mud pump for 100 feet dug wells made in china

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Even in earliest human history, it became obvious that the water in surface streams, rivers and ponds would not be enough to supply everyone. So people started digging wells. The Bible says that Moses smote the rock with his rod and fountain of water burst from the ground. Archeological evidence shows us that the ancient Persians, Egyptians and Chinese built wells to tap groundwater.

Those ancient wells were dug by hand, a laborious and dangerous task. As the wells got deeper, the walls were in constant danger of caving in. It could take weeks, months or even years to build deeper and deeper wells.

Before World War II, augers had been used to drill shallow wells, but there was a limit to how far down an auger could be turned and the walls of the hole were not supported as the well was dug. In another technique, a hollow "drive point" was hammered down through the rock until it hit water. But the drive point percussion system could not produce a very wide hole, and so the amount of water produced by the well was very limited.

The irrigation industry borrowed techniques from the oil industry. Since the mid-1800s, oil well drillers had been building large pyramid shaped derricks over a well site. Then a cutting bit with industrial diamonds imbedded in it was attached to a pipe, and the pipe and bit were rotated and forced down through the dirt and rock. The debris, or "cuttings," were then forced back up the hole by water that was pumped down either the outside of the hole or the inside of the drill pipe. The walls of the well were stabilized by the introduction of a dense clay substance that penetrated the loose dirt on the side walls and hardened it.

Farmers who wanted to drill irrigation wells adapted the oil well technology to their needs. They didn"t need a huge semi-permanent derrick. Instead they needed a system that could drill an irrigation well fast and move to the next well site. They built a smaller derrick that would tip up from the bed of a truck. Then they added powerful new engines to drive the drill bits down.

In York County, drillers had to go through 80 to 100 feet of soil and rock to reach a sand or gravel layer that usually contained water. They could tell when they reached sand by the motion and sound of the drill rig – sand is easier to drill through than the rock above it. Also they could look at what was in the cuttings as they came up.

When they reached the top of the sand layer, they kept going. In the 1940s and 50s, Gordon says, they figured that a hole another 60 feet lower in the sand layer would draw enough water for the well. Today, they dig irrigation wells as deep as the sand layer goes, sometimes another 110 or 120 feet below the top of the sand. They have to make sure they take advantage of all of the water potential in the well.

After reaching the bottom, all of that 200 feet of pipe would be hauled back up out of the well. Then, the first of many sections of perforated casing would be lowered into the well. This "screen" would allow the water to flow into the bottom of the well. When enough screen was attached, sections of solid casing would be added to the top of the well. Every sixth section of casing would have spacers attached to the outside to keep the casing centered in the well and plumb.

Safe, potable ground water is one of our most precious natural resources. It can be contaminated and made dangerous, even totally useless for drinking, by improper well drilling and pump installation practices.

To guide well drillers and homeowners in the construction of safe, usable wells, the Indiana State Department of Health offers the following standards for construction of wells and installation of pumps and appurtenances. Whenever a well is opened for repair, the work and materials used should also comply with these standards. Dewatering wells, irrigation wells, heating and cooling supply and return wells, temporary service wells, construction water wells, process wells, and other structures for withdrawing ground water or lowering of a water table, regardless of location, length of intended service, or original use or intent, should be constructed in accordance with these standards. Where possible, existing wells and water systems should be upgraded to meet these standards. See the end of this monograph for definitions of the terms used herein.

At the highest point on the premises consistent with the general layout and surroundings, but in any case in an area protected against surface water ponding, drainage or flooding. The finished well casing or pit-less adapter should extend at least 1 foot above the ground level or 2 feet above maximum flood level as determined by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, whichever is higher.

Private water supply wells and buried suction pipes serving a residence should be installed the following minimum separation distances from potential sources of contamination:Sources of ContaminationDistance* If the well casing terminates less than 25 feet from finished grade, or if the well penetrates creviced or highly porous formations, at a minimum, the distances listed in Table 1 should be doubled.Independent clear water drain; septic system perimeter drain; rainwater downspout; cistern; hydrant drain; or building foundation drain10 feet

Stream; lake or pond shoreline; below-ground swimming pool; open ditch or other waterway; sanitary or storm sewer constructed of water works grade ductile iron, cast iron or PVC pipe with mechanical or push-on joints20 feet

Watertight grease basin; septic tank; wastewater holding tank; absorption field; constructed wetland; sewage lift station; or sanitary vault privy (a privy that utilizes a solid wall wastewater holding tank)50 feet

Pit privy (a privy that has brick-, block-, or stone-lined pit walls); manure pile; manure holding tank; silage pit; dry well; seepage pit or trench; or cesspool100 feet

Septage or treated sludge disposal area; wastewater absorption; storage, retention or treatment pond; ridge and furrow waste disposal site; or spray irrigation waste disposal site500 feet

If the residence is located within 2,500 feet of a sanitary landfill, the Office of Land Quality of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management should first be consulted for recommendations on separation from the facility.

If the distances enumerated in Table 1 cannot be met, consult with your local health department about the potential for lesser separations based on special construction or favorable geology.

A well should be located so the centerline of its casing extends at least 5 feet clear of any projection from the building. A well should be reasonably accessible for servicing and maintenance utilizing equipment for cleaning, treatment, repair, testing, or inspection. Except for well houses specifically constructed for the purpose, it is totally unacceptable to locate a well in a building or in the basement of a building.

2.1 Well Design and ConstructionA well should be adapted to the geologic and ground water conditions existing at the site, to ensure full use of the natural protection afforded against contamination of the water-bearing formation and to exclude sources of contamination.

Every well should be tested for yield. The pumping equipment used should have a capacity at least equal to the pumping rate desired of the well during normal usage. Ideally, a well should be tested for stabilized yield and drawdown by pumping initially at 150% of the design pumping rate, and backing off until a stabilized yield is achieved. The test pump should be operated continuously for a minimum of one hour, continuing until the pumping water level stabilizes. A that point, the well yield and drawdown should be recorded. Bailing may be used to give a rough estimate of the yield of the well, but it is practical only for testing very weak wells. Bailing is not a reliable substitute for a pumping test when the anticipated or desired yield is more than 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm). Air lift pumping is not an acceptable method for determining yield.

