Marietta council completes second reading of resolution to form injection‑well task force as residents press for immediate protections

The Marietta City Council completed a second reading of Resolution 79, which would create an ad hoc injection‑well task force under the Water, Sewer and Sanitation Committee, after an extended public‑comment period in which residents urged quicker protections for the local aquifer.

Residents at the microphone urged the council to take stronger, immediate action rather than form another study committee. A resident identified in the meeting as D. Arnold said she opposed Resolution 79 and urged the council to advance Resolution 80 instead, saying, “I don't think we need 79. We need 80, and we need to get moving yesterday.”

Why it matters: Resolution 79 directs the chairman of the Water, Sewer and Sanitation Committee to appoint up to seven members to an injection‑well task force and declares an emergency; the resolution text says the task force would serve through Dec. 31, 2025. Opponents at the meeting said a newly formed committee could slow action, fear biased membership, and cited state reporting and local experience of well problems.

Several public speakers described alleged local impacts tied to injection or disposal wells. Dawn Hewitt said she supports legal action and “no objection rights,” urging enforcement of existing state rules rather than further delay. Jessica Archer, who said she works in groundwater and toxics monitoring, warned that a rushed local study could produce “bad science” and said there is “very strong support to shut down … injection wells in this county and specifically with this class 1 well.”

Bob Lane, who said he manages or owns wells in surrounding counties, recounted past incidents he attributed to disposal wells and described personal economic losses: “It has cost me over $1,000,000, the damage that this has done to my oil and gas production.” He also said a visiting hydrologist told him the wellwater samples showed radiation “3 times what you're allowed to transport on the highway.” Those are claims made in public comment and were not corroborated in the meeting record.

The clerk read the resolution aloud during the session; the text in the reading states the task force would be an ad hoc advisory committee of the Water, Sewer and Sanitation Committee, would serve until Dec. 31, 2025, and that the chairman shall appoint no more than seven members. The reading was recorded as the second reading of Resolution 79; the transcript contains no final vote on adoption during this session.

Councilors addressed procedural concerns. Councilor Graham disputed assertions that the Water Committee was attempting to advance Resolution 79 ahead of Resolution 80 and said none of the Water Committee were sponsors of Resolution 80; he said he would support suspending readings to align the items at the next opportunity. Councilor Noland thanked members of the public for attending.

Next steps: The council announced its next regular meeting for Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 (Room 10 of the Armory). The transcript records the completion of a second reading of Resolution 79 but does not record a vote to adopt the measure during this session.

Quotes in this story are taken verbatim from public comments recorded in the meeting transcript. The claims about contaminant presence and radiation reported by speakers were not tested or confirmed on the record at this meeting.