EPA declares Dimock's water safe to drink.

[femmocrat]

EPA says Dimock water is safe to drink
Published: Wednesday, July 25, 2012, 3:29 PM Updated: Wednesday, July 25, 2012, 4:12 PM
DONALD GILLILAND, The Patriot-News

The water in Dimock is safe to drink.

That’s the conclusion of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which declared on Wednesday that well water in the Susquehanna County town is safe and requires no further testing.

Dimock water has been the banner beneath which anti-fracking activists have marched since methane migrated into a local aquifer as a result of inadequate cementing on nearby natural gas wells drilled by Cabot Oil & Gas.

Some residents, however, have claimed there was more than just natural gas contaminating their water, and documentary filmmaker Josh Fox made Dimock the centerpiece of his controversial anti-fracking film “Gasland.”

State environmental regulators said the water was fine, but the hew and cry from some of the residents and the national activists who supported them prompted the EPA to step in. The EPA said Wednesday that sampling at five homes revealed naturally occurring arsenic, barium and manganese at levels that could present a health concern. In all cases, the agency said, “the residents have now or will have their own treatment systems that can reduce concentrations of those hazardous substances to acceptable levels at the tap.”

In a statement, the EPA said it “has provided the residents with all of their sampling results and has no further plans to conduct additional drinking water sampling in Dimock.” The EPA also said it is no longer necessary to provide residents with alternative water and is working with residents on the schedule to disconnect the alternate water sources provided by EPA.

More at link: http://blog.pennlive.com/midstate_impact/print.html?entry=/2012/07/epa_says_dimock_water_is_safe.html

From femmocrat: The article says that water from 64 homes was tested this year. I would like to hear from the residents to see if they believe it is "safe".

[Curmudgeoness]

1. I really feel sorry for the people in Dimock

who have been affected by this. They will get no satisfaction. I wonder if the EPA folks would drop by for a drink of water.