A well should be capable of supplying sufficient water to meet required needs. Wells constructed as a source of water for a residence should have a stabilized yield of at least 5 gpm. If a well"s stabilized yield is less than required, the driller should inform the owner so he or she can provide additional storage and the proper kind of pumping equipment to satisfy the anticipated peak demand for water.

The minimum casing diameter for every new well should be at least 5 inches nominal inside diameter. Further, the inside well diameter should be at least 1 inch larger than the outer diameter of pumping equipment to be installed. Only those wells used for monitoring may be constructed of casing less than 4 inches in diameter.

Every drive pipe should be fitted with a standard drive shoe, threaded or welded onto the pipe so that the pipe rests on the internal shoulder of the shoe. The shoe should have a beveled and tempered cutting edge of metal alloyed for this special purpose.

The casing of the well should be steel or thermoplastic of sufficient thickness and quality to protect the well against structural deficiencies during construction, and against contamination by surface water or other undesirable materials during the expected life of the well. Only recessed couplings may be used on threaded steel casing. Steel casing should be new, first-class material meeting ASTM1Standards A-120 or A-53, or API2 Standards API-5A or API-5L. Thin-walled, sheet metal, used, reclaimed, rejected, or contaminated pipe or casing should not be used in a water well. Only casing salvaged from water well test holes may be reused for well drilling. Where corrosive water or soil is likely to be encountered, thicker walled casing than that specified in the following tables should be used.

2American Petroleum Institute, 1271 Avenue of Americas, New York, NY 10020Nominal Size in InchesExternal Diameter in InchesInternal Diameter in InchesWall Thickness in InchesWeight in Pounds / Foot - Plain EndsWeight in Pounds / Foot - Treaded Ends1Standard line pipe in these thicknesses may be threaded and coupled, or welded.55.5635.0470.25814.6214.90

1010.75010.1920.27931.2032.20Nominal Size in InchesExternal Diameter in InchesInternal Diameter in InchesWall Thickness in InchesWeight in Pounds / Foot - Plain Ends2Lighter weight pipe, meeting ASTM Standards A-53 or A-120 and API Standard API-5L, is suitable for welding only.55.5635.1870.18810.76

Thermoplastic pipe used for water well construction should comply with ANSI/ ASTM-F480, latest revision, "Thermoplastic Water Well Casing Pipe and Couplings Made in Standard Dimension Ratios (SDR)." Acceptable thermoplastic pipe materials for water well casing are acrylonitrilb-utadiene-styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and styrene rubber (SR) containing a minimum of 50 percent styrene and 5 percent rubber. Thermoplastic well casing should have a minimum wall thickness equal to SDR-26 for wells 100 feet deep or less and SDR-21 for wells deeper than 100 feet. All thermoplastic casing used on a well should be of the same type, grade and manufacturer. Pipe selection for diameters, wall thickness, and installation techniques should conform to latest edition of ASTM-F480 and the "Manual of Practices for the Installation of Thermoplastic Water Well Casing," developed by the National Ground Water Association and the Plastic Pipe Institute.

According to ASTM-F480, thermoplastic well casing pipe should be marked at least every 5 feet in letters not less than 3/16 inch high in a contrasting color with the following: nominal casing pipe size; casing pipe SDR; type of plastic used (ABS, PVC, or SR); the impact classification (for example, IC-3); ASTM designation F480; the manufacturer"s name or trademark; and the manufacturer"s code for the lot number, and date of resin manufacture. Thermoplastic well casing intended for potable water also should include the seal or mark of the laboratory making the evaluation for potable water use, spaced along the casing at intervals specified by the laboratory. Nominal Pipe SizeAverage Outside Diameter Tolerance in InchesOn Average Outside Diameter Tolerance in InchesOut-of-Roundness Tolerance for SDR-26 and SDR-21Out-of-Roundness Tolerance for SDR-17 and SDR-13.555.5630.0100.0500.030

The casing of any well should project at least 12 inches above the pump house floor or finished ground surface, and at least 24 inches above the highest flood level of record. No casing should be cut off below ground surface except to install a pit-less adapter. Likewise, a pit-less adapter should project at least 12 inches above ground surface.

There should be no opening in the casing below its top except for a properly installed pit-less adapter. The upper terminus of the pit-less adapter should comply with Section 4.8 concerning vents. A pit-less adapter should be attached to the well casing by threading or welding in a manner that will ensure a watertight permanent connection. The adapter fitting should be a commercially produced casting or shop-welded fitting, pressure tested to at least 100 pounds per square inch, with no weeping or leakage. Saddle-type fittings with heavy corrosion-resistant U-bolts and rubber gaskets are acceptable if the system will be under pressure at all times. The pit-less adapter should be designed to prevent the pump column pipe from dropping into the well if there is misalignment during assembly, or during installation or reinstallation the pit-less adapter"s internal parts.

The annular space between the well casing and the bore hole must be properly sealed with neat cement grout or bentonite clay grout, to prevent the entry of contaminants into the aquifer.The casing of a well completed in rock should be firmly seated in sound rock. If broken or creviced rock is encountered above the aquifer, the casing should be seated in sound rock. In areas where a rock well can be developed only in the upper fractured rock, the casing may terminate in this formation if there is at least 25 feet of unconsolidated material above the rock. When there is less overburden and deeper strata will not produce potable water, the sub-standard quality of the well must be recognized. Your local health department or the State Department of Health can be consulted for advice on treatment necessary to provide a safe supply.

In a rock well, the annular space between the casing and the drill hole should be sealed to a sufficient depth to prevent surface drainage water, or shallow subsurface drainage, from entering the hole. If rock is encountered within 25 feet of the surface, the hole should be reamed at least 4 inches greater diameter than the outer diameter of the casing so that a minimum 2-inch annular space is created that can be filled with grout. The casing should be extended at least 10 feet into rock, or to a point at least 25 feet below the surface, whichever is deeper, and the annular space grouted.

