I live near the Huntsville reservoir. Even though there are numerous signs that suggest I shouldn’t I will sometimes stroll down and walk the banks of this rather large body of water. It’s a very peaceful place and a big part of why I moved to the area. It reminds me of an unspoiled Canadian fishing spot I went to as a younger man. No power boats, no beach and nobody. This big pond or small lake provides quite a lot of the drinking water for Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding areas. And now it comes to light that areas very near to the reservoir have been leased to the frackers.
I have to admit I am scared about all this fracking.  Mostly because of ignorance. I simply do not know enough about what is going on to really be anything but frightened. And when I try to educate myself it’s even worse. It’s like that test that the doctor orders. You really don’t want to know the results.
Of course my chief concern among many is that my drinking water remains safe. I have a well on my property that has provided cool, clean and clear H2O for all the time I have been here. It’s washed my car and my dog, cleaned my clothes, filled my pool and quenched my thirst. It’s delicious and one of our tasks is to fill bottles of it and deliver it to relatives in the area whose water is not so good.
After seeing news reports of well water being fracked up by the Marcellus shale gas drilling I am concerned. When you see someone light up the water coming from their tap you get that way.
Doing some on line research found me the Penn State University web site dealing with the issue, which is extensive. The url is http://extension.psu.edu/naturalgas/news/2010/05/monitoring-of-drinking-water-supplies-near-gas-drilling. Among other things it suggests filling a plastic bottle with your water, leaving a space. Wait a while, and then when you open it place a flame near the top. If it catches on fire you are fracked.
This is what I mean by being scared. I don’t want to have to think about my water having explosive stuff in it. Penn State suggests that in order to protect yourself you must test your water now, before the drilling begins. This can cost one thousand dollars. Who has an extra grand to help me out? Think of me as the canary in the coal mine. If my water is fracked up, how’s yours doing?
I haven’t gotten one dime from the frackers. If the trade off is not being able to drink my tap water, no amount of money is worth it.
