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Study: Fluids Seeping into PA Drinking Water

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A new study finds that fluids from deep within Pennsylvania’s natural gas fields may by finding their way to the earth’s surface and contaminating the state’s drinking water supply.

Researchers from Duke University and California State Polytechnic University tested drinking water wells and aquifers across Northeastern Pennsylvania and found that in some cases, the water had mixed with brine similar to the kind from the Marcellus Shale, according to ProPublica. This finding is significant because it challenges the notion that deep layers of rock will seal off material—such as waste and chemicals—injected into the ground from mining, drilling, or underground disposal.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the second in three months to find that geology around the Marcellus Shale could allow contaminants to move more freely than expected, according to ProPublica.

If you have been harmed by contaminated drinking water, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and to find out if you may be able to pursue legal action. For legal help, call (800) 581-6358.

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Mining Drilling Sokolove Law contaminated drinking water underground disposal