Apparently the word "fracking" isn't just a Battlestar Galactica curse that means sexytime. It's also a term that comes from mining, and refers to an unregulated (in the US) practice of pumping chemical-laced liquids underground at high pressure to help bring gasses to the surface. Sounds scary. Apparently people living in the vicinity of frack operations have found that it dramatically affects aquifers, messing with water pressure and making shower water mildly toxic. via Treehugger