BRIEFING PAPER – Impacts of the exploration for and extraction of shale
gas on water and waste water service providers
Water UK and its members do not support or oppose the exploitation of shale gas.
This position paper outlines our understanding of possible impacts on water and
waste water services.
As with any activity of this nature there are inherent risks. Evidence suggests that
these risks can be mitigated given proper enforcement of regulations, primarily by
environmental and health and safety regulators.
Introduction
The UK water industry acknowledges the risks of the country’s growing
dependence on imported gas and recognises the arguments for government policy
on shale gas extraction. The UK water industry also acknowledges that there are
inherent risks associated with any activity of this type and scale which need to be
fully understood, regulated and mitigated.
This briefing paper is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the latest research
and guidelines.
Regulatory framework
There is a robust framework of planning, environmental permitting and health and
safety regulation in place in the UK. A petroleum exploration and development
licence (PEDL) is required along with drilling consents, environmental permits and
planning permission in order to drill or fracture a shale gas well. This regulatory
framework provides a firm foundation from which to manage the possible risks to
water from shale gas exploration and production.
Risks
The impacts of shale gas on water and waste water service providers can be
considered in three broad categories – water quality, water quantity and waste
water management.
The extraction of shale gas poses possible risks to the quality of the water
environment, particularly groundwater, from three sources: the surface spillages of
chemicals, diesel and other materials at a drilling site; poor well design and
construction with subsequent failure; and the hydraulic fracturing process,
including the use of biocides and chemical friction reducers in fracturing fluid.
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The report by the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering1 concluded
that risks can be managed given a properly implemented and enforced regulatory
framework. In particular it concludes that the probability of well failure is low if it
is designed, constructed and abandoned according to best practice and that the risk
of fractures propagating from shale formations to reach overlying aquifers is very
low. In addition, chemicals added to the fracking fluid (for example biocides and
friction reducers) are subject to approval by the Environment Agency.
A greater risk would appear to be from surface spillages of chemicals and other
materials. It is therefore important that on-site storage of chemicals is managed by
proper site practices. The report published by Public Health England2 considers
these specific risks and concludes that “good on-site management and appropriate
regulation of all aspects....are essential to minimise the risk to the environment and
public health”.
The shale gas extraction process uses pressurised water to hydraulically fracture
the gas-bearing shale strata. The quantities of water needed to do so vary by site
and throughout the gas exploration and production process, but the demand could
have an impact on local water resources. This demand may be met from a number
of sources including from the public water supply, from direct abstraction, from
water transported by tanker from other areas or from recycling and reuse of treated
flowback or produced water.
The pressure on local water resources will depend in part on the pace and extent of
shale gas extraction, although the potential to reclaim and reuse large proportions
of water from each site promises to significantly mitigate the risks to local water
resources.
However, where water is in short supply there may not be enough available from
public water supplies or the environment to meet the requirements for hydraulic
fracturing. Shale gas companies should therefore engage with water companies as
early as possible to ensure their needs can be met without reducing the security of
supply to existing customers. A report commissioned by the water industry
(UKWIR3) provides more information to water companies on the likely demands
for water during the exploration and extraction process. The report concludes that
that there are inherent risks associated with exploration and extraction of
unconventional oil and gas but that with proper regulation these risks can be
mitigated.

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Waste water companies may also be asked to accept discharge of effluents
recovered from the process for treatment at waste water treatment works. This
flowback water can contain minerals, high concentrations of salinity and low
amounts of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). The feasibility of
treating this water at a waste water treatment works will depend on the volume and
concentration of the flowback in relation to the size of the treatment works and the
concentrations of NORMs present. This matter is currently being explored in
further water industry research due for conclusion later in 2014.
Engagement and dialogue
The water industry believes that timely and constructive consultation and
engagement by operators and regulators is essential to aid planning. These
discussions will be key to understanding water and wastewater services
requirements in the short and longer term, as well as helping to identify and resolve
potential issues.
Key areas of interest for these discussions will include:
• The extent of baseline monitoring being proposed to assess impacts on the
quality and quantity of local water resources;
• Plans relating to site water management, especially in relation to water reuse
to improve understanding of local impacts;
• Shale gas company development plans including scenarios for expansion
within a local area and what this means for short and longer term demand for
water at specific locations;
• The expected volumes and chemical and biological composition of waste
water as well as preferred disposal routes.
This dialogue will allow water and waste water service providers to make informed
decisions about potential solutions, as well as risks and any mitigation required, to
ensure that the provision of services to shale gas companies does not adversely
impact water resources or the natural environment more generally.
To reinforce and underpin this dialogue Water UK urges government and devolved
administrations to consider introducing legislation to ensure that water undertakers
in the UK are statutory consultees in the planning process for onshore oil and gas
exploration and development. This would ensure that water companies receive
vital information about proposed extraction sites and would give time to engage
with regulators and gas licence holders to ensure that development plans are fully
understood, the associated risks are addressed and that the protection of water
resources and the environment are considered as a priority.
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Dr Jim Marshall
Policy and Business Adviser, Water UK
Version 4 – 26 November 2013
1
! http://royalsociety.org/uploadedFiles/Royal_Society_Content/policy/projects/shale-gas/2012-06-28-

Shale-gas.pdf
2
! http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1317140158707
! http://www.ukwir.org/site/web/content/home
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