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Wyoming Town Near Drilling Told Drinking Water Unsafe, Potentially Explosive

HeadlineSep 02, 2010

Residents of a Wyoming town where natural gas drilling has occurred for years are now being warned their water is not only undrinkable but potentially explosive. The Environmental Protection Agency issued the warning after a second round of testing on the town of Pavillion’s water supply. The first round found at least three water wells contained chemicals used in the natural gas drilling process of hydraulic fracturing. ProPublica reports the latest tests confirmed the presence of those chemicals as well as benzene, metals, naphthalene, phenols and methane. In addition to being told not to drink their water, Pavillion residents are also being advised to use fans and ventilation when showering or washing clothes to avoid the risk of explosions.

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