From the Glenwood Springs Post Independent (John Colson):
Garfield County on Monday released the draft report of the Health Impact Assessment, conducted by the Colorado School of Public Health in partnership with the county health department…
The study found that drinking water obtained from the Colorado River is not likely to be tainted by any of Antero’s activities, because the intake for the community is upstream from Antero’s expected areas of operation. But the community’s “secondary water source … a series of ground water wells located ‘downhill’ from some off the planned [gas] well sites … could be compromised,” by the drilling and production activities. The study predicts that water quality impacts are not expected to happen “frequently” or that the result would be broad-based contamination of the water supply. But, should contamination occur, the study concluded, “these changes would produce undesirable health impacts,” including cancer, skin and eye irritation, neurological problems” that may or may not require medical care.