If neat cement grout is used to seal a bore hole it should be composed of a thorough mixture of Portland cement and clean water at a rate of one bag (94 lbs.) of cement to 5 to 6 gallons of water so that it can be pumped or puddled into the annular space to seal it. If neat cement grout cannot be placed effectively, additives may be used provided shrinkage is held to a minimum and the mixture will form a watertight seal throughout the entire depth required to prevent objectionable waters from entering the hole.

Wells drawing from unconsolidated water-bearing formations should be fitted with screens having the maximum open area consistent with strength of the screen and the size of materials in the water-bearing formation or gravel pack. The openings should permit maximum transmissivity without clogging or jamming. Recommended screen materials include stainless steel, fiberglass, PVC, and ABS. Slotted pipe or iron or mild steel screens are unacceptable. To prevent deposition in and around screen openings, the well screen should have a total opening area sufficient to allow water entry through the screen at a maximum velocity of 0.1 feet per second.

A temporary cap should be placed on a well until pumping equipment can be installed, to prevent insects, rodents and other contaminants from entering the casing.

Each drilled well should be tested for plumbness and alignment. The bore of the hole should be sufficiently plumb and straight that the casing will not bind as it is installed. The casing should be sufficiently plumb and straight that it will not interfere with installation and operation of the pump.

Water used in drilling should be potable, so that the well and water bearing formations penetrated do not become contaminated. Water from creeks and ponds is unacceptable. As an added precaution, water used during drilling should be treated to maintain a free chlorine residual of 100 milligrams per liter (mg/l).

The well driller should furnish the owner with a duplicate copy of the information he or she is required to submit to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in accordance with Rule 312 IAC 13-2-6, including:Method of well construction;

No well or well-like structure may be used for the disposal of sewage, waste, or drainage or other material that might contaminate potable water. All disposal wells must be approved by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management prior to construction.

If a well is to be used to return uncontaminated water to an aquifer, the return water must not be aerated. It is important to minimize other adverse changes in return water quality, as compared to natural groundwater quality. The return pipe should discharge at least 5 feet below static water level in the return well. The screen of a recharge well should have two to three times the open area that would be provided for a comparable supply well.

If a well is to be abandoned, it must be properly sealed to restore, as far as possible, the hydrologic conditions that existed before the well was drilled. An improperly abandoned well is an uncontrolled invasion point for contaminated water. Unsealed wells are a hazard to public health, safety, welfare, and to the preservation of our groundwater resource. Sealing of wells presents a number of problems, dependent on construction of the well, the geological formations it penetrates, and hydrologic conditions. A properly sealed water well will: (1) eliminate the physical hazard; (2) prevent groundwater contamination; 3) conserve the aquifer"s yield; 4) maintain the aquifer"s hydrostatic head; and (5) prevent intermingling of waters when more than one aquifer is involved. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources addresses proper well abandonment in its Rule 312 IAC 13-10.

Every pump and water system should:Be durable in design and construction, and properly sized to produce the volume of water necessary for the intended use.

Pit-less adapters are designed to replace the upper section of a well casing, thus serving as the terminus of the well. They are designed to be field attached to the well casing, and the discharge piping that connects to the side of the pit-less adapter is designed to be pressurized by the water system at all times. The cap, casing cover or sanitary seal should be self-draining and overlap the top of the pit-less adapter casing with a downward flange. There should be no openings in the pit-less adapter cap, within the diameter of the pit-less casing except for a factory-installed vent. Pit-less adapter vents should comply with the Section 4.8.

A vertical turbine well pump should be mounted on the well casing, a pump foundation, or a pump stand, to provide an effective well seal at the top of the well. Further, the pump should be mounted on a base plate or foundation in a manner that will prevent dust and insects from entering the well.

Submersible pumps should have at least one check valve located in the discharge pump column pipe from the pump, inside the well casing. Therefore, a check valve is not needed on the piping between the well and the pressure tank. A watertight expanding gasket or equivalent well seal should be provided to seal inside the well casing and around the discharge pipe and conduit containing the power cable for the pump.

Unless the pump is submersible it should be installed at a weatherproof, frost-proof location. Pump controls should be similarly located. Any protective structure should permit removal of the pump and column pipe for maintenance and repair. The pumphouse floor should be constructed of impervious material, and slope away from the well in all directions.

Vent piping should be sized to allow rapid equalization of air pressure in the well. A minimum of ½-inch piping should be utilized. Vent openings should terminate at least 12 inches above finished grade; be turned down; be secured in position; be reasonably tamper-proof; and be screened with not less than a 24-mesh screen or else filtered in a manner that will prevent the entry of insects. Pay particular attention to venting of wells in areas where toxic or flammable gases are known to be a characteristic of the water. In such cases, all vents should discharge outside at a height where the gases will not accumulate or otherwise pose a hazard.

Pumps should be of a type that use water for lubrication of the pump bearings. If a storage tank is required for lubrication water, it should be designed to protect the water from contamination. Oil lubricated line shaft turbine pumps are not acceptable for use in potable water systems.

A water system should include a sampling faucet for collection of water samples, installed on the discharge piping from the pump, prior to chlorination or any other treatment. The sampling faucets should be a minimum of ½-inch I.P.S., have a smooth end, and a turned-down nozzle. Hose bibs are unacceptable, because their threaded nozzles prevent collection of representative bacteriological samples.

Offset pumps and pressure tanks should be located where they are readily accessible. They should not be located in a crawl space unless the crawl space is drained to the ground surface beyond the crawl space, preferably by gravity (rather than by use of a sump pump). There should be a minimum of 4 feet clearance between the floor of a crawl space and the floor joist overhead, to allow for servicing. Pumps and pressure tanks should be located within 5 feet of the crawl space entry. The crawl space access opening should be at least 2 feet high and 2 feet wide.

No material should be used in the well or pump installation that could contaminate the aquifer or the water produced, or cause an objectionable taste or odor.

During normal operation no chemical other than sodium hypochlorite should be fed into a well. If the water pumped from a well must be chemically treated, it must be accomplished in a manner that will prevent accidental backfeed or back siphonage of the treatment chemical into the well.

