Cleanup Stalled: Frack Wastewater Lingers at 3 Eureka Plants in PA

On August 17, Eureka Resources’ Williamsport Second Street facility (one of the three wastewater treatment plants previously operated by Eureka) leaked some of its stored untreated frack wastewater, which ended up in the nearby Susquehanna River via a storm drain (see ‘Black Goop’ Spills into Susquehanna River from Closed Eureka Plant). That event led the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to launch an investigation into all three of Eureka’s shuttered plants: two in Williamsport (Lycoming County) and one in Bradford County. The DEP found untreated wastewater stored at each facility—over 4.6 million gallons in total—and demanded Eureka dispose of it within 90 days. In September, Eureka outlined a plan to do just that (see Eureka Proposes Plan to Clean Up, Close All 3 PA Wastewater Plants). The 90-day period has expired. The DEP reinspected and found that some progress has made, but wastewater is still stored at each site.

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