In parched states, fracking's thirst grows

[madamesilverspurs]

Greeley, Colo., sells water to the oil and gas companies that have brought a drilling boom to town. Some residents wonder whether it will run out.

...
But drilling booms on. And nowhere is that more apparent than in Greeley, smack in the heart of Weld County — thought to have more oil and gas wells than any county in the nation, with just over 21,000. Within Greeley's city limits alone there are 431.

The historic city of 95,000 about an hour north of Denver, along Colorado's fast-growing Front Range, has entered into a purchase agreement with oil and gas companies to sell off some of its surplus water to satisfy the thirsty fracking business, even though parts of the West are reeling from drought. Thirty-five hydrants have been set aside, fixed with meters to keep tabs.

In some places, fracking relies on brackish or recycled water, but in Greeley it is all fresh. And the oil and gas companies that have set up shop here are willing to pay dearly for it — 100 times more than farmers do. In 2012, the most recent year for which numbers are available, Greeley pocketed just over $4 million.

...
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-colorado-fracking-20140220,0,3689568.story#ixzz2tq919ecB

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-colorado-fracking-20140220,0,3689568.story#ixzz2tq8ioKGs

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-colorado-fracking-20140220,0,5592565,full.story#axzz2tq60C7Wc

This is my home, dammit. They're destroying it. And us.

[Nika]

1. Raping the Earth to wring as much gas and oil from the ground as possible is bad enough,

but using a scarce resource like water in this way is misdirected priorities and absolutely insane.

[Vashta Nerada]

2. Who the hell allowed fracking to happen in this country?

It's the most inefficient way of getting anything out of the ground. Everyone who has every allowed this to go on needs to be removed from office.

[Egalitarian Thug]

3. The same parasites, taking the same payoffs as they did 30 years ago

when they sold you out last time. Remember Parachute, shale oil?

Has Colorado suddenly been blessed with an unknown and quite vast water supply?

Madame, this is one of the biggest reasons we left that state after founding it. Once it is done, you can't stop the stupid from overwhelming you.

[appleannie1]

4. If Greeley's fresh water comes from wells, their water won't stay fresh.

[enough]

5. k&r (nt)