H/T to Emily Gosden for this press release from the Water UK website:
Water UK and UKOOG to work together to minimise the impact of shale gas development on water resources in the UK
27/11/13
Water UK, which represents the water industry, and the UK Onshore Operators Group, the onshore oil and gas industry’s representative body, are to work together to help minimise the impact of onshore oil and gas development in the UK on the country’s water resources.
Water UK and UKOOG today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which ensures their respective members will cooperate throughout the shale gas exploration and extraction process.
A key aim of the agreement is to give the public greater confidence and reassurance that everything will be done to minimise the effects on water resources and the environment.
Water UK has reviewed recent reports into shale gas extraction, and believes that while there are potential risks to water and wastewater services, these can be mitigated given proper enforcement of the regulatory framework.
Under the MoU, members of UKOOG and Water UK will work together to identify and resolve risks around water or waste water including:
• Baseline monitoring requirements to assess impacts of onshore oil and gas development on the quality and quantity of local water resources;
• Plans relating to site water management, especially water reuse, to improve understanding of local impacts;
• Onshore oil and gas company development plans, including scenarios for expansion of exploration and development within a local area and what this means for short and long-term demand for water at specific locations;
• The expected volumes and chemical and biological composition of waste water as well as preferred disposal routes.
Ken Cronin, chief executive of UKOOG, said: “This agreement with Water UK should give reassurance to local communities that the development of shale gas in the UK can proceed with minimal impact upon the local water and waste services. The environmental regulation covering the onshore oil and gas industry in the UK is among the most stringent in the world and, in addition, the industry has agreed to tough and transparent guidelines on how we operate and interact with local communities.”
Pamela Taylor, CEO of Water UK, said: “Our members are determined to ensure any potential risks of shale gas extraction are minimised. The MoU gives water companies a crucial extra layer of safeguards on top of the existing regulations to help ensure water supplies and the environment are protected.”
Impacts of the exploration for and extraction of shale gas on water and wastewater service providers
Water UK policy position 27 November 2013
Contacts
Water UK
Neil Dhot 07780 979499
UKOOG
Newgate Communications
Deborah Saw/Jason Nisse 0207 680 6550
About Water UK
Water UK works on behalf of the water industry towards a sustainable future.
About UKOOG
UKOOG is the representative body for the UK onshore oil and gas industry including exploration, production and storage. The organisation’s objectives are to enhance the profile of the onshore industry, promote better and more open dialogue with key stakeholders, deliver industry-wide initiatives and programmes and to ensure standards in safety, the environment and operations are maintained to the highest possible level. Membership is open to all companies active in the onshore industry including those involved in the supply chain.
About the water companies’ statutory duties
Water companies have a statutory duty to assess current and future risks to water quality and water resources in Drinking Water Safety Plans and Water Resource Management Plans. As with any type of development, shale gas will be assessed as part of these plans.
Tallbloke's Talkshop 
TB,
Any impact to water contamination will only work if the company is NOT allowed to declare bankruptcy, if or when a disaster is to happen.
Most companies have investors that can pull out, make the company insolvent and then create a new company with no one able to go after the people making the decisions.
In our society…NO ONE IS ACCOUNTABLE!
Look at the banking system…only fines that are NOT huge enough for the profits and damge they have done!
I have no idea why this is really necessary. Drilling has been taking place in the UK for something like 100 years. The initial section(s) of a shale well are to all intents and purposes exactly the same as an oil & gas well – drill through the ‘overburden’ (which includes any water aquifers) and pump cement to seal off the sections drilled. All bog standard IMHO.
and how many people get their drinking water directly from rivers, rather than from treated water? Getting hacked off now.
This is to help put more nails in the enviro-kook coffin. There is no significant hazard in the UK, unless different laws of physics and geology and engineering are in operation there.
Regulations are always supposed to be met but how often are they? I can see most of the time but I wouldn’t doubt someone would cut corners often either.