The Marcellus Shale Factor and the Citizen Groundwater and Surfacewater Database will present a three-hour online professionally-led ground water training event at 9 a.m. on March 9.

“Oil and natural gas development dates back to 1859 in Pennsylvania,” states professional geologist Brian Oram. “As far back as 1795, Colonel Edwin Drake talked about water that would bubble and catch fire like black powder near Salt Spring State Park in Susquehanna County. Because of the interest in natural gas development, the baseline testing being done by the industry and fellow citizens is demonstrating very clearly the fact that Pennsylvania groundwater is not pure. Up to 50 percent of private wells may not meet a primary drinking water standard because of bacterial contamination, explosive levels of methane gas, and impurities such as arsenic, barium, nitrate, organic chemicals, or lead. The development of natural gas in Pennsylvania is just another reason we need to work together as a community to get our water tested. We have problems now and the only way we can solve them in the future is to recognize the weakness and make a change as a community. We need to remember that we all live downstream.”

To attend the online training course log onto Wilkes.edu/pages/1703, or call 570-408-4460. For more information on PA clean water efforts visit Water-Research.net . Private well owners can have their voice heard by participating in a survey at  SurveyMonkey.com/s/NMG6RQ3