The chair of Marietta College's Petroleum Engineering Department says there have been changes in well drilling in Ohio just within the past three years. They're drilled in a different direction, and the depth at which natural gas wells are drilled is well below that of water tables.

"The fracture we create stays down in this area," Dr. Robert Chase said at a forum at the college Tuesday night. "It does not go back to the surface through 8,000 feet of rock, because the weight of that rock keeps it from going back to the surface."

But the potential effects of fracking led to debate over whether the regulations in place were enough to keep the chemicals used in the process, and the product of the drilling, from getting into groundwater supplies.

"There has been zero length of these chemicals and traces of them coming back into freshwater," said Frank Leeper, Vice-President of Production, Producers Service Corps.

"I think you're overlooking that there are documented cases where you have either casing failure, or surface spill, or something through another existing well," responded Paul Feezel, Chair of the Concerned Citizens of Carroll County, Ohio

Feezel is from the heart of the shale area of eastern Ohio, but it's also an area where citizens get nearly all of their drinking water from wells. And the head of the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department says that while drilling may be safer, it doesn't mean its safe.

"And when a choice needs to be made between profits and public health," said Dr. Richard Wittberg, "we need to err on the side of public health."

The community discussion was hosted by Marietta College's Office of Civic Engagement.