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Our look at the
MUNICIPAL
AUTHORITY OF McKEESPORT
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UPDATES
Jan.
25, 2012 - Two environmental groups and McKeesport's
municipal authority have settled a federal lawsuit that
claimed the city was violating state and federal
environmental laws by treating wastewater from Marcellus
shale drilling operations, according to court documents.
Story
2011 - According to the Pennsylvania DEP
Wastewater Report for the first half of 2011, McKeesport
Municipal Authority continued to receive and dispose of
Marcellus Shale wastewater. The DEP report details
946,050 gallons (22,525 Bbl – barrels) of Marcellus
drilling brine that was dumped there from CNX Gas Co LLC
operations in Center Township and Morris Township in
Greene County, Pa.
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Municipal authorities enjoy the extra revenue
created by accepting Marcellus Shale wastewater.
If a 4,000 gallon tanker truck pays 5¢ per gallon for wastewater
disposal, that amounts to $200.00
per truckload, which adds to a municipal authority's bottom line.
Due to ongoing problems with high-TDS (total dissolved solids) in
the Monongahela River, the number of sewage treatment plants
allowed to accept natural gas drilling wastewater has declined
since the early days of drilling and fracking Marcellus Shale wells.
In early 2011, new concerns have arisen about the
radioactive
content of Marcellus Shale wastewater.

The Youghiogheny River flows into the Monongahela
River
which then flows toward Pittsburgh
New limits were imposed by the
Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection at the end of 2008 to only allow
treatment plants to accept 1% of daily flow as gas
drilling wastewater.
Toward the end of 2009, the Municipal Authority of McKeesport was
accepting an average of 80,000 gallons (twenty 4,000 gallon tanker loads) of
gas drilling wastewater per day. The water is diluted with treated
sewage and dumped into the
Monongahela River upstream from
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Below are photos of this sewage
treatment plant located in McKeesport, Pennsylvania at the
confluence of the Youghiogheny River and Monongahela River.
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McKeesport
Municipal Authority
100 Atlantic Avenue
McKeesport, PA 15132
Telephone: 412-673-9701
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McKeesport Municipal Authority
in McKeesport, Pennsylvania
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Two 4,000 gallon Residual Waste tankers
entering with gas drilling wastewater
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Municipal Authority of McKeesport
Water Pollution Control Facility
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Brine tanker in the driveway of the
McKeesport Municipal Authority
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Two drilling wastewater tankers dumping their loads.
Monongahela River in foreground.
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Municipal Authority of McKeesport
with the Mon River in background
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The municipal authority is situated at the confluence
of the Youghiogheny River (above) and
the Monongahela River
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