This Map Shows Where You Shouldn’t Drink Tap Water in the USA… Or Only Highly Filtered

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Fracking For Natural Gas is turning the beautiful America into a toxic hell!

This map shows two important information: The US rivers in blue and the main US fracking areas (natural gas reserves) superimposed in red. And Woah! It’s just terrifiying!

Fracking is turning our beautiful America into a toxic hell! And this map shows where you shouldn't drink tap water in the US
Fracking is turning our beautiful America into a toxic hell! And this map shows where you shouldn’t drink tap water in the US. Map from documentary Gasland.

On this map you can retrieve two types of information: the US rivers in blue and the main US fracking areas (natural gas reserves) superimposed in red.

Natural gas reserves represent the most active US hydraulic fracturing areas. Not all of these areas are drilled, but some places within these areas.

New York State is also shown in red because companies plan and are TRYING to get the okay for hydraulic fracturing.

There is just one thing I would say about this terrifying map: Be careful if you live in a red area near a fracking site, your tap water may be contaminated and poisoned by the chemicals and other toxic substances used for fracking as described in Chemicals Used In Hydraulic Fracturing.

You are not in danger everywhere in these red areas. The risk of contamination is related to your distance to a well.

Just to clarify, NOT ALL OF THESE RED AREAS ARE CONTAMINATED (again, they represent US natural gas reserves), but they have a higher risk of contamination due to a high concentration of fracking activity.

I am concerned about the impact that fracking has on water. But as someone already wrote me in an e-mail: ‘it’s complete hyperbole to claim that all people who live in a red area on this map will jeopardize their health if they drink their tap water.‘

So if you are living near a fracking site be cautious, look at your city’s water quality and TEST YOUR WATER!

Here’s a good filter to remove almost all contaminants in your drinking water at home…

If you accept fracking in other countries, then you will encounter the same problems. Stop fracking! Fight against hydraulic fracturing! Do not think about money! Think about our next generations and about your health!

StrangeSounds.org has been banned from ad networks and is now entirely reader-supported CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT MY WORK… I will send you a small gemstone if you give more than 25$… Thanks in advance!

Here some things to add to your disaster & preparedness kit:

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94 Comments

  7. In the 1800’s a law wz passed for NYState, by a President – No land in NYS can be tampered with, or destroyed because of iz beauty. In other words New York State is to remain as pristine as the day God made it. I know the land holding my family’s farm hasn’t been changed since God made it. “They” haven’t been able to infringe on that law as of today

  9. Thank you! It is good to read this and know there could be concerns. Here inn central Texas I distill all our water for drinking and cooking. The sludge that appears after each batch tells me we are in the right direction. I do not know of the closest fracking sites…. yet Oklahoma is fracking so close to the larges aquifer in the nation and that is something people do not think about. How far does water travel to get to aquifers, does it purify itself on the journey or carry things that is hard to chemically separate. There is always a “placebo” news article posted by oil and gas companies that say they are doing the right thing…. but we need people to test,, check and balance this so that we do not poisne ourselves through blind faith. Thank you!

  18. Recommend those with global collapse and extreme anti-fracking opinions broaden their horizons and watch or research a little bit on the benefits of fracking. Fracknation would be a good starting point to illustrate how skewed the Gasland movie is. Josh Fox and Gasland is a poisonous documentary that presents one side of the equation with an agenda very much like Michael Moore’s titles. Unfortunately, these messages gain traction and get the masses up in arms preventing potential growth in areas that may have long term benefits. The same situation applies to nuclear power, and it’s sad to see the opposition essentially putting roadblocks up that ultimately keep us tied to the real problems of foreign dependence on energy sources. If we embrace some of these newer technologies, then we can also put efforts into safeguarding the impacts they may have.

    IMHO, Josh Fox is outside of his league, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he is being funded by big oil money. He continues to refuse to participate in an open forum to discuss the topic, but yet has stirred up the anti-fracking movement with limited scientific research in support of the claims. Spends some time on both sides of the fence vs. just hearing one side and adding fuel to the fire without fully understanding the impact and ripple effect my have on stopping fracking.

  21. […] Toxins in water are not due to fracking activities but to a massive algae bloom in Lake Erie. These harmful algae blooms occur when fertilizers and other chemicals raise the levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in rivers and lakes. Do you remember the algae bloom that recently colored blood-red the water of a river in China? […]

  28. What’s even crazier is that bottled water companies get their water from the same places and they aren’t bound to any laws on how they “clean” the water or any laws that require them to tell you the water sources.

