollution Risk Associated with Natural Gas Extraction from the Marcellus Shale,” which appears in the August 2012 issue of the journal Risk Analysis, published by the Society for Risk Analysis, Stony Brook doctoral student Daniel Rozell, P.E., and Sheldon Reaven, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Technology and Society and the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, found that “Even in a best case scenario, an individual well would potentially release at least 200 m3 of contaminated fluids.”

Fracking involves pumping fluids underground into shale formations to release pockets of natural gas, which are then pumped to the surface. The Marcellus Shale region covers approximately 124,000 square kilometers from New York to West Virginia and is being intensely developed.

The researchers found that disposal of the large amounts of fracking well wastewater presents risks from salts and radioactive materials that are “several orders of magnitude larger” than for other potential water pollution pathways examined in the new study. Other water pollution pathways studied include a tanker truck spilling its contents while transporting fluids used in the drilling process going to or from a well site; a well casing failing and leaking fluids to groundwater; fracturing fluids traveling through underground fractures into drinking water; and drilling site spills at the surface caused by improper handling of fluids or leaks from storage tanks and retention ponds.

The disposal of used hydraulic fracturing fluids through industrial wastewater treatment facilities can lead to elevated pollution levels in rivers and streams because many treatment facilities “are not designed to handle hydraulic fracturing wastewater containing high concentrations of salts or radioactivity two or three orders of magnitude in excess of federal drinking water standards,” according to the researchers. The wastewater disposal risks dwarf the other water risks, although the authors say “a rare, but serious retention pond failure could generate a very large contaminated water discharge to local waters.”

In trying to understand the likelihood and consequences of water contamination in the Marcellus Shale region from fracking operations, Rozell and Reaven use an analytical approach called “probability bounds analysis” that is suitable “when data are sparse and parameters highly uncertain.” The analysis delineates best case/worse case scenarios that risk managers can use “to determine if a desirable or undesirable outcome resulting from a decision is even possible,” and to assess “whether the current state of knowledge is appropriate for making a decision,” according to the authors.

The authors found that “Any drilling or fracturing fluid is suspect for the purposes of this study” because “even a benign hydraulic fracturing fluid is contaminated once it comes into contact with the Marcellus Shale.” They suggest that “regulators should explore the option of mandating alternative fracturing methods to reduce the wastewater usage and contamination from shale gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale.” These would include various alternatives such as nitrogen-based or liquefied petroleum gas fracturing methods that would substantially reduce the amount of wastewater generated.

The authors concluded that “future research efforts should be focused primarily on wastewater disposal and specifically on the efficacy of contaminant removal by industrial and municipal wastewater treatment facilities.”

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Water crisis news:

Urgent meeting requested to set up investigation into Mandela Metro water crisis.

6 August 2012 By Port Elizabethan/MyPE.co.za: /Directory

The crumbling infrastructure in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, which led to this weekend’s water shortages, shows negligence on the part of the municipality and cannot be left unchallenged. Furthermore, unless adequate funding is found to maintain infrastructure, similar incidents will occur again.

I have written to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Local Government to convene an urgent meeting to explain the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro water crises.

I have requested the Chairperson, Xolile Nqatha, to call the Executive Director of Infrastructure and Engineering and his associated staff who deals with water issues to report to the committee and explain what happened to cause this incident.

I have also requested that the committee consider establishing a board of enquiry to investigate this matter, to take corrective action and to ensure this embarrassing situation never occurs again in the Metro. If it is found that there has been negligence in the water department in the municipality, then heads must roll and officials sacked.

The stoppage of water to many areas of the Metro due to the bursting of feeder pipes from our dams is shocking.

Why did this happen?

Was sufficient warning not given to the Engineering Directorate of the possibility of such a crisis happening in the future from previous floods?

Why could this crisis not have been averted?

This disgraceful water crisis will have a knock-on effect on continued economic development in the Metro, seriously affecting growth and job creation. What confidence does this water crisis signal to potential business investors?

Of further concern are the possible legal ramifications the municipality may face as companies sue for lost production due to lack of water services.

The residents and businesses of Nelson Mandela Bay demand answers on this matter and the municipality must come clean with the public.

It is hoped that the establishment of a suitable investigative body will ensure that this unfortunate incident is quickly remedied and appropriate action is taken to ensure that there is never a repeat of such a water crisis again in this Metro.

Dacre Haddon, MPL

Editors Notes: It would appear that this letter to the editor by Dacre Haddon fully supports the real reason for the water crisis as published on MyPE here: The Real Reason Why the Van Stadens Water Pipes Broke – and NOT due to flooding as has been averred by all and sundry in the department known as communications!

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