WHAT TO DO BEFORE DRILLING STARTS
Before drilling starts, you should have some baseline done. Baseline air and water testing is the only way to prove that nearby drilling activity has affected your air or water. It is unfortunate that private citizens must bear the cost for the burden of proof against a multi-billion dollar industry, but until we have better legislation in Texas, that is the reality.
Thorough baseline testing can cost thousands but it may not be necessary to prove harm. If you test your water for the following basic constituents, it may be enough to provide useful data on the original quality of your water:
- Chlorides
- Sulfur compounds
- Gas range organics
- Diesel range organics
- Total oil and grease
- Radioactive 226 and 228.
- Heavy Metals listed under Resource Conservation Recover Act (RCRA)
TTI Environmental Laboratories has tested water for people around the Barnett Shale and those people have recommended them. The test costs about $225.
See ShaleTest for other testing resources.
Have an EPA certified lab come collect your water analyze it. To find a lab go to: http://water.epa.gov/scitech/drinkingwater/labcert/statecertification.cfm
It is more expensive to hire someone to collect the water samples, but self tests may not hold up in court.
More thorough recommendations on testing will be available soon on the OGAP.org website.