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Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., P.G. Potable Water Sources - Rivers, Lakes, and Groundwater Most towns or cities rely upon water from a single source, such as a river, lake, or groundwater. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these sources. Relying on any single source is a form of gambling that your source will always be there for you. Surface water, rivers, and lakes often have a single point of withdrawal. The area around the intake structure must always be protected from sources of natural pollution (fish kills, algae, bacteria, etc.). If contamination occurs, the withdrawal of water must be stopped until the threat passes, or the water can be treated to drinking water standards. Towns receiving water from a river often must shut down if a chemical spill occurs up- stream, until the threat passes - such as plumes from chemical, sewage, or petroleum facilities. Rivers and lakes can dry up due to climatic conditions and/or overdrafting where the water demand exceeds rainfall conditions. Groundwater supplies (wells) are also vulnerable to contamination, causing wells to be shut down for long periods of time or permanently (from nitrates, chlorinated solvents, etc.). Fortunately, most towns have multiple wells which are part of an integrated supply system, and the load can be accommodated by other wells. One of the issues with aquifers is there is a wide range of well yields for different types of aquifers depending upon the depth, thickness, and permeability of the aquifer. Well yields can range from 0-2000 gallons per minute or more. Many frac- tured rock wells yield as little as 1 gallon per minute, but it equates to 1440 gallons per day - usually enough to supply a household. Large populations in areas of low- yielding aquifers or coastal areas have a difficult time relying on large volumes of groundwater, due to large seasonal demands. Examples include Atlanta (low aquifer yields) and Baton Rouge (saltwater intrusion). You may have noticed people like to live where water supplies are often limited (coastal areas, California, southwest Florida, etc.). The price of all potable water is bound to increase as demand increases and we build pipelines to transport water from where we have it to where we need it. Water supply systems should be diversified to ensure long-term reliability. Tom Tom Kwader may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com !+34# 0/4#/# 2 #,'23(+'-& ((+%' 0& '/&'230/ 2#/ '/&'230/ $+4%0+/%20& *04.#+- %0. 777 $+4%0+/% 53 '7 3'& +43 0-' 1'/'23 2#) +43 "+/)3 #..'23 #..'2 +43 +6'24'23 ' 4+11+/) 4#$+-+8'23 -#7 +43 +1' "+1'3 0-4 0/ ''4* 5$3 AWWDA 2016 Dealmakers Left: Steve with Northwest Flattanks of Choteau, Montana, congratulates Carol and John Larson of Larson’s Water Well Drilling and Servicing of Lougheed, Alberta, Canada, on the purchase of a new water truck. Right: John with crew of Ethan, John, and Nathan. Northwest Flattanks Send your deals to: promotions@worldwidedrillingresource.com WYO-LUBE™ RR is a pre- mium drilling fluid lubricant from Wyo-Ben, Inc. designed for hor- izontal directional drilling, rotary drilling, and mining applications. Its superior properties reduce torque and drag; increase pen- etration rates; and extend the life of drill rods and bits by reducing wear. Using WYO-LUBE™ RR as a drilling fluid additive allows the drill rig to perform at max- imum potential and provides the operator an increased level of control when steer- ing. The product mixes easily, and is not affected by brack- ish or harsh water conditions. It is packaged in five-gallon plastic pails. 36 AUGUST 2016 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®