A report on water use for fracking in Texas finds that it is not the only or even the most significant contributor to the longstanding problem of water use in Texas.
The policy brief by The Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics and Public Policy at Texas A&M University is based on a study that looks closely at water use in the Eagle Ford Shale formation in south Texas where fresh groundwater aquifers are overdrawn by nearly 2.5 times their recharge rate. Hydraulic fracturing operations there make up the third largest use of groundwater, well behind irrigation, the primary use. However, hydraulic fracturing does requires large amounts of water, roughly five million gallons, for each well.
The report also notes that while fracking consumes a smaller share of water, it permanently removes water from the hydrological cycle, unlike other uses. It suggests that oil and gas companies could be offered severance tax reductions to substitute brackish groundwater for fresh groundwater and be given a “Green Star” designation for limiting fresh groundwater use.
More broadly, the report urges much more accurate and transparent data reporting of all use of water and policy changes to address inefficient water use in all sectors.
The state of Texas could face a 2.7 trillion gallon shortfall of water by 2060.