I recently attended a meeting hosted by the Buckeye Environmental Network at the Warren School in Vincent, Ohio. The topic of the meeting was wastewater injection wells. I live in downtown Marietta, on Washington Street, which is also State Route 7. Dozens of brine trucks drive past my house every day so I am very aware of the issue. What shocked me was the proximity of the injection wells to the City of Marietta water wells which supply water to more than 15,000 people who live in Marietta, Devola and Reno; they are less than two miles apart. At the meeting I heard from well owners whose active production wells have been contaminated by injection wells that were up to five miles away, also known as brine migration.

Not only is the present situation in Marietta untenable, but I learned that there is a pending application for an additional injection well within the same two-mile proximity of our city water wells. Approving that would make a hazardous situation much worse. Numerous cases of brine migration into production wells have been documented in Washington County. What are your plans for dealing with contaminated Marietta City water wells if brine migration should occur?

It was made clear to me at the meeting that the well operators are in compliance with current law and regulations. It is also clear to me that current law and regulations are not adequate. Those of you who are in the legislative branch have a responsibility to your constituents to protect their drinking water. Only you can pass legislation that can address this ticking time bomb.

The first city in the northwest territory is at substantial risk of losing its source of potable water.

John Whistler

Marietta, OH