Patriot Water Permit Renewal in Jeopardy in Northeastern Ohio

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Patriot Water operates a Marcellus Shale wastewater treatment plant in Warren, Ohio—in the northeastern part of the state, not far from the border of PA. Patriot pre-treats drilling wastewater and then sends it to the Warren municipal sewage treatment plant where it is further processed and released to the Mahoning River. Patriot has invested $3 million and has hired 45 people to operate the plant.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) has told the Warren municipal sewage treatment plant their permit to accept Patriot’s treated wastewater will not be renewed when it expires in July 2012, even though there has not been a single “finding” or violation issued by the OEPA to Patriot.

Patriot officials said the water they accept has low salt levels and they have worked with the [Ohio] EPA since 2009.

"Everything is non-hazardous here, the critical party, we pre-test and we know where it is coming from and our lab process is second to none," [Patriot Water president Andrew] Blacksom said.

"The water is treated at this [Patriot’s] plant, treated at our [municipal] plant before it is discharged in the Mahoning River, so essentially the water is cleaner than the existing water in the Mahoning River," said Warren Mayor Mike O’Brien.*

Patriot recently invited local and state officials to tour the plant to show them how clean and well-run the operation is, in hopes that they can make their voices heard at the OEPA and reverse the decision.

*WKBN/CBS (Jun 20, 2011) – Patriot Pushing for Permit Renewal, Lawmakers Tour Facility