Did you know that every fracked oil and gas well in Colorado uses millions of gallons of freshwater—water that’s permanently removed from our shared water cycle?

It’s no secret that Colorado has a water shortage. Millions rely on our rivers’ waters, but our supply is shrinking as climate change and drought intensify. At the same time, oil and gas fracking operations across the state are using and contaminating vast amounts of increasingly scarce freshwater. Each fracking well can consume 10 to 50 million gallons—often drawn from municipal or agricultural sources that communities depend on.

Once water is used for fracking, most of it becomes so polluted with salts and toxic chemicals that it cannot be cleaned or reused. Most of this wastewater is disposed of by injecting it back underground, removing it from the natural cycle. That’s millions of gallons of water that Coloradans rely on, down the drain.

What’s at risk:
Fracking consumes huge amounts of water—but it also threatens the safety of what’s left. Leaks, spills, and well failures have led to contamination of groundwater and water wells. In rural and agricultural areas, that’s a direct risk to families, farms, and wildlife that rely on clean water every day.

We cannot afford to sacrifice our limited water to an industry with no future.

Colorado’s path forward:

By phasing out new fracking permits by 2030, we can conserve precious freshwater, protect our aquifers, and invest in renewable energy that doesn’t trade our health and environment for short-term profit.

👉 Join us by signing the Open Letter of Support to phase out new fracking permits.

 Let’s make sure Colorado’s future runs on clean water and clean energy—not pollution.

In solidarity,

Christina

FCSG