Morgantown is a college town — home to West Virginia University, a growing tech sector, and a quality of life that attracts people to the mountains. But underneath the revitalization, the water tells a different story. One shaped by more than a century of coal mining, industrial use of the Monongahela River, and the more recent pressures of natural gas extraction.
The Monongahela River: History Written in Water
Morgantown’s municipal water supply comes from the Monongahela River, which has earned its reputation as one of the most historically polluted rivers in the eastern United States. The Mon, as locals call it, drains a massive watershed that includes some of the most intensively mined coal country in America.
The river’s contamination legacy includes:
- Acid mine drainage (AMD) — hundreds of abandoned coal mines discharge acidic, metal-laden water into tributaries throughout the watershed. AMD turns streams orange with iron precipitates and drops pH to levels that kill aquatic life.
- Industrial discharges — the Mon’s banks hosted steel mills, glass factories, chemical plants, and power stations for over a century
- Combined sewer overflows — older cities along the river, including Morgantown, have combined sewer systems that discharge raw sewage mixed with stormwater during heavy rain events
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) and EPA have spent decades addressing the worst sources of AMD in the watershed. Treatment systems at major abandoned mine discharges have improved water quality significantly since the worst years of the mid-20th century. But the Mon still carries the fingerprints of its industrial past.
Acid Mine Drainage: The Persistent Problem
Coal mining has been central to West Virginia’s economy and identity for over 150 years. The environmental cost of that history is literally seeping out of the ground across the state.
When coal mines are abandoned, groundwater fills the voids. That water interacts with exposed sulfide minerals (particularly pyrite) to create sulfuric acid. This acidic water then dissolves heavy metals from surrounding rock — iron, aluminum, manganese, and sometimes more toxic metals like arsenic and selenium.
In Monongalia County and surrounding areas:
- Dozens of AMD discharge points have been documented
- Deckers Creek — which flows through the heart of Morgantown — has been severely impacted by AMD from upstream mining operations
- Treatment wetlands and passive treatment systems have been installed at many sites, but the volume of contamination exceeds current treatment capacity
For the municipal water supply, the treatment plant processes raw Mon River water through multiple stages of treatment designed to handle the river’s complex chemistry. But the raw water quality directly affects treatment costs and complexity.
Natural Gas and Fracking
The Marcellus Shale formation — one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world — underlies much of West Virginia, including Monongalia County. The hydraulic fracturing (fracking) boom that began in the late 2000s added new water quality concerns to the existing coal mining legacy.
Fracking-related water quality issues in the region include:
- Well casing failures — improperly constructed or aging gas wells can allow methane and fracking fluids to migrate into shallow groundwater aquifers
- Surface spills — drilling operations generate wastewater, drilling muds, and chemical additives that can contaminate surface water and groundwater if containment fails
- Produced water disposal — the brine that comes up with natural gas from deep formations contains high levels of total dissolved solids, radioactive materials (NORM), and heavy metals
- Road spreading — in some areas, produced water has been spread on roads for dust suppression, potentially contaminating roadside ditches and shallow groundwater
West Virginia University researchers have published multiple studies documenting water quality impacts near Marcellus Shale drilling operations. Some private well owners in the region have reported changes in water quality coinciding with nearby drilling activities — cloudy water, methane bubbling, and unusual tastes or odors.
Lead and Aging Infrastructure
Morgantown’s water distribution system includes pipes and service lines installed decades ago. Like many Appalachian cities, the infrastructure has aged without adequate reinvestment.
Key infrastructure concerns:
- Lead service lines — homes built before 1986 may have lead solder or lead service connections. West Virginia, like many states, lacks a complete inventory of lead service lines.
- Distribution system age — some water mains in older neighborhoods date to the early 20th century
- Pressure fluctuations — aging systems are more prone to breaks and pressure changes that can disturb sediment and introduce contaminants
The Morgantown Utility Board manages the city’s water system and has been working on infrastructure upgrades, but the cost of replacing aging pipes across the entire system runs into the hundreds of millions of dollars — a heavy burden for a city of about 30,000 people.
Private Wells and Rural Water Quality
Outside Morgantown’s municipal service area, many Monongalia County residents rely on private wells. These wells face multiple risks:
- AMD contamination — shallow wells near historical mining operations may draw water contaminated with metals and low pH
- Bacterial contamination — rural areas with septic systems and agricultural activity can contribute bacteria to shallow groundwater
- Methane — both naturally occurring and potentially related to gas drilling activities, methane in well water is a safety and quality concern
- Manganese and iron — naturally elevated in many West Virginia aquifers, these metals cause taste, odor, and staining issues even when not at health-threatening levels
West Virginia does not require private well testing at the time of sale or at any regular interval. The responsibility falls entirely on the well owner.
What Residents Can Do
- Know your source — whether you’re on Morgantown Utility Board water or a private well, understanding where your water comes from is the first step
- Read the CCR — the utility’s annual water quality report details what was found in your treated water
- Test your well — if you’re on a private well, test annually for bacteria, nitrates, pH, and metals. Consider testing for methane and VOCs if you’re near drilling operations.
- Check for lead — run your tap for 30 seconds before drinking if your home has older plumbing, and consider a lead test
- Use appropriate filtration — the right filter depends on what’s in your water. A water treatment professional can help match treatment to your specific situation.
If you’re concerned about your water quality, a certified water treatment professional can test your water and recommend solutions tailored to the specific challenges of the Morgantown area.