The contractor is responsible for properly disinfecting any new well or well subjected to repairs or pump maintenance, upon completion of the work. Likewise, a pump installer must disinfect the well after the pump is installed, or repaired. Sufficient chlorine solution should be introduced into the well and water system to insure a minimum dosage of 100 mg/l. This chlorine solution should remain in the well and water system for a minimum of 24 hours. However, after 24 hours at least 25 mg/l of chlorine should still remain in the water. Under these conditions the well need not be disinfected again until the pump is set.

Every new, modified or reconditioned water source, including pumping equipment and the gravel used in gravel wall wells, should be similarly disinfected before the well is again placed into service. Such treatment should be performed when the well work is finished and again when the pump is installed or reinstalled.Use Table 6 to determine the amount of water in a drilled or driven well, based on casing size and the total depth of the well: Diameter of Well Casing in inchesGallons per foot

For each 100 gallons of water in the well, calculated from Table 6 above, use 3 cups of liquid laundry bleach (5.25% chlorine) or 2 ounces of hypochlorite granules (70% chlorine). Mix the calculated amount of chlorine in about 10 gallons of water. For your convenience in measuring out the correct amount, the following conversion factors are listed:2 cups = 1 pint

Connect one or more hoses to faucets on the discharge side of the pressure tank and run them into the top of the well casing. Start the pump, circulating the water back into the well for a least 15 minutes. Then open each faucet in the system until a chlorine smell or taste appears. Close all faucets. Seal the top of the well.

After pumping the well and water system to remove the disinfectant, collect a water sample from the system using a sterile bottle provided by a laboratory that is certified to perform bacteriological analyses. Before the installation can be placed in service for human consumption, the water sample collected should have less than two coliform organisms per 100 milliliters of water. If the first sample is unsatisfactory, the disinfection procedure should be repeated and another sample collected for analysis. This procedure should continue until test results are satisfactory.

In addition to bacteriological testing, all new wells should be sampled for chemical analysis. The analysis should include all parameters listed in Table 7 below:Test ParameterState/Federal Drinking Water StandardAesthetic Recommendation* Only one test needs to be performed for nitrates. However, a laboratory can report the results of its nitrate testing in either of the ways listed.Total hardness, as CaCO3--------

If a resident has been advised by a physician to limit their dietary intake of sodium it is recommended that the water also be tested for sodium, so that source of sodium intake can be factored into the resident"s total diet. If a water softener will be installed for treatment, then that source of sodium input to the water should also be factored into the resident"s total diet. It also is desirable to test in the field for hydrogen sulfide.

The well driller and/or water system installation contractor should construct and install the well and/or water system in accordance with these standards and acceptable industry practices. If these criteria are met, the well driller and water system installation contractor should not be responsible for the quality or quantity of water obtained.

Several local health departments now require that a permit be obtained before construction of a residential water supply well or installation of a well pump.

If there are special conditions that make it impossible or impractical to comply with these recommendations, your local health department should be consulted for assistance in determining safe alternatives.

"Pit-less adapter" means a watertight unit designed and constructed for permanent attachment to the well casing. A pit-less adapter provides a vent, electrical, and discharge pipe connections while preventing contaminants at or near the surface from entering the well. It also permits termination of the well above the ground surface.

The information contained on this website is not the official version of the Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR). No representation is made as to its accuracy. To ensure accuracy and for evidentiary purposes, reference should be made to the Official Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of New York, available from West Publishing at 1-800-344-5009.

(1) This regulation applies to water wells used for drinking, culinary and/or food processing purposes and is the minimum standard for construction, renovation, development and abandonment of such water wells. Additional requirements may need to be met for certain water wells that serve a public water system as defined in Subpart 5-1 of this Title.

(2) Installation of new and replacement water wells shall meet all of the applicable provisions of this Appendix. Deviations may only be allowed at the discretion of the Department or local health department in accordance with: a waiver issued pursuant to Part 75 of this Title; or a variance issued pursuant to Subpart 5-2 of this Title; or a written approval issued by the Department or local health department prior to December 1, 2005; or a written approval granted by a local health department pursuant to a local sanitary code.

(3) Other state agencies, regional authorities, and local health departments with authority to regulate water wells may establish additional requirements for water wells within their respective jurisdictions.

(1) Adequate means sufficient to accomplish the purpose for which something is intended, and to such a degree that no unreasonable risk to health or safety is presented. An item installed, maintained, designed and assembled, an activity conducted, or act performed, in accordance with generally accepted standards, principles or practices applicable to a particular trade, business, occupation or profession, is adequate within the meaning of this Appendix.

(2) Air lift test means a method of performing a water well yield test by pumping air through an inductor pipe to force water out of an eductor pipe. The inductor pipe is submerged to a depth generally about 60 percent below the static water level to allow for successful completion of the test. The drill pipe is utilized as the inductor pipe/air delivery mechanism and the casing and/or borehole as the eductor. The flow rate of water in gallons per minute (gpm) is determined as the water exits the top of the well. The drop of air pressure in the inductor pipe can be used to estimate the drawdown in the well.

(7) Decommissioning means the act of filling, sealing and plugging water wells in accordance with the requirements of Section 5-B.6(a) of this regulation such that the continued existence of the well will neither pose a health or safety hazard nor serve as a conduit for contaminant migration to or within the aquifer.

(12) Hydrofracturing means the procedure of pumping water and/or sand and/or small particles of high-strength plastic into a geologic formation to induce fracture and increase yield.

(17) Pitless unit means a factory produced assembly that is threaded or welded to the casing below grade which provides access to the well for maintenance and repair and shall be constructed and installed in a manner to prevent the entrance of contaminants into the well and the water produced.

(19) Public water supply well means a water well used or intended for use for a public water system as defined in Subpart 5-1 of the State Sanitary Code.

(22) Static water level is the natural water level in a well not being pumped or in a well fully recovered after pumping, as measured from the top of the well casing or the ground surface.

(26) Water well (well) shall mean any excavation for the purpose of obtaining ground water for drinking, culinary and/or food processing purposes, with installed components (including well casing, screen, grout, adapters, et. al.).

