By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-977336.mp3
Dallas, TX – The district providing water to Fort Worth says it may have to implement mandatory water restrictions by the end of next month. One citizen group says if residential customers are forced to restrict water use gas drillers should be restricted, too, as KERA's Shelley Kofler reports.
Fort Worth used a record amount of water for the month of June. With little rain in the forecast residential customers have been told to prepare for restrictions. The first step would be a limit on yard watering to twice a week.
A group critical of gas drilling says drilling companies should also feel the pain. Ester McElfish, with the North Central Texas Communities Alliance, says the fracking process used in drilling a well requires up to five million gallons of water and most it is not recycled.
McElfish: Nobody has even mentioned restricting them. If you and I are restricted on our usage they should be restricted as well. There are enough gas reserves right now these companies are certainly not going to go broke.
McElfish's group is calling for Fort Worth and other communities in the Barnett Shale region to enact a 120 moratorium on new drilling permits until water use and several other issues are resolved.
Ed Ireland is an industry spokesman with the Barnett Shale Energy Council He acknowledges drilling companies only recycle about 30 percent of the polluted water. But Ireland says that will improve with technology and a moratorium would drive companies away.
Ireland: the owners of these drilling rigs are going to keep these rigs working. So if they can't work in North Texas they will move into Louisiana or Pennsylvania or wherever they have to, to keep their rigs working. The water use issue is resurfacing as gas drilling critics prepare for skirmishes on several fronts. Wednesday the City of Fort Worth expects to receive a year-long study on air quality surrounding gas wells in Fort Worth. The million dollar report is over due and over budget. McElfish's group has complained preliminary air quality results were concealed. The city has promised transparency, but the group is concerned pollution problems may be glossed over.