OP / ED
In the Southwest, oil production keeps growing despite a worsening water crisis. As rainfall drops and underground water sources shrink, oil companies pump millions of gallons of fresh water into the ground for fracking.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a single well can use up to 10 million gallons of water. That water often comes from the same aquifers that nearby farmers and communities rely on. In the last 10 years, groundwater levels have dropped by as much as 50 feet. The industry’s priority is becoming a bigger issue — both environmentally and socially.
Without clear answers from the government, the burden falls on local communities living on the front lines of drought.
FRACKING AND WATER: THE HIDDEN COST OF THE METHOD Fracking is a method of extracting oil and gas from deep underground. Water is pumped into the ground at high pressure, along with sand and chemicals, to crack the rock and release the fuel.
On average, a single well uses as much water as a small city does in a few days. This leaves many people unable to care for their farms and gardens, struggling to find water for daily needs.
MILLIONS OF GALLONS IN, MILLIONS WITHOUT
Fracking is one of the most water-intensive extraction methods. In active drilling areas in West Texas and New Mexico, billions of gallons of water are sent underground every year.
This water is drawn from the same underground sources used by farms and local communities. A study from the University of Texas at Austin found that groundwater levels have fallen by 30 to 50 feet, forcing some towns to set limits but not on oil companies.
In Utah, surface water in rivers has dropped by 25% over five years, while about 1,100 wells continue to operate. To put it in perspective, one well can use the same amount of water as 30,000 people in a month.
THE CONSEQUENCES AHEAD The ongoing loss of water in the Southwest is hurting the economy and everyday life. Access to clean drinking water is getting harder. In some areas, water quality is dropping too, partly due to chemicals used in fracking.
If this trend continues, the economic damage will follow — from reduced farm output to rising water prices.
Government action and stronger rules on extraction are the only way to avoid a deeper crisis.
Artem Kolisnichenko is a journalist covering environmental and border issues in the American Southwest, with a focus on underreported stories and international perspective.
