Additional Research Finds No Groundwater Contamination

“Ohio’s underground drinking water resources are safe,” stated the Groundwater Protection Council’s executive director. Noted was that the Voinovich School’s study wasn’t the first to test water for oil and natural gas contamination. In 2015 alone, researchers at the Environmental Protection Agency, Yale University, and Colorado State University all tested groundwater for any evidence of contamination from hydraulic fracturing. The results were unanimous: all four reports found no systemic evidence of groundwater contamination from the well stimulation process.

Strong regulations have ensured that groundwater is protected. Hydraulic fracturing occurs more than 6000 feet below groundwater. Further, requirements for steel and cement well casings add an additional layer of protection. Increasingly, states are also requiring water sampling before and after drilling to ensure water quality.