  29. take no ones word/ test w/ engineers that are qualified by lic.. ground water can already have stuff in it. superfund and other sites . dumping waste and garbage , etc..dry cleaning businesses , painting , etc. Oil . you can go to EPA or DEC for inform.Beware. test and verify. Test the pipes/ land/ wells/ traps. results do not lie. If you have dumps closed they take readings from the wells on them for water testing.

  31. […] This research shows that the development of the tar sands may be responsible for spreading mercury — which can cause nervous-system damage — far beyond the areas where drilling and transportation are taking place. Moreover, it suggests that the tar-sand development has created a ring of mercury contamination, with areas close to the sands showing much higher levels of mercury than before development. Is it similar for fracking areas? […]

  36. So can we also superimpose a map showing where water has been PROVEN to be dangerous?

    I’m all for being careful, but I’m a scientist. I need evidence not conjecture and ideology.

    • go find the people that have lost their health and sued to pay medical bills. they had to stop talking about what happened to them in order to get paid.

  37. I posted this article on facebook. Of the map, my brother says “…this map is not where they are now fracking, it is where there is better than a 20% chance that they might in the next 40 years. Check your sources.” So, I am checking with you to confirm or deny. Thanks.

    • Your brother is right for New York State. As I wrote it in the post:”New York State is also shown in red because companies plan and are TRYING to get the okay for hydraulic fracturing.”

      To make it more understandable for everybody, I also added this: “On this map you can retrieve two types of information: the US rivers in blue and the main US fracking areas (natural gas reserves) superimposed in red. This map is from the documentary Gasland.”

      Explanation: Natural gas reserves: represent the most active drilling areas. Not all these areas are fracked, but some places within these areas.

      “There is just one thing I would say about this terrifying map: Be careful if you live in a red area near a fracking site, your tap water may be contaminated and poisoned by the chemicals and other toxic substances used for fracking and described in the following report: Chemicals Used In Hydraulic Fracturing.”

      Explanation: You are not in danger everywhere in these red areas. The risk of contamination is related to your distance to a well.

      “Just to clarify, NOT ALL OF THESE RED AREAS ARE CONTAMINATED (again, they represent US natural gas reserves), but they have a higher risk of contamination due to a high concentration of fracking activity. I am concerned about the impact that fracking has on water. But as someone already wrote me in an e-mail: ‘it’s complete hyperbole to claim that all people who live in a red area on this map will jeopardize their health if they drink their tap water.’ If you live in one of these areas, you should of course be concerned. Look at your city’s water quality. IF YOU LIVE NEAR A FRACKING SITE TEST YOUR WATER YOURSELF.”

      Explanation: So be cautious if you are living near a fracking site.

      I think if some chemicals spill into a river, since it flows, they will be found much further than we would think of!

      Here a Nature article linking drinking water pollution to fracking: http://www.nature.com/news/gas-drilling-taints-groundwater-1.13259 and here the same map with some further explanation about it: http://www.maydayresistance.org/2011/04/21/can-you-light-your-tap-water-on-fire-gasland-the-movie/

  40. Those same people that featured in Gaslands with the “flammable water” Recently featured on a BBC documentary where scientists tested their water and found it contained a natural methane build up. Yes this does mean the water isn’t suitable for drinking but it also showed that in that particular instance it wasn’t a consequence of Fracking.
    I’m not for one moment saying fracking is safe. I’m very much against it but there is still a lot of misinformation surrounding the whole fracking practices i feel. The map used in this article is another example of this.
    There is a real lack of any scientific evidence at this point in time.

    • If fracking doesn’t cause pollution then why did dick chaney have these oil companies made exempt from epa water quality regulations.

  42. hey fucking jackasses stop leasing and selling your land, and get the company’s off your land, then you don’t have to worry

    • they already have the mineral rights to whats under your land and you can’t stop them. get your head out of the sand. we can only stop this by standing together and using your pocket book. money is all that they think about and it is all that can change things.

  43. I wonder if the U.S.Supreme Court has exempted these gas companies from prosecution yet. Just as they did recently for the pharmaceutical drug companies.

    • thanks to dick cheney these companies don’t have to reveal what chemicals they use and are exempt from epa water contamination regulations.

    • people like you are why we are in this situation. get your head out of the sand. we are headed for global collaspe. do you have grandchildren? their lives will be greatly affected.

  49. So this whole page is just some guy’s opinions based on a video he watched? Where’s the science behind it? Where is the support for the claims, beyond “at risk” which is just a flimsy hypothesis? There are many, many places noted (as in EVERY river and tributary in the US apparently) that is not at any risk at all (national parks, monuments, designated tribal and wilderness areas). There are places where groundwater and surface water is contaminated naturally because its high in iron, sulphur, zinc, nickel, silica and various other elements, yet show up as “contaminated” on EPA pages. If you’re going to make all these claims that the sky is falling and we’re all going to die from drinking tap water (you aren’t an employee for a bottled water company by the way?) you’ll need a bit more credible evidence to back up your claims, ESPECIALLY if you’re going to blow it out of proportion on social media sites.

