Skip to content
Business
Link copied to clipboard

Firm agrees to treat drilling waste water in Western Pa.

A Warren County firm has agreed to build a new state-of-the-art treatment facility to settle a federal lawsuit alleging it had illegally discharged Marcellus Shale gas drilling wastewater containing high concentrations of salts, heavy metals and radioactive compounds into the Allegheny River.

A Warren County firm has agreed to build a new state-of-the-art treatment facility to settle a federal lawsuit alleging it had illegally discharged Marcellus Shale gas drilling wastewater containing high concentrations of salts, heavy metals and radioactive compounds into the Allegheny River.

Under terms of the settlement with Clean Water Action, a statewide environmental organization, Waste Treatment Corp. has agreed to stop discharging up to 200,000 gallons a day of shale gas drilling wastewater and build the new treatment facility, which can remove more than 99 percent of the pollutants.

The settlement represents the first time an industrial treatment plant discharging gas drilling wastewater in Pennsylvania agreed to install effective treatment technology to protect local rivers, said Myron Arnowitt, state director for Clean Water Action.

- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette