World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019
Comparison of Water Quality Indicators and the Density of Unconventional Gas Wells in Southwestern Pennsylvania
Publication: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019: Groundwater, Sustainability, Hydro-Climate/Climate Change, and Environmental Engineering
ABSTRACT
Assessment of the impact of unconventional gas operations on household drinking water quality is necessary to help minimize community exposure to contaminants from this industry. Household water samples (n=265) were collected from 154 houses in Washington County, Pennsylvania, between 2012 and 2014. Water quality analytes (also found in formation brines) in southwestern Pennsylvania and physical parameters were compared to the density of active unconventional gas wells relative to each household. Approximately 12% of samples were outside the acceptable range of pH for drinking water, but these variances are common in that region due to historic coal mining activities throughout the county. Median lithium values (7.7 ppb) were nearly three times higher than the national median (2.8 ppb). Two analytes (Fe and Na) showed significant (p < 0.05) negative relationships and three analytes (Ba, Li, Sr) showed significant (p < 0.1) positive relationships between sample concentration and the density of gas wells. Correlations may be explained by natural or anthropogenic causes. Overall, the groundwater in Washington County is of good quality, and, based on the results of this study, there was no evidence for systematic deterioration due to the density of gas wells. Further characterization of causal pathways is needed to clarify these relationships.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Vanessa Lamers and Ilya B. Slizovskiy (Yale University) for water sample collection efforts that made this research possible. Additionally, Meredith H. Stowe (Yale University) was essential in transmission of laboratory analytical results and field work details.
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Published In
World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019: Groundwater, Sustainability, Hydro-Climate/Climate Change, and Environmental Engineering
Pages: 11 - 19
Editors: Gregory F. Scott and William Hamilton, Ph.D.
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8234-6
Copyright
© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: May 16, 2019
Published in print: May 16, 2019
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