NGWA Event and Education Recordings Archive

Marcellus gas drilling activity has generated numerous questions and concerns about potential impacts on groundwater resources of Pennsylvania, especially individual groundwater wells used for rural drinking water supplies. Baseline water testing before gas drilling occurs is a vital piece of information used to document existing groundwater quality and potential impacts from drilling. Penn State and partner agencies conducted two studies of baseline water quality from nearly 1000 private groundwater wells and springs across Pennsylvania. These projects found that industry-sponsored baseline testing is occurring on a high percentage of water supplies within 3000 feet of proposed gas well sites. Industry-sponsored testing was typically more comprehensive than testing arranged by homeowners, often covering 15 or more parameters. Cost was found to be a significant barrier to baseline water testing by homeowners. Results from baseline testing of wells and springs in these studies found that about half failed at least one drinking water standard, with the most frequent problems being coliform bacteria, turbidity, and manganese. There were significant differences in contamination rates between springs and drilled water wells for some parameters. Dissolved methane gas was detected in 14% to 24% of the baseline samples, but concentrations were generally below any action levels. Despite receiving detailed test reports, homeowners were often unaware of existing baseline water quality, which may be related to difficulties in interpreting complex water test reports. Various educational workshops, publications, and websites have been developed by Penn State Extension to help homeowners understand baseline water test reports and to increase awareness of important pre-existing water quality problems in groundwater supplies.