In Marietta, Ohio, concerns are mounting over radioactive wastewater from hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, that has been injected underground and is now surfacing, raising fears about contamination of the city’s drinking water supply. Marietta, a historic city along the Ohio River with a population of approximately 13,000, relies on an aquifer just two miles from several active injection wells for its drinking water sources.

Ohio permits more than 240 injection wells used to dispose of oil and gas wastewater, far more than neighboring states such as Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The state handles roughly 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater annually, with estimates suggesting up to half of this volume may come from out of state, primarily Pennsylvania, which is a major natural gas producer. The brine produced in fracking is known to contain hazardous substances such as heavy metals, radioactive materials including radium-226, and carcinogens like benzene, along with chemical additives.

Residents and local officials in Marietta only recently became aware that their area serves as a significant disposal site for wastewater. “Once the damage is done, it cannot be undone,” said Susan Vessels, president of the Marietta City Council, who has urged state leaders to halt injection activities near public drinking water sources. Four injection wells near the city’s aquifer are permitted to inject up to 840,000 gallons of brine daily, some of which has reported radium-226 levels hundreds to thousands of times above the Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant limits.

The increasing presence of wastewater near the surface and rising underground pressure have led to worries of contamination. Bob Wilson, a local landowner, witnessed brine erupting from a traditional oil and gas well, which he believes has been compromised by migrating wastewater. He and others have filed lawsuits against injection well operators, claiming contamination of oil and gas reservoirs and violations of property rights. Industry representatives contend that properly regulated injection wells do not pose a significant risk to drinking water, citing thousands of feet of rock and shale that are intended to contain the waste securely.

However, recent developments have heightened alarms. Washington County, where Marietta is located, has seen a nearly 20-fold increase in seismic activity since 2013, which officials interpret as evidence that underground rock formations may be fracturing due to the injection process. Several local authorities, including eight water districts, have called for a moratorium on new injection wells within six miles of the city’s aquifer.

In response to these concerns, regulatory agencies have shut down four injection wells in the county, including one owned by DeepRock Disposal Solutions, the company behind several recently permitted wells near Marietta. A lawsuit filed by environmental groups challenges the state’s approval process for these permits, arguing improper procedures, while DeepRock maintains that its operations comply with scientific and regulatory standards and that public health and environmental protection are priorities.

Political figures have weighed in with contrasting views. Ohio State Senator Brian Chavez, who resigned as DeepRock’s chief executive upon taking office in 2023, has downplayed risks associated with the injection wells, describing the waste as akin to “ancient seawater” and comparing its radioactivity to that of a banana. An ethics complaint was filed against him regarding his ties to DeepRock, but state Republican officials have dismissed the complaint as without merit.

At present, drinking water tests in Marietta and surrounding areas have not detected contamination from the brine, but officials warn that the introduction of radioactive materials into the water system could be irreversible. The issue remains contentious as communities, regulators, industry representatives, and environmental advocates navigate the balance between energy waste disposal and public health protection.