Sunoco is currently building the Mariner East 2 pipeline through Chester County PA. On July 7, 2017, NPR reported that “Around a dozen Chester County households experienced cloudy water or loss of supply from their private wells this week, forcing some families from their homes near a location where Sunoco Pipeline is conducting horizontal directional drilling about 150 feet below ground for the construction of its Mariner East 2 pipeline.” Some families are now staying at local hotels.

The NPR report continues, “Sunoco spokesman Jeff Shields said the company is investigating the cause of the water problems in West Whiteland Township, which were first reported to the Township on Monday. The company is now a subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners. The company has tested 11 private water wells, and was due to test another nine on Friday to determine whether its horizontal directional drilling (HDD) caused the water problems, Shields said. Although test results had not been given to West Whiteland Township officials by late morning, Shields indicated that HDD was the cause.”

Note that EDP is the company that spilled more than 2 million gallons of drilling fluid in Ohio, causing FERC to curtail work on the Rover pipeline in northern Ohio (see our story on May 11, 2017).

Later in the day on July 7, the Philadelphia Inquirer posted an update, Water-contamination complaints force Sunoco to suspend Chesco pipeline construction. “Sunoco Pipeline LP has suspended installation of its contentious Mariner East 2 underground pipeline near Exton after about a dozen Chester County households complained that the water from their private wells was interrupted or had become cloudy…. ‘Drilling has been suspended as we await test results, which will help determine whether the well problems are related to drilling and, if so, help us resolve the issues,’ Shields said…. Local officials suspect that nontoxic bentonite clay used as a lubricant during the horizontal-drilling process may have migrated into private wells. Bentonite drilling mud is the same material used in cat litter.”

Horizontal directional drilling, using the same bentonite drilling mud, is the process Dominion proposes for drilling under the Blue Ridge at Reed’s Gap.