EPA Identifies Flower Mound as Possible Site to Study Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Water Resources

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EPA Identifies Flower Mound as Possible Site to Study Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Water Resources

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a draft plan, to study the potential impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on water resources, that identifies the Town of Flower Mound as a possible study site.

“I am so excited that our efforts with the EPA have paid off,” said Flower Mound Mayor Melissa Northern. “We felt Flower Mound met the criteria with the current drilling in our community. Our staff and many residents continued to pursue the EPA to select Flower Mound. Thanks to everyone who worked to have our town selected.”

Flower Mound does not utilize local groundwater wells as a source of drinking water. The Town receives drinking water from two sources, Dallas Water Utilities and The Upper Trinity Regional Water District. Both entities have been recognized as a “Superior Public Water System” by the state of Texas. Flower Mound’s drinking water is subjected to a multi-layered schedule of testing for a variety of contaminants that occurs at the water source and in Flower Mound. In addition, Dallas Water Utilities conducts a routine watershed management program that analyzes the Town’s drinking water at the source. While continual testing has identified no concerns with Flower Mound’s drinking water, Town officials welcome the additional EPA analysis as an added level of protection. On behalf of the majority of the Town Council, Mayor Northern testified in front of an EPA committee in 2010 and requested that the community be added to their list of testing sites.

“We were lucky to be chosen to participate in this process. We want the EPA to conduct studies here because we take the stewardship of our natural resources seriously. Even though local drilling has not contaminated our drinking water, it could impact our groundwater resources,” said Mayor Northern. “If any industry in Denton County is impacting our natural resources, we want to know about it and be able to address it. This will help us ensure that the industries conducting business here do it correctly.”

The EPA report indicates that areas to be investigated in the Barnett Shale include the potential for water well contamination and the likelihood of spills, leaks, and runoff transporting contaminants. In order to research these issues, the EPA will establish a baseline water quality data report and will then conduct comprehensive monitoring and modeling of water resources during all stages of the hydraulic fracturing process. The ordinance governing gas well drilling in Flower Mound requires well operators to conduct pre-drilling and post-drilling water analysis for existing water wells within 1,000 feet of the gas well. To date, no contamination has been identified through such testing. The EPA report indicates that Flower Mound would be earmarked for Prospective Case Studies, which are conducted at locations where no contamination has been reported. Retrospective Case Studies are conducted at locations where possible contamination has already occurred.

“We don’t have issues with our drinking water, but I feel much more comfortable with taking a proactive stance to analyze our groundwater,” said Mayor Northern. “We appreciate the EPA recognizing the amount of drilling activity that is occurring in the Barnett Shale and understanding that we take the task of protecting our natural resources seriously in Flower Mound.”

Please visit the below link to review the draft EPA plan to study hydraulic fracturing:

http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/02ad90b136fc21ef85256eba00436459/d3483ab445ae61418525775900603e79!OpenDocument&TableRow=2.0#2.

Posted 02/11/2011.