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What is Produced Water? How Is it Managed? Why Does it Spill?

COGCC
Booms and absorptive pads line an area on Parachute Creek where produced water and gas condensate spilled in January, 2019.

About twice a week, oil and gas operators in Colorado’s Piceance Basin file “Form 19” also called a Spill Report with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Nine times out of 10, the spilled substance is a form of hazardous waste byproduct called produced water. KDNK’s Lucas Turner has more on waste water and its impact in the Piceance Basin in 2019.

This story is part of KSJD’s collaborative reporting project on the impacts of fossil fuels, including KDNK and other partners in the Rocky Mountain Community Radio Coalition.

Lucas is kind of a big deal.