originally posted on May 26, 2016

DIMOCK, Pa. (AP) – A new federal report says more than two dozen northeastern Pennsylvania water wells had high levels of contamination in 2012 that could’ve affected peoples’ health, created a physical hazard or otherwise been made unfit to drink in its raw form.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1WPabXg ) the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry reviewed water sampling data collected during a Dimock Township groundwater contamination investigation.

The agency says contaminants in 27 wells could’ve affected peoples’ health. Methane gas buildup could’ve created a hazard at 17 wells.

Texas-based Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. has been barred from drilling new gas wells until the water quality returns to pre-drilling conditions at 18 wells.

Cabot says the sampling data doesn’t show a relationship between the contaminants and oil and gas development.