(27) Water well drilling or water well drilling activities shall mean the construction or reconstruction of water wells, the establishment or repair of a connection through the well casing and the repair of water wells including repairs which require the opening of the well casing.

(29) Well development or redevelopment of a water well means actions to remove clay, silt, fine sand and/or organic/inorganic deposits from the aquifer and/or gravel packing to increase porosity and permeability of the aquifer formation and to minimize continued pumping of clay, silt and fine sand while obtaining water without changing the physical construction of the well. Such actions include bailing, jetting, air lifting, pumping, surging, hydrofracturing and/or chemical treatment.

(31) Well yield means a sustainable quantity of water per unit of time that may flow from or be pumped continuously from a well and is usually expressed as gallons per minute (gpm).

(d) The ground surface immediately surrounding a well casing shall be graded to divert surface water away from the well. Concrete shall not be used for grading purposes.

(a) Acceptable water well construction methods include well drilling, driving, boring, jetting and excavating into an aquifer to obtain groundwater for a source of water supply. Acceptable water well drilling methods include cable–tool drilling, percussion drilling, air or mud/direct or reverse rotary drilling, sonic drilling, driving water well casing, and boring with earth augers to obtain groundwater.

(4) A well shall have a minimum casing length extending from one foot above finished grade to nineteen feet below finished grade upon completion of well drilling, with the following exceptions:

(i) The required total length of casing may exceed twenty feet depending upon geologic conditions and shall be in accord with the standards for the construction of wells listed in Table 2; and

(ii) Where the only viable source of groundwater available is from a shallow aquifer where the well must be completed at a depth less than nineteen feet below grade, the Department or local health department having jurisdiction may allow use of well casing of less than twenty feet total length along with such additional measures as needed, including but not limited to increased separation distances per Table 1, Note 1, to ensure provision of potable water.

(6) Upon completion of well drilling and until such time as the well is equipped with a pump, the top of the casing shall be secured with a watertight and vermin proof well cap.

(10) PVC pipe that is used as permanent casing shall be new pipe that contains a label or imprint indicating compliance with ASTM specification F 480 and NSF or UL standards and shall be Schedule 80 or SDR 21 or heavier. PVC pipe that is installed at depths of more than 200 feet shall be SDR 17 or heavier.

(11) Casing pipe that is manufactured from thermoplastic materials other than PVC shall be new pipe that contains a label or imprint indicating compliance with ASTM specification F 480 (i.e., SDR water pipe) and NSF or UL standards for use with drinking water.

(13) Steel, PVC and other materials used as temporary casing in well construction shall be clean and free of contaminants. PVC and thermoplastic materials other than PVC used as temporary casing shall contain a label or imprint indicating compliance with NSF or UL standards for use with drinking water.

(15) The upper twenty feet of a water well casing shall not be used as a suction line unless the well casing is protected by a standard weight or heavier outer casing.

(16) Where bedrock is present within 19 feet of the ground surface, an oversized borehole shall be drilled and the permanent casing in the oversized borehole shall be sealed with grout to a minimum depth of 19 feet below grade, or five feet into the competent bedrock, whichever is deeper.

(18) An artesian well that overflows at land surface shall be constructed, equipped, and operated to provide for controlling the rate of discharges to conserve groundwater and to prevent the loss of artesian head by minimizing uncontrolled continuous waste discharges. Discharges to waste pipe, where installed, shall not be directly connected to a sewer or other source of contamination and shall be equipped with an air gap or backflow prevention device. Discharge pipes shall be properly screened to prevent entry of vermin.

(19) Wells completed in unconsolidated material or at the unconsolidated-consolidated material interface shall be screened if necessary and sufficiently developed to produce sand-free water and to minimize the entrance of fine materials into the well.

(22) Wells shall be developed by air lift, bailing, surging, jetting, hydrofracturing and/or chemical treatment until sand free. Rock cuttings produced during water well drilling and well development shall be cleaned out of the well. As a final stage, the well may be pumped to waste at a pumping rate which equals or exceeds that of a permanent pump, until the water is clear as reasonably possible considering the groundwater conditions of the area. The permanent pump shall not be used to develop the well without the owner"s consent.

(23) Water that is used for well construction and development purposes or is otherwise introduced into the well, other than water from the well itself, shall be obtained from a public water system or, if necessary, from a non-public drinking water source provided such non-public source is not surface water nor otherwise known or suspected to be contaminated.

(25) A pitless adapter or pitless unit shall provide adequate clearance within the internal diameter of a water well to permit insertion or withdrawal of water system components from within the well through the top of the well casing and be constructed and installed to exclude dirt or other foreign matter from the interior of the well casing.

(27) Any chemicals or other additives, including disinfectants, used during construction shall be of a specification acceptable for use in water wells and any excess not required for operation of the well shall be cleaned out of the well.

(29) All drilling fluids used for drilling operations shall be of food grade quality or NSF or UL approved or shall be water that complies with paragraph 5-B.3(b)(23) of this Appendix.

(a) The purpose of the water well yield test is to provide evidence that a water well will produce a sustainable flow rate for an extended period of time and to quantify that flow rate. Before being put into use, new and redeveloped wells shall be tested for well yield. The yield test for water well flow rates shall meet the following performance requirements:

(2) water level and flow rate observations shall be made and recorded, at a minimum, before the start of the yield test, immediately upon the cessation of water withdrawal, and periodically during drawdown, and recovery periods. Frequency of measurements shall be made as necessary for the test method.

(4) for wells that have been subjected to hydrofracturing the yield test shall not commence until redevelopment has been completed and, as a minimum, until the volume of water pumped/discharged into the aquifer has been removed from the well.

(5) the well yield determined for new wells shall be recorded on the Well Completion Report form submitted for that well to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Data generated during the yield test shall be provided to the owner of the well, and provided upon request to the State or local agency(ies) having jurisdiction.

