In Wilkes-Barre, a group of scientists is launching a new study of water quality throughout Luzerne and Columbia counties. They are hoping to be able to track how gas drilling might affect the water supply.
Scientists at Wilkes University say it is the first of its kind: a database of test results from home wells in both Luzerne and Columbia counties. This database, they say, will help them determine the quality of well water now and how it might change because of Marcellus gas drilling.
"How are you going to be able to tell if your well has been contaminated if you don't know what the water was like beforehand? And that's what we hope to establish," said Dr. Brian Redmond of Wilkes University.
So far, the scientists have results from 400 home wells. They will start mapping results so they can also tell which parts of the counties have different water results. The scientists will then compare water quality before and after drilling. That's something many people have voiced concerns about as gas drillers move into their areas.
"The data that is out there now, it would be wonderful to get it, compile it and look at it so we know what's going on. And, not just for Marcellus shale, but to identify the problems we have now in our area," said Brian Oram of Wilkes University.
"There's some pretty good information about public water supplies. They supply a lot of people. Trouble is, there are very few of them relative to private wells," said Dr. Redmond.
The team at Wilkes University would eventually like the database to include more than just Luzerne and Columbia counties to better understand water quality throughout northeastern Pennsylvania and how gas drilling might affect it.
Scientists at Wilkes University say it is the first of its kind: a database of test results from home wells in both Luzerne and Columbia counties. This database, they say, will help them determine the quality of well water now and how it might change because of Marcellus gas drilling.
"How are you going to be able to tell if your well has been contaminated if you don't know what the water was like beforehand? And that's what we hope to establish," said Dr. Brian Redmond of Wilkes University.
So far, the scientists have results from 400 home wells. They will start mapping results so they can also tell which parts of the counties have different water results. The scientists will then compare water quality before and after drilling. That's something many people have voiced concerns about as gas drillers move into their areas.
"The data that is out there now, it would be wonderful to get it, compile it and look at it so we know what's going on. And, not just for Marcellus shale, but to identify the problems we have now in our area," said Brian Oram of Wilkes University.
"There's some pretty good information about public water supplies. They supply a lot of people. Trouble is, there are very few of them relative to private wells," said Dr. Redmond.
The team at Wilkes University would eventually like the database to include more than just Luzerne and Columbia counties to better understand water quality throughout northeastern Pennsylvania and how gas drilling might affect it.
