The Stream, April 2: Fracking in Texas, Pennsylvania and Wyoming

New findings that indicate elevated levels of methane in water near gas drilling sites in Pennsylvania raise questions about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) earlier statement that water in the region did not pose a health risk, according to Bloomberg News.

Meanwhile, EPA has also dropped its claim that an energy company contaminated drinking water in a rural Texas county and has agreed to substantial retesting of water in Wyoming, where it initially found water contamination linked to gas drilling, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Read more here.

Hydraulic fracturing in eastern Ohio’s Utica Shale is thirsty work, but data suggest that groundwater in the region is not that plentiful, The Columbus Dispatch reported. Read more about Ohio’s fossil fuel boom on Circle of Blue.

Illegal wells, lack of metering, and in some cases national opposition to tougher European Union (EU) standards are hampering efforts to improve water efficiency in Europe, recent analyses of water allocation in agriculture show, according to EurActiv. Many EU member states are against a new proposal that the European Commission only funds irrigation projects that achieve minimum 25 percent of water savings.

Major overhaul is needed in agriculture and food consumption patterns globally if future generations are to be adequately fed, The Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change warned in a new report, according to the BBC.

Water is one factor to consider in NATO’s Central Asia strategy, according to this opinion piece for Al Jazeera.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.