VANCOUVER — Both sides in the fracking debate in British Columbia say a new study in the U.S. backs their position.

A major study from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — in the works for five years — found hydraulic fracturing activities in the United States have not led to widespread, systemic effects on drinking water.

However, the draft report said that fracking can lead to contamination, including through spills of hydraulic fluids and waste water, and inadequate protection of wells with metal casings and concrete.

The study outlines several examples of drinking water being affected, but noted these were small compared to the large number of wells. About 25,000 to 30,000 oil and natural gas wells are fracked each year in the U.S.

Contamination of drinking water has been one of the key worries raised about fracturing on both sides of the border.

The issue often elicits emotional reactions and gaining significant public attention in films such as Gasland in the U.S., and in the B.C.-film Fractured Land.

The fracking process involves pumping a mixture of water, sand and chemicals deep underground at high pressure to fracture rocks, allowing the trapped natural gas to flow and then be pumped to the surface.

The industry has long said there are no examples of water contamination from more than 215,000 fracked wells in Western Canada.

Fracking of natural gas wells in northeastern B.C. could increase significantly if one or more liquefied natural gas export plants on the coast of B.C. go ahead. No projects — including those led by companies such as Petronas, Shell and Chevron — have made a final investment decision.

Source: Vancouver Sun