WorldWide Drilling Resource

Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., PG Well Water - The Preferred Choice Our drinking water may come from a variety of sources, depending upon where we live. Most of us do not really have a choice in water sources, especially if we hook-up to a public water system (PWS). Most public water systems rely upon wells and/or surface water as their primary source of water. Groundwater from wells is often preferred (if there is an option) due to the reliability of groundwater as a sustainable supply. Groundwater usually has a consistent quality, temperature, and protection from contami- nation if the aquifers are deep and overlain by low-permeability strata (clays, marl, etc.). Also, the drilling for groundwater, from a quality and quantity standpoint, is usually well-known for a given area based on previous drilled wells. Most groundwater usually meets drinking water standards and does not require treatment except for simple chlorination, or on rare occasions, removal of iron and/or hydrogen sulfide. Also, a well requires a very small “footprint” and can be conveniently located on small parcels of land. In rural areas where there is usually a low population density, the preferred choice is individual or private wells. These wells are relatively expensive for an individual homeowner, depending upon the depth and diameter. Many small towns and municipalities use surface water as a primary source of potable water. These water supply systems are often located on large lakes or rivers, with a capacity to supply thousands to millions of customers. On rare occasions, a surface water supply could be compromised by a chemical spill, fish-kill, or bacteria-related issue, therefore careful water quality monitoring is necessary to provide a safe potable supply. Other water supply sources include cisterns which collect rainwater off roofs and other impermeable surfaces. These systems were more popular a hundred or more years ago when wells were less common. Wastewater treatment plants have made great progress in cleaning up and reclaiming many types of wastewater, but this water is mostly used to supplement water used for cooling purposes or irrigation (golf courses), and generally not for human consumption. A disadvantage and serious concern of both groundwater and surface water supplies is contamination. Once groundwater or surface water becomes contaminated, it may take a very long time (years) and incur considerable cost to re- mediate to drinking water standards. Surface water may clean-up faster if there is significant flow through the system. Probably the fastest growing source of potable water usage is coming from reverse osmosis (RO), where salts and minerals are removed from brackish water sources. RO consists of filtering the salts and minerals using micropore size filters and high- pressure pumps. Advances in this type of treatment are expected to grow in usage, especially in coastal areas. Tom Tom Kwader may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com 18 MARCH 2018 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®