Possible Relocation to Erie, PA: Questions, Advice needed. (Pittsburgh, Meadville: buying, best school)

[RebelK]

Hi all,

We, small family, are researching into Erie, PA and a possible relocation around or close to it.
Mother is pharmacy technician, I am into Business Administration, daughter is 5 years old.

We plan on buying property, a small hobby farm, and we would like to garden, have a small livestock, etc.

We have read about the fracking in PA and that especially well water is contaminated and toxic. Are they fracking in that Area? Could we possibly not even use our own well water? Do you have your own well water, can you drink it? Does it affect your health, water, livestock, property?

If they're not tracking anymore, are these just completely devastated and unusable for farming?

Thank you!
Hello from Arizona!

[Burgher-Brad]

I dont live in the Erie area (used to around 1994 to 1997), but I think most of the fracking wells are probably a little further south near Meadville, PA (Crawford County) and get increasingly more common as you go south or east into the Appalachian mountains.

Here is a good search tool to find fracking wells in the USA --- it's pretty accurate since I drive past a couple of these wells every week and the locations are spot on. I don't see any active fracking sites in Erie County.

Find a Well | FracFocus Chemical Disclosure Registry

[SteelCityRising]

I live in Downtown Pittsburgh, which is two hours south of Erie, and I head about about once every other month to visit. Erie is a very nice small city with a population of just over 100,000 in an area of just over a quarter-million people. I've been to many of the surrounding townships, which range in character from suburban to rural, and I've never seen a well site (that I can recall, at least). As Burgher-Brad indicated the fracking industry is more commonplace further to the south.

[Ohiogirl81]

There are plenty of gas wells in Erie County - it's not unusual for your suburban neighbor to have one - but these are very shallow wells, unlike the deep drilling involved in fracking.

Most of the Marcellus shale lies south and east of Erie County. There is some well testing going on, from what I've heard from friends, but it's nowhere near as widespread as in other parts of the state.

I know about a dozen people who have water wells, and they seem to be doing OK short of a major drought.

[armourereric]

Lived in Erie 1982-85, but now have a hobby farm in San Diego. My big piece of advise If doing a small farm in Erie: Stay north of I-90 and even better north of US 20. Storms tended to be more severe due to lake effect snows south of 90 well into Edinboro. You will still have the same cold season, but it was so frequently the case that if it was 35 with 3" of snow downtown, it was 25 with 3 feet of snow in McKean/Waterford/Edinboro. Makes a big difference in animal care.

[bluecarebear]

Utica Shale is in the Erie area. Yes, there is fracking. The last time I checked North East was going ahead with fracking. There is an injection well going in around the Bear Lake/Corry area. There is a wastewater treatment plant in Northern PA. I only drink bottled or city water.

Fracking and all forms of mining occur throughout almost the entire US. The Dan River in NC was polluted last year. The entire city of Charleston's water supply was damaged. Pollution from mining effects the majority of the US.

The bigger concern would be the cost of a farm in PA.

[jbar27]

I grew up in Erie. My parents were raised on the westside of Erie and they raised us there until we moved out to Edinboro in the late 80s. I loved Edinboro growing up. It has the best school district in the county along with Fairview. I would live in Edinboro or Fairview for the schools and the quality families.

[trackstar13]

Don't worry too much about fracking in the Erie area yet, but there are a good number of shallow wells that really don't have much effect on the water. I live in the city of Erie and I actually have a shallow well in my backyard that powers my house. The major farming areas in Erie County don't seem to have many deep gas wells yet and I have not heard of many well water issues in the area.

[RebelK]

thank you very much!