(2) During the period of stabilized drawdown the stabilized water level shall not fluctuate more than plus or minus 0.5 foot (i.e., within a vertical tolerance of one foot) for each 100 feet of water in the well (i.e., initial water level to bottom of well) over the duration of constant flow rate of pumping. Water level measurement may be determined by steel tape, calibrated pressure gauge attached to an air line terminating at least five feet above the pump intake, electric sounder, or pressure transducer.

(3) The recovery period shall include observation of the water level in the well after cessation of pumping from the drawdown level back to at least 90 percent of the initial water level or for a period of 24 hours, whichever occurs first. If the water level does not recover to 90 percent after 24 hours, the tested flow rate may not be sustainable for an extended period of time.

(c) The well yield test requirements set forth in subdivision 5-B.4(b) may be modified, or an alternative yield test that meets the minimum performance requirements set forth in subdivision 5-B.4(a) may be used as follows:

(c) Drop pipe shall be: a continuous unspliced length, except where spliced and adequately joined to accommodate use of a check valve or where spliced and adequately joined to support a depth extension on an existing well pump, of plastic pipe approved for use with drinking water with a minimum working pressure of 160 pounds per square inch containing a label or imprint indicating compliance with NSF or UL; or threaded and coupled schedule 80 or heavier PVC pipe containing a label or imprint indicating compliance with NSF or UL; or threaded and coupled galvanized steel, stainless steel or copper pipe. In addition, drop pipe should be sufficiently sized and installed to accommodate potential working stresses considering well depth, pumping level, pump size, and pump setting.

(d) A hand pump shall have a closed, downward facing, screened spout and a sealed pump rod packing assembly. A weep hole shall be installed in a hand pump discharge riser pipe below the frost line to protect the riser pipe and pump head from freezing.

(e) A casing vent shall be provided on all well caps and seals, except for those used on double pipe-packer jet installations. A vent shall be screened, downward facing, and terminate at least 12 inches above grade or six inches above the floor of a well house.

(h) Only lubricants with a label indicating compliance as USDA, USFDA, or NSF approved food contact grade formulations shall be used as submersible pump motor and vertical turbine shaft lubricants.

(i) After a new well has been constructed or an existing well has been repaired or serviced in a manner that requires the opening of the well casing, the well shall be pumped to waste until the pumped water is reasonably clear. After pumping to waste, the well, pumping equipment, and building plumbing shall be disinfected before being put into use.

The listed water well separation distances from contaminant sources shall be increased by 50% whenever aquifer water enters the water well at less than 50 feet below grade. If a 50% increase in separation distances can not be achieved, then the greatest possible increase in separation distance shall be provided with such additional measures as needed to prevent contamination. See also Note 6 to Table 2.

Water wells shall not be located in a direct line of flow from these items, nor in any contaminant plume created by these items, except with such additional measures (e.g., sentinel groundwater monitoring, hydraulic containment, source water treatment) as needed to prevent contamination.

Based upon on-site evaluations of agricultural properties done per agricultural environmental management (AEM) or comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP) programs by a certified nutrient management planner or soil and water conservation district (SWCD) official, water wells may be located a minimum of 100 feet from areas subject to land spreading of manure.

Water wells may be located 100 feet from temporary (30 days or less) manure piles/staging areas that are controlled to preclude contamination of surface or groundwater or 100 feet from otherwise managed manure piles that are controlled pursuant to regulation in a manner that prevents contamination of surface or groundwater.

When these contamination sources are located in coarse gravel or are located upgrade and in the direct path of drainage to a water well, the water well shall be located at least 200 feet away from the closest part of these sources.

Chemical storage sites as used in this entry do not include properly maintained storage areas of chemicals used for water treatment nor areas of household quantities of commonly used domestic chemicals.

These diameters shall also be applicable in circumstances where the use of perforated casing is deemed practicable. Well points commonly designated on the trade as 1 1/4" pipe shall be considered as being 2" nominal diameter well screens for purposes of these regulations.

As used in this table, the term "pumping level" shall refer to the lowest elevation of the water in a well during pumping, determined to the best knowledge of the water well contractor taking into consideration usual seasonal fluctuations and drawdown.

Pressure placement includes methods of grout placement using pumps and tremie tubes or using grout displacement through the casing, or otherwise from the bottom up around the casing, with one or more drillable plugs. When pressure placement is used with a borehole diameter of only 2" greater than the casing diameter, casing shall be assembled without couplings unless installed per the "Casing and Grout Placement" technique described on Line "2" of this Table. Gravity placement includes any method that relies on gravity to draw grout, either dry or as a slurry, down into the annular space between the casing and borehole or between an inner casing and outer casing.

For wells constructed by cable tool, hollow rod, jetting, or other drilling method where the permanent casing is driven, and where neither temporary casing nor an oversize borehole are used, dry driven grout methods using granular bentonite may be used. These methods use continuous feeding of granular bentonite into a starter hole or continuous mounding around the casing as the casing is driven. Collar flared joints or weld beads extending beyond the outside diameter of the permanent casing shall be used with sufficient spacing to ensure that the grout seal is continuous and extends downward into the saturated zone (i.e., beneath the water table).

The oversized borehole for grout placement should be as deep as necessary, based upon local hydrogeologic conditions and potential contaminant sources, to prevent contamination from entering the well. Grout should be placed along the full length of casing, particularly where the presence of non-caving unconsolidated materials, coarse gravel, or creviced, shattered, or fractured rock may result in pathways of contamination to a well water system. Where this is not feasible because of practicality, cost or safety, grout shall be placed at least to a minimum depth of 19 feet. See also Note 1 to Table 1.

Drinking water wells and other types of wells that are no longer in use can pose safety hazards, especially to small children and pets. These abandoned wells can also serve as pathways for contamination to enter groundwater. Abandoned wells should be properly decommissioned to eliminate these potential hazards. The Department recommends wells be decommissioned using the methods described below.

Prior to abandonment of any well the pump, drop pipe, electrical controls, etc. must be removed from the casing. Leaving these items inside the well casing will cause voids when filling the well, which may increase the possibility of contamination of the well and local aquifers.

