PA Must Take Action to Protect Water Resources from Drilling
Wastewater, Other Sources of TDS Pollution
Proposed Rules will Help Keep Drinking Water, Streams and Rivers
Clean
PA-DEP News Release
6 April 2010
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg PA., 17120
CONTACT: Neil Weaver (717) 571-3866
HARRISBURG -- High levels of total dissolved solids pollution from
natural gas drilling and other sources pose a real threat to
Pennsylvania’s streams and rivers, including aquatic life, warned
Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger today.
“The treating and disposing of gas drilling brine and fracturing
wastewater is a significant challenge for the natural gas industry
because of its exceptionally high TDS concentrations,” said Hanger.
“Marcellus drilling is growing rapidly and our rules must be
strengthened now to prevent our waterways from being seriously harmed
in the future.”
Hanger pointed to recent examples where TDS impaired streams and
affected major sources of drinking water.
In 2008 and 2009, TDS levels exceeded drinking water standards along
the Monongahela River, which is a major source of drinking water.
Drinking water treatment plants do not have the equipment available to
remove TDS, so any water polluted with TDS goes into Pennsylvania’s
homes and businesses.
Similarly, in early September 2009, excessive TDS levels led to an
environmental disaster that wiped out 26 miles of Dunkard Creek in
Greene County, as well as many miles of the creek in West Virginia.
These high TDS concentrations, coupled with other factors such as
temperature and nutrient concentrations, enabled golden algae to bloom
and created an inhospitable environment for aquatic life. The algae
released toxins to the water column that literally wiped out aquatic
life, including at least 16 species of freshwater mussels and 18
species of fish.
Dunkard Creek is an example of what can happen if TDS is not
controlled, said Hanger, and the loss of this important public resource
was an environmental and economic tragedy.
TDS is a measure of all elements dissolved in water that can include
carbonates, chlorides, sulfates, nitrates, sodium, potassium, calcium
and magnesium. In addition to natural gas drilling, other sources of
TDS include, abandoned mine drainage, agricultural runoff, and
discharges from industrial or sewage treatment plants.
For more information, visit www.depweb@state.pa.us.