Energy Corp Sued for Health Problems From Polluted Water

Methane, barium and other irritants in a woman's water supply in Sugar Run are thought to be the culprit behind her many health problems and why she has filed suit against natural gas driller Chesapeake Energy Corporation, and two of its subsidiaries, as reported by Bloomberg Business Week in Philadelphia.

The lawsuit was filed in state court in Bradford County by Peter Cambs, attorney for the injured party, Judy Armstrong.  She is claiming that contaminants in her well water have caused her to experience pain, numbness, cracking skin on her hands and headaches since 2009. 

Brian Grove, Chesapeake's senior director for corporate development, said he had not seen the lawsuit and therefore could not make a comment on it.  Nomac Drilling LLC and Chesapeake Appalachia LLC, subsidiaries of Chesapeake, have also been named in the lawsuit.

The Marcellus Shale formation - beneath Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Ohio - is seen by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as the most serious area at risk in gas drilling practices.  Methane contamination risks are considered severe due to its highly flammable nature.

Last month six residential wells were tainted with methane and believed to be caused by Chesapeake's drilling per the DEP.  The wells, found in Wilmot township, are about eight miles from Armstrong's home in Sugar Run. 

The DEP also found another company guilty of contaminating the well water of almost 20 residents in nearby Dimock County, one county away from  Armstrong.

Armstrong reported seeing air bubbles, and then later methane bubbles, in her well water soon after drilling began three miles from her home.  She moved to a home in Sugar Run from Gettysburg in 2009. 

Results of water samples taken by Chesapeake confirmed methane in Armstrong's water.  But, per Armstrong, they also showed "multiple chemicals in our water sample" and "a lot of heavy metals in our water that has totally increased."

No longer comfortable, or desirable, to use her water for drinking, bathing, cooking or washing, Armstrong has had to revert to using bottled water for her every day use.

Cambs claims that Chesapeake has not made the latest DEP test results available, but he contends that the test had similar findings. 

There are four gas wells cited in the court filing, all are within three miles of Armstrong's home.

Combs said, "They noticed the drilling rigs went up and several weeks, sometime thereafter, they noticed there was air in the lines and it would spit out. Then the water turned yellow and the amount of the spitting got worse and worse. They weren't really sure what it was."

If you, or someone you care about, has encountered health problems from pollutants, click here contact an injury attorney that specializes in personal injury from our directory.