DEP - Day 47: Equitrans Water SVC [EQT] Remediation Of Richter Shale Gas Water Impoundment Release Appears To Be At A Stand Still In Greene County

An August 3, 2028 thorough follow-up inspection of the Equitrans Water WVC (PA) LLC [EQT[ Richter Shale Gas Water Impoundment spill site by the Department of Environmental Protection found "no additional remediation has been conducted throughout impoundment site" in Aleppo Township, Greene County.

DEP's four inspection reports from August 3 say Equitrans remains in violation of a DEP order issued on June 30, 2026 to prevent the migration of contaminated water off site and from reaching ground or surface water from the pipeline release at the site on June 17.  Read more here.

DEP documents the lack of remediation work in the inspection report and new erosion and sedimentation problems from a cut slope along the access road washing sediment into a wetland.

A pond on the site was actively overflowing and discharging contaminated fluid down the access road.

A spring seep continues to show elevated conductivity readings in the original path of the release.

DEP did say some fluid removal was being conducted onsite during the inspection, but lots of contaminated fluid remains..

Violation continued for failing to comply with DEP order.

DEP inspection report #1, inspection report #2, inspection report #3 and inspection report #4 all with lots of photos.

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Text photos and the location of abandoned wells to 717-788-8990.

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database and Inspection Reports Viewer webpages to search their compliance records by date and owner.

Sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE service which sends you information on oil and gas and other permits submitted to DEP for review in your community.

Use DEP’s Oil and Gas Mapping Tool to find if there are oil and gas wells near or on your property and to find wells using latitude and longitude on well inspection reports.

(Photos: Row 1-- Some contaminated water being removed from impoundment area; No removal from rain garden;  Row 2-- Pond overflowing unto access road, running down access road; dead vegetation; Contaminated water coming from Spring seep.)

[Note: If you believe your company was listed in error, contact DEP’s Oil and Gas Program.]

[Note: These may not be all the NOVs issued to oil and gas companies during this time period.  Additional inspection reports may be added to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database.]

Related Articles This Week:

-- PennLive: Attorney General Sunday Files More Criminal Charges Against Eureka Resources, This Time For Releasing Oily Oil & Gas Wastewater From Its Williamsport Plant Last August  [PaEN]

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Blog: Nearly 1 Year Since Eureka Resources Oil & Gas Wastewater Spill, Company Sold Its Operations, Wastewater Still At All 3 Facilities  [PaEN] 

-- DEP - Day 26: Loan Asset Issuer, LLC Fails To Comply With Order To Prevent Migration Of Contaminated Shale Gas Water Spill Of Up To Now 88,410 Gallons From A Shale Gas Pipeline Failure In Washington County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP - Day 47: Equitrans Water SVC [EQT] Remediation Of Richter Shale Gas Water Impoundment Release Appears To Be At A Stand Still In Greene County  [PaEN]

-- DEP - Day 1,450:  Blackhill Energy Fails To Fix Or Plug 3 Shale Gas Wells With Casing/Cement Failures In Bradford County First Discovered In August 2022  [PaEN]  

[Posted: August 8, 2026]  PA Environment Digest