Dug wells should be back filled with soil similar to surrounding soils, and compacted to match the surrounding soils. Broken concrete, wood, or other debris should NOT be used as backfill. Prior to back filling, the side wall lining of the dug well should be removed to the full depth if safety can be maintained or to at least four feet below ground level. Dug wells that have penetrated fractured rock should have a cement or grout seal placed in the rock section prior to back filling. After back filling, the area should be graded so that surface water flows away from the abandoned well location.

Drilled wells can be difficult to decommission properly. Whenever practical, the well casing should be pulled out of the ground or overdrilled, and the length of the drill hole sealed with grout. When full casing removal is impractical, the entire length of the drillhole including casing interior should be grouted, and the casing cut off at least four feet below ground. Well casings that penetrate multiple aquifers should be perforated prior to pressure grouting the interior. After back filling, the area should be graded so that surface water flows away from the abandoned well location.

Artesian wells, wells in creviced rock such as limestone, and wells penetrating multiple aquifers pose the most difficult decommissioning procedures. The Department recommends that well drillers follow the procedures found in American Water Works Association Standard A100 "AWWA Standard for Water Wells".

In some locations, one or more regulatory agencies and/or municipalities may have specific requirements for decommissioning abandoned water wells. The Local Health Department should be consulted for information on regulatory requirements prior to decommissioning.

The decommissioning of abandoned individual water supply wells can be difficult and dangerous. Though decommissioning may be done by the homeowner, it is strongly recommended that the services of a DEC registered well driller be obtained.

If you live in a rural area, the odds are that the water system to your home is served by a well. It’s the nature of living where we do, and having been on a well for a large chunk of my life, I like not being dependent on my locality to keep things flowing to my family and me. But, that also means arranging my own maintenance for the well system, and having the best well pump helps to ensure consistent water supply and rare upkeep.

I remember when my much-younger self first saw the inner workings of a home well system. The gauge at the well head wasn’t deep enough in the ground and froze during a particularly bad winter. Everything came out of the ground as we inspected the whole system to make sure nothing else was damaged. Hundreds of feet of tubing were attached to the tow ball of a pickup truck as we hauled it out of the ground, taking a look at the well pump at the end.

Though the weather didn’t impact the pump that far below ground, it had some damage from banging into the walls of the well itself, and we had to add a guard to keep the pump working for a few more years.

Most experts will tell you that a submersible well pump, like what most rural homeowners and farmers have, will last about 10 to 15 years — hopefully more toward the higher side of that. Replacing these units aren’t cheap, and if you pay for the labor, too, the bill can really increase.

Not everyone knows all the ins and outs of their well system, unless they’ve had to do some work to it. If you buy a home, it’s unlikely that you’re given much documentation on the history of the well. In most circumstances, your well is at least 100 feet deep, and some wells can be upwards of 500 feet down! Of course, a lot of that depends on exactly where you live. Having the pump submerged into at least 25- to 30-feet of water is ideal.

I have two wells on my farm — one is 183 feet and the other is 294 feet (the deeper one produces better-quality water). In recent years, we’ve had to have pumps on both wells replaced, and both required different horse powers to effectively get the water the full length and into my home, as well as get a sufficient number of gallons per minute into my pressure tank.

Having gone through that process, I learned a thing or two about well systems and trying to pick the best well pumps. After going through many options with experts, here are my Top 5 best well pumps. While we’re largely only highlighting one model from each of these well pump lines, know that there are often also similar 0.5-, 0.75, 1-, and 1.5-HP models for a lot of these available — at significantly different prices:

This is one of the best-selling well pumps you can find. It’s made for supplying water to rural homes, farms, and cabins that have 4-inch-or-greater diameter drilled wells to depths of about 250 feet. This pump is powered by a three-wire motor (a control box is included with all three-wire pumps) and has a built-in check valve that prevents backflow and ensures system pressure. It also has a stainless steel shell and thermoplastic discharge and motor bracket. It is is 230 volts.

The Flotec FP3332 4-inch Submersible Well Pump is for use with wells 4 inches or larger. The Flotec well pump is energy efficient and ideal for pumps with average yields. A floating stack design that’s patented ensures that the Flotec FP3332  pump will be resistant to sand locking, and a stainless steel pump ensures that it will be resistant to corrosion. A built-in check valve and easy service control box make installing and servicing the Flotec well pump easy. It’s a three-wire, 230-volt pump.

Showcasing a Franklin Electric, this pump combines a long and powerful reputation in both brand name and manufacturer. The Little Giant is available with a thermoplastic discharge and motor bracket, or a stainless steel discharge and motor bracket, and it has a ceramic bearing sleeve for durability. Behind 230 volts, it also has a hex rubber bearing with an extra large surface to assure shaft stability and multiple flow channels to keep small particles away from bearing surfaces.

The Grundfos 10SQ07-200 96160141 Submersible Well Pump offers a wide performance range. The 4-inch SQ is a compact multistage centrifugal pump that can be installed in a borehole no larger than the pump itself. With their built-in electronics, SQ pumps are very easy to install and operate. Equipped with permanent magnet motors, these flexible and compact pumps offer excellent efficiency levels and will supply pump heads up to 200 meters.

The BURCAM 101131H 230-volt, 2-wire + ground deep well submersible pump is recommended for homes, cottages, and farms for installation in water wells that are 4-inch in diameter or larger. Made of non-corrosive 316 stainless steel with a NEMA standard interchangeable head that includes 12 stages of precision machined stainless steel impellers and diffusers and a hexagonal stainless steel drive shaft, this pump features a continuous duty motor for durability. It pumps up to 900 U.S. GPH and has a maximum head of 275 feet. Best efficiency is between 114 and 198 feet (with a 20/40 PSI pressure switch) or 91 to 175 feet (with a 30/50 pressure switch).

Many wells that we’ve encountered are at least 100 feet deep, and some wells can even be drilled as deep as 500 feet. It depends exactly on where you live and how close your drilling technician can get to a good vein of water within the earth. Having a well pump submerged into at least 25- to 30-feet of water is ideal, and in many instances, they’ll last you 10 to 15 years.

