Fracking and Water

One of the major dangers of Fracking is contamination of groundwater sources. According to the gas companies, there is no risk of groundwater contamination for a number of reasons. First, most Fracture wells are located miles below the bottom of the water table, they are said to be drilled into impermeable rocks, and the drills are cased with steel and concrete casing. However, it is hard to tell whether or not there are flaws or failures in the current system, and sonar testing for impermeable rock is not always 100%. There have been isolated documented cases of home/landowners being able to light their tap water on fire. While these instances are extreme, there are major concerns as to how the process affects groundwater. These concerns are both environmental and health related. Many bottled water companies have begun promoting the "purity" of bottled water as the only safe alternative to possibly contaminated water. However this poses its own set of problems. There is the added increase of waste in landfills, as efforts to promote recycling often fall short, as well as the fact that many water companies take their water directly from the tap, rather than their 'ultra pure' sources. There are multiple research projects currently being conducted to find the best ways to properly drill with the minimal negative impact.