  50. Can you trust or believe the municipal reports ? The local government can’t even prove the source of the recent fish kills of the bottom feeders beaching themselves on the banks of the Arkansas River, almost adjacent the wells being fracked. The government can’t afford to admit it. It sure would displease the powers that be ! Yes Mr. Koch, send in the drones!~!!

  51. P.S. Besides the GASLAND films, see SPLIT ESTATE and DRILL, BABY DRILL, made by other filmmakers. The case against fracking goes far beyond methane in the water. That is the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. There are devastating above-ground safety and economic issues for communities that become the collateral damage for this highly invasive industrial process, the scale of which most people have no concept, until it hits them and it’s too late. Earthquakes, chemical spills, millions of gallons of water turned to toxic waste in the fracking process itself that must be disposed of either by deep-well injection (into the ground), or left in open pits lined with heavy vinyl linings that can deteriorate. Regular water treatment facilities cannot handle fracking waste. Very expensive treatment plants have to be constructed to accommodate the waste, and this is not being done. The waste is sometimes illegally dumped in rural streams and roadside ditches on country roads at night, when no one is around to see. The rail accident in Lac-Megantic is an example of the increasing rushed and poorly regulated transport of explosive and toxic petroleum product in order to sell to foreign markets at a ridiculous mark-up. The fossil fuel execs get richer and richer, while our communities and our environment are destroyed. If you do not live in a frack zone, you can’t have any idea of the problems.

  52. I live in upstate NY on the border of Pennsylvania, where they have been fracking the Marcellus Shale for several years. New York has kept actual fracking out of the state so far, but waste and cutting disposal and staging sites are already here with storage and transportation of fracking sand and dangerous chemicals already taking place. We are fighting Inergy’s move to store tons of highly explosive liquid propane gas in the empty salt caverns on the shores of Seneca Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes, and home to many tourist properties and dozens of wineries. The home I bought was leased to a gas company without my knowledge — the attorney for my home sale botched the title research. I am still trying to address the problem. I will NOT drink the water in this area. I will also not buy water bottled in Pennsylvania, which is sold in the local Wegman’s. Most people do not realize how serious the water problem is. The situation could very quickly become dire. If I were anyone living in or near a fracking area, I would be very, very concerned for yourself and your families. The health problems are enormous, and doctors in PA are being paid off by the industry not to inform patients that they are potentially victims of fracking chemicals in their wells and ground water.

  53. That’s a horrible map, lets throw two unrelated things on a map, neither of which has much to do with fracking. In red are shale deposits, not fracking areas, most shale deposits could in theory be fracked, but areas with actual fracking operations would be much smaller. In blue are rivers and streams, kind of irrelevant since the danger of fracking is contaminating ground water, not rivers and streams. Showing a map where fracking and drinking water supplies overlay would be a good thing, but this map isn’t showing either side of that equation.

  55. This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Nothing here but showing methane coming from the tap. Which has been proven to be false. Methane has seeped through wells since there have been wells. It doesn’t prove the existence of chemicals in the water. Stupid sheep believing stupid manufactured lies.

  56. I live in northern Nevada. We don’t have to worry about fracking (YEAH) but we also don’t have much water!! Drought for two years running (UGH)!!

  57. While I agree that Fracking is a bad idea for the environment including the water supply, I don’t see any science behind this map. Also, when you say “tap water” , you are also saying water from municipal suppliers which aren’t really affected as that water is treated anyway.

    • If you had watched the movies you would have seen people lightning up their drink (tap) water as well. Treatments do not take gases away. Many other substances are not destructed by treatments (you drinkk for example a lot of hormones (mostly female due to the anti-pregnancy pill) in the tap water). But this is not the point of this map. Just be aware that there is a high contamination risk in these red areas!

      And this map is just a compilation of 2: the river maps of the USA and the fracking region, so not much science there (except for those who made the mapping).

      • Water treatment from a water plant does effect the dissolved gas in water. The tap water that was lit was very odd. Almost as if the line was filled with gas, and then it was turned on just a trickle to push the gas out and onto the match. I noticed it did not light a second time once the water was fully running.

    • Well, just to clarify, not all of these red areas are contaminated, but have a really high risk of contamination. I am concerned about the impact that fracking has on water. But as someone already wrote me in an e-mail, ‘it’s complete hyperbole to claim that all people who live in a red area on this map will jeopardize their health if they drink their tap water.‘

      Sure you should be concerned and look at your city’s water quality reports or test their water yourself.

