PA Environment Digest

Speaking before the Governor's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission this week, Aqua America, Inc. Chairman and CEO Nicholas DeBenedictis said "Marcellus Shale has the potential to provide Pennsylvania with an economic boost well into the future if it's done right environmentally."

DeBenedictis was invited to testify before the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Commission at its regularly scheduled meeting today in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to give a water suppliers' perspective on the Marcellus Shale industry.

DeBenedictis said that energy resource development has always been important to Pennsylvania's economy, first with timber, oil, then coal, and now natural gas.

"Coincidentally, the Commonwealth's plentiful water resources have always been a significant part of, or impacted by energy resource development. The Susquehanna River provided transport for timbering in the 19th Century. In the 20th Century, streams were contaminated by acid mine drainage from the coal industry in the Southwest and Northeast," said DeBenedictis. "It appears Marcellus Shale will be as water dependent as timber, oil and coal were in the past, and has to be done correctly in the 21st Century to avoid a legacy of pollution and despoiled land. As a major water supplier for the state, Aqua Pennsylvania has a vested interest in ensuring that our water supplies are protected. We also can play a role in providing water resources for energy development responsibly. "

With respect to protecting the water supply, DeBenedictis said that he agrees with the Department of Environmental Protection's ban on the treatment of flowback water by municipal wastewater plants.

Aqua Pennsylvania has and continues to conduct baseline testing of its water supply in areas where drilling is taking place. DeBenedictis said to date, the company has not found any adverse impact to its water supplies. He advocates that drillers build on the current baseline testing by conducting additional water testing at their expense.

DeBenedictis said that Aqua Pennsylvania has a 125-year history of building water infrastructure to deliver water to customers. Today, customers might include participants in the Shale gas business. "We are providing water filling stations in suitable locations to help move truck traffic out of towns and neighborhoods."

The company has two stations currently in operation in the western part of the state and another scheduled to be open in that area in early summer. An additional station is open in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, with two additional stations scheduled to open there this summer.

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