Certainly a lot will depend on your location, and prices fluctuate along with the economy, but it’s likely you’ll end up paying $15 to $30 a foot (so $1,500 to $3,000 for a 100-foot well). And be aware that if the drilling doesn’t strike viable water, you still have to pay for that work. Usually a technician will charge you the low end of their price range for an unsuccessful attempt. Then you pay for the next attempt at drilling. Also note that there may be permitting regulations in your area, which can add to the cost.

These courses are listed to assist licensed drillers, pump installers, and treatment installers in finding online training opportunities.  None of the listings below are sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.  We do not have any control over fees, refunds, training certificates, or log-in information.  It is the responsibility of the licensee to ensure that he/she is able to obtain a certificate of completion from the publisher of the course.  Once a certificate is obtained, it is the licensee’s responsibility to ensure that the Division of Water Resources receives a copy.  ALWAYS keep a copy of the certificates for your own files.

Note: The attendee will need to create an account, then look for the class under “Certifications”. The course title is “Residential Submersible Systems Certification”.

Gary Saiter, a longtime resident and head of the Wenden Water Improvement District, said the water was moving because it was being pumped rapidly out of the ground by a neighboring well belonging to Al Dahra, a United Arab Emirates-based company farming alfalfa in the Southwest.

“The well guys and I have never seen anything like this before,” Saiter told CNN. The farm was “pumping and it was sucking the water through the aquifer.”

Now frustration is growing in Arizona’s La Paz County, as shallower wells run dry amid the Southwest’s worst drought in 1,200 years. Much of the frustration is pointed at the area’s huge, foreign-owned farms growing thirsty crops like alfalfa, which ultimately get shipped to feed cattle and other livestock overseas.

Residents and local officials say lax groundwater laws give agriculture the upper hand, allowing farms to pump unlimited water as long as they own or lease the property to drill wells into. In around 80% of the state, Arizona has no laws overseeing how much water corporate megafarms are using, nor is there any way for the state to track it.

Shallow, residential wells in the county started drying up in 2015, local officials say, and deeper municipal well levels have steadily declined. In Salome, local water utility owner Bill Farr told CNN his well – which supplies water to more than 200 customers, including the local schools – is “nearing the end of its useful life.”

And in Wenden, water in the town well has been plummeting. Saiter told CNN the depth-to-water – how deep below the surface the top of the water table is – has dropped from about 100 feet in the late 1950s to about 540 feet in 2022, already far beyond what an average residential well can reach. Saiter is anxious the farms’ rapid water use could push the water table too low for the town well to draw safe water from.

La Paz County supervisor Holly Irwin told CNN getting the state to act on – or even acknowledge – the region’s dwindling water supply has been a “frustrating” yearslong battle which has left her community feeling “forgotten.”

But vast dairy operations are a point of national pride in the Middle East, according to Eckart Woertz, director of the Germany-based GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies. So, they needed to find water somewhere else.

Valued at $14.3 billion, the Almarai Company – which owns about 10,000 acres of farmland in Arizona under its subsidiary, Fondomonte – is one of the biggest players in the Middle East’s dairy supply. The company also owns about 3,500 acres in agriculture-heavy Southern California, according to public land records, where they use Colorado River water to irrigate crops.

Woertz said while most of the company’s cattle feed is purchased on the open market, Alamarai took the extra step of buying farmland abroad, as part of a growing trend in foreign-owned farmland in the US. Foreign-owned farmland in the West increased from around 1.25 million acres in 2010 to nearly three million acres in 2020, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture. In the Midwest, foreign-owned farmland has nearly quadrupled.

Bill Farr, owner of Salome Water Company, looks at his water pump and water storage tank. Farr supplies water to the entire town of Salome and has since 1971.

Huge storage facilities were erected to hold the harvests. Rows of small houses were built for the farm’s workers, all surrounded by flowering desert shrubs. Tractor trailers filled with bales of alfalfa hay rumble down the highway, which local officials told CNN they had to repair because of the increased agricultural traffic.

Almarai was transparent about why it wanted the land, according to an article on the purchase from Arab News: The transaction was part of “continuous efforts to improve and secure its supply of the highest quality alfalfa hay from outside the Kingdom to support its dairy business.”

Representatives of Fondomonte declined an interview request for this story, but Jordan Rose, the company’s Arizona attorney, provided a statement: “Fondomonte decided to invest in the southwest United States just as hundreds of other agricultural businesses have because of the high-quality soils, and climatic conditions that allow growth of some of the finest quality alfalfa in the world.”

Indeed, there is nothing illegal about foreign-owned farming in the US. And many American farmers use the West’s water to grow crops which are eventually exported around the globe.

“We are literally exporting our economy overseas,” Campbell said. “I’m sorry, but there’s no Saudi Arabian milk coming back to Southern California or Arizona. The value of that agricultural output is not coming through in value to the US.”

While housing costs in the country rocket upward, rural Arizona has remained a stubbornly affordable place to live. Homes cost between $30,000 and $40,000, and residential taxes paid to the county are below $300 per year, Saiter, the head of Wenden’s water district and a longtime resident, told CNN.

“People are able to afford to live here, versus Phoenix,” Gary’s wife, De Vona Saiter, told CNN. Median incomes in the county are low, “but you can still have a beautiful life.”

Kaisor is a longtime resident who first moved to Wenden with her family in the 1960s. After living in Phoenix for years, she gravitated back to the rural area.

Kaisor’s home was inundated with silty, wet mud this summer. Rainfall runoff from a recent monsoon flood carried it from the farm right into Wenden. Gary Saiter believes Al Dahra farm staff have rerouted natural waterways, forcing the rainfall into town rather than out into the desert washes.

Kaisor and her neighbors’ fences are reinforced with sheet metal to try to stop mud and water from coming into their houses, but Kaisor was trapped in her house during a storm earlier this year.

Al Dahra did not respond to CNN’s questions for this story, including questions about its water usage, the uptick in residential flooding and potential rerouting of natural waterways.

The company did provide a statement to the Arizona Republic for a story published in 2019: “Water resources in Arizona must be managed wisely in order to preserve our quality of life and to protect the state’s economic health,” Al Dahra said. “The company is