End-User News

Ohio Wants More Information About Recycling Fracking Wastewater

“Recycling wastewater is a cost saver for drilling companies. Every gallon that can be reused saves a gallon of new water that has to be purchased and trucked or piped in,” Spencer Hunt wrote for The Columbus Dispatch.

But Ohio state and outside environmental groups are concerned that the groundwater may be threatened if the waste leaks from landfills.

“The waste should be regulated. These facilities should be regulated,” said Buckeye Forest Council fracking coordinator Teresa Mills.

“Chesapeake Energy uses a system called Aqua Renew, in which fracking fluids from several wells are taken to a temporary central location for filtration. The company declined to say how much water it recycles in Ohio. A company website, however, says it has filtered and reused 89% of the wastewater in its Utica district. The company estimates that recycling saves the company $12 million a year in its eastern division.”