Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the federal Clean Water Act (CWA)
The oil and gas industry in the US has increased the manufacturing levels recently; this is a result of hydraulic fracturing customarily referred to as fracking. Hydraulically fractured wells cover approximately 69% of oil and natural gas wells in the United States. The fracking process comprises chemicals, a large amount of water and sand exerted to high pressure to form rock. These rocks are then used to break substances surrounding oil and gas, and this makes it easier for extraction. In the US, oil and gas development is predominantly controlled by federal environmental and public health regulations. Federal laws offer several elementary fortifications from oil and gas development events. These federal regulations include; Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) to safeguard groundwater and surface waters from pollution.
The safe drinking water act ensures the quality of drinking water. The process of fracking involves Water consumption, and there are billions of gallons as wastewater that is not re-used. This wastewater is added into underground wells, and some are transported for treatment. Often, wastewater spills and contaminates drinking water. Hydraulic fracturing is, however, an exemption in the SDWA; from the energy policy act 2005, only diesel requires an underground injection control permit. However, due to the spills of contaminants in drinking water, this law should apply in these instances. Although fracking is exempted from the safe water for drinking act, flow back, and created water, as well as wastewater from gas and oil processes, are not exempted. In this case, fracking is exempted, but this act controls its operations that involve the use of water. Environmental protection agency (EPA) is responsible for regulating the injection of fluids underground. The SWDA gives EPA the power to give orders when there is information about water contamination that is endangering human health. These two policies can work together to control the fracking process from endangering human life through water contamination.
The federal clean water act (CWA) of 1972 institutes the basic configuration for controlling ejections of contaminants into the United States’ water bodies. It is also responsible for managing quality ideals for surface waters. This federal act made it unlawful to release contaminants from source that is industries, to steerable waters lest a permit is given. Oils and gas wells cannot openly discharge wastewater into water surfaces, however, this happens through spills of oil that are meant for treatment, and it is harmful to the environment. The EPA has managed to implement contamination regulation plans like indicating wastewater standards for companies through the help of CWA. Additionally, the environmental protection agency has established state water quality principles approvals for contaminants in shallow waters. CWA requires access to oil and gas well sites to report any unauthorized discharge of hazardous elements or oil exceeding the inceptions level. CWA reports to the National Response Center where the release of oil is indicated in case they result in a sheen on water surfaces or if the company infringes water quality standards.