BUTLER TWP — With plenty of Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling going on in Butler County, many private water well owners are getting firsthand experience with water testing.

Susan Boser and Bryan Swistock from the Penn State Extension on Thursday held a workshop at the Butler County Community College to discuss water testing, interpreting water test results, common well problems and ways to fix and prevent problems.

Swistock said current regulations require a gas well have a 500-foot setback from water sources, pits and tanks for waste fluids, mail notification for water supplies within 3,000 feet of gas wells and fresh water protection “strings” installed to protect groundwater.

Usually, he said gas companies will offer well testing for people within 2,500 feet of a gas well, although he said many companies test farther out. The gas company offers these tests for free.

Swistock said people getting their water tested should get the name of anyone who does the testing to ensure the test is unbiased and should make arrangements to get the test results.

He recommended cooperating with the gas companies in the water testing in case there is a problem with the well later. Without a predrill test, nothing can be proven.

“You will not have that ... protection,” Swistock said.

If a gas company approaches a property owner about leasing, Swistock said specific testing requirements can be a part of the lease negotiation. This includes requests for pre- and post-drilling tests as well as, perhaps, tests for other water sources on the property.

“You can put all these kinds of things in your lease,” Swistock said.

When a well owner gets test results, the results often can be confusing to the lay person.

He said that ND, BD and a “less than” symbol next to results all mean that there are extremely low amounts of the substances. When a report “flags” something, that means the testing company has concerns or comments about a particular result.

According to the DEP, there are two types of water contaminants tested for — primary and secondary.

Primary contaminants, such as benzene and arsenic, are health based. Water with levels of these substances that are above the standard is unsafe.

“It will cause a health problem,” Swistock said.

Secondary contaminants are aesthetic based. For example, iron can cause orange stains and has a metallic taste. This will not make it unsafe to drink, but it is not great to use.

During and after drilling, homeowners should look out for erosion and sediment problems, and changes in water appearance, taste, odor and yield. If there are any major changes, he said that homeowners should contact the state Department of Environmental Protection and the drilling company at the same time.

Boser said there are a variety of options to take when solving well problems. These can be as drastic as finding a new water source to water treatment, maintenance and inspection, and pollution control devices.

“Explore all of these and see what is the best option for you before taking any action,” Boser said.

If the DEP rules that the gas company is not at fault, Swistock said it is not the end of the world. If the owner does not like the DEP’s ruling, he can hire a lawyer. He also said that talking to legislators can help.

“There are steps beyond the DEP,” Swistock said.