... (or fracking) are currently lacking on a national scale. Instead, oversight of the fracking industry is conducted at the state and local level. These state and local regulations may or may not address particular issues from fracking operations that could adversely impact water and sewer utilities. Utilities operate under strict regulatory standards designed to protect human health and the environment, but pollution from fracking operations could cause utilities to violate regulatory requirements both on the drinking water and wastewater side. Impaired Utility Operations: Contamination of municipal water supplies from fracking operations, if such event occurred, would have an immediate and possible material impairment of utility revenues until remediation occurs and renders supplies safe again for public consumption. Consumption patterns and corresponding revenues may also remain below historical norms for some time post clean-up until...
