The EPA interim study on fracking and drinking water (2015)
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On June 4, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an interim assessment, a "synthesis of available scientific literature and data," of the impact of fracking on drinking water sources. The central finding of the report was that while
| “ | there are above and below ground mechanisms by which hydraulic fracturing activities have the potential to impact drinking water resources ... we [the EPA] did not find evidence that these mechanisms have led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States. Of the potential mechanisms identified in this report, we found specific instances where one or more mechanisms led to impacts on drinking water resources, including contamination of drinking water wells. The number of identified cases, however, was small compared to the number of hydraulically fractured wells.[1] | ” |
| —U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources | ||
The report also found that in the United States between 2011 and 2014,
- between 25,000 to 30,000 new wells were hydraulically fractured (fracked) annually;
- in total, 9.4 million people lived within one mile of a well that was fracked;
- there were 6,800 drinking water sources located within one mile of a well that had been fracked; and
- on average, 1.5 million gallons of water were required to frack a well. This figure varied depending on the state.[2]
To access the full interim report, click here.
To read more about the EPA's final assessment of fracking and drinking water, click here.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Environmental Protection Agency, "Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources," June 4, 2015
