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Shale Gas a Boon to Clean Water Technology

As lawmakers debate new gas drilling regulations, and more Pennsylvania residents complain about tainted water supplies, the water purification industry is experiencing its own boom. Forbes reports today on a study by theĀ Artemis Project, which takes a look at the companies working on developing new technology that would clean fracking water.

The new report from the Artemis Project, ā€œThe Marcellus Effect,ā€ evaluates how these promising companies are turning this opportunity into a proving ground for solutions that could make them new leaders in the water industry.
The intense competition in the shale gas drilling market will have wide-reaching impact for the water industry as a whole. From this limited, niche market of shale gas drilling, we predict a new breed of product solution will emerge.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, uses millions of gallons of water per well to extract gas. The water contains chemicals going down, and it flows back up with additional salts, radiological materials, and heavy metals. With all that wastewater,Ā there’s lots of money to be made in cleaning out the salts and heavy metals. A report by Global Water Intelligence says more than $3 billion dollars a year could be spent on shale gas wastewater treatment and disposal.

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