LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Don’t waste fresh water resource on fracking

Dear Editor:

New York has exceptional fresh water resources. Seven percent of the world’s fresh water lies in the Finger Lakes.

It could be said, “ample amounts of water to support fracking.”

My hope, however, is that we would recognize this blessing as a unique and valuable resource. Lake Tahoe, Lake Como and the Finger Lakes. Perhaps we are the poor cousin, but a cousin nonetheless.

The volume of fresh water required for proposed New York State hydrofracking is massive. Different sources quote different amounts but, 2.5 to 4.5 million gallons per frack seems to be the accepted range. Multiple that times the 35,000 to 90,000 potential wells, with the possibility of multiple fracks per well and you get a very large number. A lot of water!

How will the consumption of the fracking water compete with our agriculture and municipal water needs?

Conservative estimates compare it to the amount of water in several Finger Lakes.

While the public invests in low flush toilets and various other water conservation behaviors, the sheer volume of water for fracking makes conservation efforts irrelevant.

Let us not be wasteful with this resource of ever increasing value. It supports agriculture, recreation, provides a beautiful landscape, drinking water and supports the healthy biosphere from which we all benefit.

DANIEL DIMPFL

Geneseo