  59. While I agree with many of the issues caused by fracking this map is not very accurate when it comes to Texas. First Houston and most of the Southeast area of Texas drink ground water which is not effected by the process. Huge sink holes are more of a problem in that area. Second this map shows a huge area of the Edwards Aquifer as being unsafe which is crazy. The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most observed bodies of water in the world and is certainly not contaminated. It is being overused at times but not even close to contaminated.

    In closing I would say that I am all for closing loopholes, stopping dangerous practices, etc… but do it by exposing facts not blanket red maps of BS which the other side can use as ammo against the cause.

    • Well, just to clarify, not all of these red areas are contaminated, but have a really high risk of contamination. I am concerned about the impact that fracking has on water. But as someone already wrote me in an e-mail, ‘it’s complete hyperbole to claim that all people who live in a red area on this map will jeopardize their health if they drink their tap water.‘

      Sure you should be concerned and look at your city’s water quality reports or test their water yourself.

  61. What can we do if we live in a red area? One needs to drink water. Are there any types of filters that can help? I can’t afford to buy bottled water, and there isn’t any guarantee that water is good either. Not to mention the extra pollution that brings in.

    • Do not worry too fast… Just to clarify, not all of these red areas are contaminated, but have a really high risk of contamination because of a high concentration of fracking activity. I am concerned about the impact that fracking has on water. But as someone already wrote me in an e-mail, ‘it’s complete hyperbole to claim that all people who live in a red area on this map will jeopardize their health if they drink their tap water.‘

      Sure you should be concerned and look at your city’s water quality reports or test their water yourself.

    • If you can afford a Berkey water filter I would invest in one they are not that expensive and you don’t have to deal with the plastic. I bought one for around 200.00$ and that price included two fluoride filters also. It was the best investment I have ever made.

      • I thought this was the map of aquifers. I know for a fact that central IL hasn’t experienced high volume hydraulic fracturing yet, but we’re next on the list. They’re starting in southern IL. Josh fox premiered gasland 2 in Bloomington-Normal, and he stressed how it’s not too late for our area. So double check that info, and revise it with aquifer sites, or whatever the red really means. Regardless, it’s a good map of both potential and active fracking areas.

      • Yes, the map has two information: in red fracking areas and in blue the rivers and aquifers in the USA.

        I watched two days ago the movie gasland (the old one)and this gave me the idea to post the map and to tell people that fracking (although it brings a lot of money) destructs lives and is a threat for our health, environment and drinking water.

        In the movie, while discussing drinking water issues, they showed this map to tell where water pollution can become a large problem.

        The largest problem will face the city of New York since fracking site are planned around the Delaware River.

        All the best,

        MP

      • It’s wrong. There’s no fracking in the Capital Region of NY (in the red). They’re TRYING to get the okay, but it’s not current. I’d advise re-reviewing the map and verifying it.

        • Yes you are right, these are only planned wells as I also stated in my comment.

          This is only for New York State:

          Approximately two percent of shale gas well projects in New York will pollute local ground-water over the short term. Serious regulatory violations will occur at more than one of every ten new shale gas projects.

          More than one of every six shale gas wells will leak fluids to surrounding rocks and to the surface over the next century (this means this leaking water will probably sink into the ground and pollute water (so drinking water ressources too).

          Well read this great paper submitted in a comment and you will discover some very interesting things about the probable threats NY State could (or better said will) face in the next years.

          http://www.sustainableotsego.org/Risk%20Assessment%20Natural%20Gas%20Extraction-1.htm

      • This map has New York State all red & we do not yet have fracking here. Not that we’re not pretty worried that we can’t hold it off, but let’s not give up the ghost quite yet. A graphic like this needs to be more accurate – if you want to show NYS as in danger of going red, fine.

        • Yes you are right, these are only planned wells as I also stated in my comment.

          This is only for New York State:

          Approximately two percent of shale gas well projects in New York will pollute local ground-water over the short term. Serious regulatory violations will occur at more than one of every ten new shale gas projects.

          More than one of every six shale gas wells will leak fluids to surrounding rocks and to the surface over the next century (this means this leaking water will probably sink into the ground and pollute water (so drinking water ressources too).

          Well read this great paper submitted in a comment and you will discover some very interesting things about the probable threats NY State could (or better said will) face in the next years.

          http://www.sustainableotsego.org/Risk%20Assessment%20Natural%20Gas%20Extraction-1.htm

    • Complete bullshit! NONE of the areas in red have experienced contamination. There has NEVER been a case of “contamination” by hydraulic fracturing to get natural gas. This is just another greenie cause to grab attention and possibly money. Total Al Gore bullshit green wacko story.

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