Fracking threatens drinking water supplies. Across the country, fracking wastewater has leaked from retention ponds or escaped from faulty disposal wells, putting drinking water at risk. Wastewater from fracked wells includes not only the toxic chemicals injected into the well but also naturally occurring radioactive materials that can be brought to the surface.

Fracking wells produced at least 14 billion gallons of wastewater in 2014. Wastewater production data is not available in Texas (because this reporting is not required here) which means that the total amount of fracking wastewater produced in the United States is higher than is estimated.