Fracking brine from Ohio injection wells believed to be surfacing, potentially contaminating drinking water

   

Paul Alain Hunt via Sunsplash

Decades ago, the state of Ohio invited the oil and gas industry to inject wastewater into deep wells, which at the time didn’t seem like a major concession. The need wasn’t overwhelming, and to accommodate the industry the state even got permission from the federal government to regulate its own wells.

When fracking came along, the Buckeye State’s more friendly policies made it the go-to place for burying brine. According to a report in The New York Times, “Ohio has permitted more than 240 injection wells for the disposal of oil and gas waste. By comparison, there are 19 such injection wells in Pennsylvania, and a few dozen in West Virginia, both of which border Ohio.”

Quinn Glabicki further notes in her story that Pennsylvania, which produces more natural gas than any state but Texas, sends about three-fourths of its brine to Ohio, and that “Ohio pumps about 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater underground annually.”

Now there are reports of the toxic waste coming to the surface, traditional oil and gas wells being invaded by fracking brine, and concerns about the potential for contaminated drinking water in the rural communities near where injection is taking place. The industry is pushing back, claiming the state’s regulation is sufficient and that wells complying with those regulations are safe. But geologists say the brine is “migrating” through porous underground material and moving to the surface.

Environmental groups and communities are seeking a moratorium on new injection wells, and for any new wells to be a safe distance from drinking water sources. In Marietta, the county seat of Washington County, tests of the drinking water have indicated it is safe but the water association is concerned that if radioactive waste gets into the system it will be impossible to remove. Ground stability also is a concern. Officials told Glabicki that seismic activity in Washington County is 20 times what it was in 2023, suggesting that underground rock formations are unstable because of the volume of wastewater.