Water Management Regulatory 

Updates and Strategies

May 28, 2014

Jaret Wirtz

Executive Director

Western Area Water 

Supply Authority

North Dakota 

Regulatory 

Update
Bakken/Three-Forks Formation Extent
Name that city?

Total Producing Wells

Water Needs:

Fracking: ± 3 million gallons/well

Maintenance: 1 gpm ± 25 years

Fracking: 180 Billion Gallons

Maintenance: 790 Billion Gallons

Value of Water:

Fracking: $3.6 Billion

Maintenance: $15.8 Billion
Communities and Region Served

Communities such as

Williston, Watford 

City, Ray, Tioga, 

Stanley, Ross, 

Wildrose, Crosby, 

and others benefit 

from WAWSP
North Dakota Oil Industry Jobs
Need for the Project – Population Growth
WAWSP By the Numbers

2010 Numbers:

• Original plan accounted for 400 users requests

2012 Numbers:

• 1,200 rural water user hook-up requests

• 10,815 residential lot service requests

• 612 commercial lot service requests

• 4,450 crew camp/RV park service requests

Total of 17,077 user/service requests
Project Funds 

-2011 ND Legislature Appropriated $110 

Million in Loans

-2013 ND Legislature Appropriated $119 

Million in Loans and Grants

-2015 ND Legislative Session Seeking 

Approximately $120 Million 
Oil Companies Play a Critical Role

• Industrial water 

sales are 

projected to pay at 

least 80% of 

original price tag

• Success of public 

water system and 

the communities it 

serves dependent 

on sales
Public and Private Partnership
• Oil companies 

can hook up 

directly to 

WAWSP pipelines

• 10 depot locations 

by end of 2014

• Cold and hot 

water lanes

Offering Solutions to Oil Companies
WAWSP By the Numbers

2012 Numbers (from ND State Water Commission):

• Statewide Oil & Gas Demand: 6.3 Billion Gallons

(151.2 Million Barrels)

2013 Numbers:

• 1.2 Billion Gallons Sold (28.6 Million Barrels)

2014 Projection:

• 1.6 Billion Gallons (38.5 Million Barrels)

WAWSA PERMIT: 13.86 Billion Gallons/Year 

(330,000,000 Barrels/Year)
Gross Industrial Revenue

24 Month Total: $41.5 Million
Industrial Water Permits

Sources

-Public (Cities, Regional Water Systems)

-Private (Landowners, Private Partnerships)

-Surface Water (Lakes, Creeks, Rivers, Sloughs, etc)

-Ground Water (Aquifers) 

Types of Permits

-Conditional

-Perfected

-Temporary

Permitting of Water 
Water Depots with WAWS highlighted

Minot

Medora Bismarck
Water Use in the Bakken

325,851 gallons = 1 AcFt

Incomplete Frack Data
Water Fracturing in the Bakken

325,851 gallons = 1 AcFt
Lake	Sakakawea

(20%)

Misc.	S

(

u

1

r

5

f

%

ace	Water

)
Depot Construction Examples

WAWS Watford Depot (Hot or Cold water, SCADA, water storage, multiple fill points)

Timber Creek Depot (Hot or Cold water, 

SCADA, water storage, multiple fill points)
Depot Construction Examples

Athens Depot (Cold raw water, SCADA, 

four fill points)

SWP/Dodge Depot (Cold raw water, 

telemetry, water storage, five fill points)

Williston Depot (Cold potable water, 

SCADA, water storage, two fill points)
Depot Construction Examples

Surface Water Depot (Cold raw 

water, note pad, single fill point)

Surface Water Depot 

(Cold raw water, note pad, 

single fill point)
State Engineer Water Use Monitoring.

Statute requires annual reporting , which has been 

enhanced by:

1. Increased frequency of meter readings by staff

2. Develop monthly meter reports for permit holder

3. Implemented a telemetry pilot study

Water Use & Telemetry History 
Telemetry : Data : SOAP : Database

The SOAP connection

Telemetry Hardware becomes “Transparent” and 

data is “pushed” into the agency database.

• FlowPoint Systems

• Information Data Technologies

• McCrometer

• Preferred Controls

• Well Head Automation

• Savage Industries
• Exceeding permit allocation triggers S.E. action

• Currently, actions are fines based on excess water sales

 Requested sales receipts from 14 depots in 2012.

 Consent agreements, not court action

 Water overage subtracted from future allocation

• Overage not a wide-spread problem, ~ % 2 of total 

Water Depot use is represented in the overage of 2012

Why do we have rate information ?

Depot Water Rates
• State Engineer does not establish rates. 

• What we have learned:

 Rates are dynamic: ~ $0.50 to $1.25 per barrel of water, 

or $12 to $30 per 1,000 gallons.

 Vary from location to location (Proximity & access)

 Heated or not heated

 Seasonal variability

 Delivery method : Pipe line or truck

 Source: G.W. & S.W. ( Raw / Treated )

 Hydraulic fracturing formulas vary

Variability of Rates
Observations

• Water Depot Use : 

Rapid increase from 2010-2012 leveling off in 2013.

Use can be driven by external factors ( rigs – roads ]

• Real-Time Water Use ( Telemetry – SOAP ):

SOAP service completed within existing budgets.

Agency IT staff’s knowledge of workflow key factor.

Queries from other States on SOAP implementation.

• Rates vary from about $0.50 to $1.25 per barrel
For more information, please contact:

Jaret Wirtz, Executive Director

701-580-3164

Jaret.Wirtz@WAWSP.com

www.WAWSP.com