When most people think about fracking, they tend to think of the dirty drilling process. In reality, that is only part of of the threat to public health. Just as important is the issue of fracking wastewater storage.
In 2011, the state of Texas alone disposed of 3.5 billion barrels of fracking wastewater. On average, that’s 290 million barrels, or the equivalent of 18,500 Olympic swimming pools every single month. Now imagine that on a national scale. Fracking wastewater disposal is no small issue.
Fracking Wastewater Storage Methods
Fracking wastewater is typically black, smells of sulfur, and contains pollutants including salts, chemical additives, metals, organic compounds, and other contaminants. Sometimes it contains low levels of radiation.
Typically, the wastewater is trucked to disposal wells and injected thousands of feet underground into storage tanks. Fracking wastewater may also be stored in impoundment ponds, or it may be piped to treatment plants where it is cleaned up and discharged into streams or reused for other fracking operations.
The Risks of Fracking Wastewater Storage
The risks that come with storing fracking wastewater are significant. First there is the issue of truck traffic — typically dozens per day. In addition to traffic congestion, these trucks can cause air pollution and an increased risk of accidents. As with any type of hazardous waste, there is the risk of spillage and leaks that can lead to the death of trees and vegetation and contaminated groundwater. In regions such as the Barnett Shale in Texas and Oklahoma, there has also been a steady increase in earthquake activity due to the injection of fracking wastewater.
Even states that have enacted fracking bans are impacted by fracking wastewater storage. New York, for example, uses fracking wastewater as brine for road spreading, in order to de-ice and to provide dust control and road stabilization.
Is there a safe way to store fracking wastewater? Tanks, wells, and storage pits can all leak. Brine can cause runoff, contaminating soil and water sources. The wastewater can be recycled, but it is an expensive process, and many just aren’t willing to pay the cost.
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