Fracking – a controversial method of creating fractures in rocks around oil and natural gas wells to increase output – is still occurring, and no matter what the gas companies say, not many people want it to continue.
Well over 1,000 people gave a piece of their mind at a recent meeting discussing fracking’s impact on the environment and groundwater in the areas being fracked. It wasn’t what you would call a quiet and orderly meeting, nor did it really stay on point.
The point was to ask for input from the public to design a study about how hydraulic fracturing affected groundwater. Many of the people at the meeting wondered why anyone would waste the time on such a study when it was more than clear, based on evidence, that fracking did affect local groundwater.
Many of the speakers in the room had personal anecdotal evidence of drinking the end results of fracking from their taps at home. Why spend time and money on a study when the effects were clear to those at the meeting? Some of the people in the room had direct experience with using water distillers to avoid the contaminated water in their homes and businesses. They knew they had fresh, safe and clean water on hand, on demand. Some had even installed water distillation systems in their homes.
The people who set up the meeting tried to retain control by asking the crowd not to debate the merits of fracking. That didn’t work. despite the scientists at the podium who mentioned that there was no conclusive evidence that fracking did contaminate groundwater. The residents, who had glasses of water that were “off,” piped up that when an unknown mixture of water, sand and unspecified toxic chemicals are injected using high pressure to crack rock to release natural gas, there are bound to be problems with the local groundwater.
The mess has to migrate somewhere. Many feel it landed in their taps, and those that did not know about water distillers or water distillation systems were at a distinct disadvantage when it came to having safe water in their home. Those with water distillers were able to share that news with others, and hopefully the information will prompt people to do research into why water distillers are the only option that offers people safe water.
Despite the pleas for sane discussion and a request for level-headed suggestions, more of the speakers at the meeting let loose with their experiences with fracking. One individual thought that doing a study on this practice was like doing a study on Rome while it was actively burning. The feedback continued most of the evening and left those who attended frustrated at why companies would even think a study would make any difference in the long run. Most felt the big gas companies would skew the results in their favor.
Nonetheless, the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to do the fracking study, to be completed by 2012, go see if there is a link between the chemicals used during the process and the problems subsequently noticed with local drinking water.
Larry Wardell is with H2olabs.com, a provider of water distiller systems and water distillation systems that provide truly pure distilled water. To learn more, visit H2olabs.com.
