Marcellus Wastewater Ban Leads to Lower Bromide in PA Rivers

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Not long after Michael Krancer was appointed Secretary of the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection, he “requested” (which was more order than request) that municipal sewage treatment plants still accepting and processing Marcellus drilling wastewater stop the practice. At the time there were 15 plants accepting Marcellus wastewater. Under pressure from Krancer, they ended the practice in May of last year (see this MDN story).

The reason Krancer wanted the practice to end was because the plants were discharging wastewater with high concentrations of bromides which, when combined with chlorine, can produce harmful compounds. It looks like Krancer’s directive has worked. Bromide levels in the Monongahela River have come down:

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