There is no regulation in Pennsylvania to process the water now. It will be an unfortunate, but necessary regulation and well worth the cost and clean up in the short and long term.
Methods exist and are being further developed to minimize this threat of contamination. For example, currently about 60 percent of fracking fluid can be recycled for use in other wells, cutting down on the need to dispose of it through treatment or off-site disposal.
Earlier this year, Gov. Ed Rendell proposed amendments to existing drilling regulations that would specifically affect the use of hydraulic fracturing. The proposed rules heighten protection of water supplies, strengthen the requirements for constructing well casing and impose a stricter obligation on operators to replace any water supplies they contaminate. The governor also proposed hiring more inspectors to enforce the new rules, with the cost to the state being covered by introduction of a severance tax on natural gas extraction.