WorldWide Drilling Resource

Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., P.G. Tips for Locating and Sizing a Water Supply Well A customer of yours has just purchased a lot to build their “dream home” and requests your help to locate and size a well for their house. Let’s assume it is a rolling piece of land with a pond and fenced area for farm animals and a small garden. Ideally, the well should be located on “high ground” which does not receive runoff or drainage from septic tanks, fuel storage, or agriculture chemical storage areas or waste materials. Wells should be located on the top or on the side of hills receiving direct recharge from precipitation. Low-lying areas can be susceptible to receive “pollution” from fertilizers, fuel storage areas, animal feed lots, or oils and greases which can contaminate percolating groundwater. Wells located on hills generally need to be drilled to deeper depths to reach the water table, but are worth the extra expense. It is also worthwhile to drill the well a little deeper and larger diameter than you need to ensure water levels do not drop below the pump level during dry periods or if the water demand in the future increases unexpectedly. If large demands of water will be needed for irrigation or to maintain pond levels, be sure a large enough pressure tank is included to minimize pump cycling times. After the well is completed, make sure the well is properly and thoroughly developed to achieve the highest efficiency and clarity of water possible. The water should also be sampled for iron, bacteria, hardness, and other “compounds of concern”. Consideration of future land use and development should be evaluated when choosing the location of the well to ensure long-term access to the well. There may also be local requirements with minimal “setback” distances from power lines, sep- tic tanks, fueling facilities, etc. Tom michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com 41 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® NOVEMBER 2018 ENV