AWWA Testifies on Geologic Carbon Sequestration
August 18, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
In recent testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, serious concerns were raised by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) about the potential effect geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) technology may have on the nation's underground sources of drinking water.
GCS is considered one option to prevent carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere.
"Our overarching concern regarding geologic carbon sequestration [GCS] is the potential contamination of underground sources of drinking water and other unintended - and possibly harmful - consequences," testified Don Broussard, water operations manager for Utilities System in Lafayette, La.
"AWWA is particularly concerned about the potential for contamination of sole-source aquifers. These aquifers should be provided with special protective measures."
GCS threatens safe water supplies, according to AWWA, because contaminants released during the power generation process could be absorbed into previously-pristine aquifers during sequestration, rendering them unusable as a drinking water resource.
GCS has not yet been proven through study and research, and many experts have raised concerns about the ability to safely contain carbon dioxide (CO2) once it has been pumped underground.
"Water chemistry in an underground setting is complex," Broussard said. "We need to consider how geologic carbon sequestration could potentially release iron, manganese, arsenic, mercury and possibly other inorganic substances into groundwater surrounding the injection zone."
Other issues raised in the testimony concerned undefined water rights between states sharing a single underground source of water and unresolved, long-term liability/financial responsibility for sequestration sites.
AWWA offered several recommendations for Congress to consider:
- Avoid deploying commercial-scale GCS technology until the results of large-scale pilot projects by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have been reviewed by the agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Study and use renewable/non- greenhouse gas (GHG)-producing power generation sources.
- Improve and support water and energy conservation and efficiency programs.
- Study alternative geo-engineering approaches to CO2 destruction or immobilization.
Source: American Water Works Association (AWWA).