BLOG: Choosing a Water Well Professional

A qualified water well contractor is vital for proper construction, maintenance, and necessary repairs of your well system. There are many things to consider, questions to ask, and job components to compare before choosing the right contractor for your system:

1. Contractor Qualifications

• Is the contractor licensed by the state? (Not all states require licensing.)
• Is the contractor certified through the National Ground Water Association or a member of NGWA? 
• Does the contractor submit well logs?
• Does the contractor have adequate equipment in good condition to do the job?
• Does the contractor have adequate liability and workers’ compensation insurance to protect you? 
• Is the contractor familiar with applicable health and safety codes?
• What is the contractor’s reputation with previous customers?
• Will the contractor furnish a written contract specifying the terms and conditions of the job?

2. A Written Contract
It's important to have a written contract with the water well professional when preparing to have a well constructed. Unless you know what each contractor will do for his specified price, you cannot compare offers and decide which one to hire. For a drilled well, the contract might include:

• Liability insurance coverage held by both the owner and the contractor
• A statement that all work is to comply with local and state regulations and codes
• The diameter and well thickness of the casing to be used
• The type of well development and yield evaluation procedures to be used
• The type of screen to be installed, where needed
• The type of well cap or seal to be provided
• The disinfection procedure
• The cleanup after drilling, which includes all material abandoned without authorization at a drill site except drill cuttings and wastewater
• An anticipated date for start of drilling
• A guarantee of materials and workmanship (the contract should specify that the contractor will return to do or to correct the initial work if necessary)

3. Estimated Costs
An itemized list of charges is better than a lump sum for easy comparison. The list could include:

• Cost of drilling per foot
• Cost of casing per foot
• Cost of other materials such as drive shoe, grout, and well cap
• Cost of other operations such as grouting, developing (if longer than one hour, as in screened wells), test pumping, and disinfection
• Cost of drilling deeper and/or second well, if required to ensure an adequate water supply
• Cost of abandonment should it prove necessary (for instance, if saltwater is encountered and another site is selected)
• What costs are not included in the specifications.

4. Post-Construction Checklist
After the well has been constructed and before the contractor removes his equipment from the site, you should check the well for:

• Well Depth—This is easily done by tying a weight on a tape. Verify the measurement against the well construction report made out by the contractor.
• Well Yield—Ask the contractor at how many gallons per minute (gpm) the well was tested, what distance the water level dropped during the test, and how quickly the water level recovered after the test.
• Well Cap—Ensure that the well is capped and secure and that the cap is at least 6 inches above ground level.
• Disinfection—Ask the contractor if the well was disinfected.
• Well Construction Record—Make certain that you receive your copy of the well record. The contractor is required to deliver copies of the record to the owner. It would be advisable to keep your well record with your house deed so that the information is passed on to future owners.

Other Things to Keep in Mind . . .

• The contractor is the expert, not you. Trust the contractor’s judgment in solving unforeseen difficulties that may come up, and discuss unforeseen costs.
• If original construction plans must be changed, discuss the options with the contractor.
• Don’t expect the contractor to work for free if the well does not fulfill expectations.

Use the National Ground Water Association's Contractor Lookup tool to find a contractor in your area!

Adapted from Wellowner.org.

BLOG: Easy Tips for Protecting Your Well, Your Water, and Your Wallet This Winter.

The cooler weather and pumpkin pies can be a welcome change from the summer heat, but it also means one looming fact: winter is coming.

While many of the water well systems in the northern U.S. are required to be built under the frost line, there is a large section of the South and Midwest where pumping systems are constructed above ground or above the frost line. For these systems, it’s important to take steps to keep your well safe and operating through the winter.

1. Get Your Well Inspected

NGWA and Wellowner.org recommend an annual inspection of your water well system. If you haven't had your inspection done, scheduling before the winter weather arrives could save you a lot of time and money! Find a qualified contractor.

2. Protect Your Pump

Many well systems are buried deep underground, which provides protection from the cold. But for well owners with above ground pumps, action should be taken to keep the system insulated and warm. Constructing a small insulated enclosure covering the pump will help keep the system above 32 degrees and reduce the risk of freezing and other damage. This small “well house” can save thousands of dollars in repairs and ensure a well operates throughout a cold winter. Find a qualified contractor.

3. Protect Your Pipes

As water freezes, it expands and can burst your pipes, leading to significant damage to your home and well. Frozen pipes are a common winter issue for homeowners, but can be avoided with a few easy steps. 

• Turn off your exterior water and blow out your pipes. Ideally your house will have a shut-off valve for its exterior water supply. If so, turn off any water that flows to outside irrigation systems and faucets. Once you have turned the water off, then drain the remaining water or use an air compressor to blow out the pipes. If you don't have a shut-off valve, find a local contractor for other options to shutting off exterior water.
• Insulate your pipes. For houses with piping that runs through non-heated spaces like basements, we suggest insulating pipes. Wrapping pipes with rubber casings or fiberglass insulation can keep their temperature above freezing and the water flowing.
• Inspect your pipes. This is a great time to do a general inspection of your water system and piping. Spotting a problem in your system now could save you from a costly problem this winter. Find a certified contractor to schedule an inspection.

4. Prepare for a Power Outage 

While there is little that can be done by the homeowner to prevent power outages due to winter weather, there are steps to take so you have water to drink while waiting for the lights to come back on.

• Always have a portable gas generator and plenty of gas to connect to your pumping system.
• Stock up on bottled water before the winter; this way if there is a prolonged outage, you can still have clean drinking water in the house.
• Contact a local contractor to learn more about backup generators and other options to keep your water flowing during a power outage.

Adapted from wellowner.org.

BLOG: The Importance of Well Owner Maintenance Practices

Routine maintenance and inspection of water wells can help protect water quality, ensure your well is operating properly, prolong the life of the well system, and protect your investment. Greatest of all
these is the protection of groundwater and your health, as water quality issues can have adverse health impacts without any detectable indicators.

Small problems can often be identified by performing maintenance before they become costly, inconvenient situations. It’s similar to routine maintenance on your vehicle—if you have the oil changed at specified intervals, the engine will operate reliably much longer than if you don’t.

At a minimum, wells should be evaluated annually by a licensed or certified water well systems professional and include a flow test; visual inspection; a water quality test for coliform and anaerobic bacteria, nitrates, and anything else of local concern; checking valves; and electrical testing.

You should receive a written report following the annual checkup that describes recommendations and all laboratory and other test results. Keep this with all other well information.

Understanding Your System
Well owners should have a basic understanding of their well system. Start by maintaining records of any well logs. A detailed log of your well’s construction and the pump installation record are two important tools in troubleshooting and potentially fixing issues with your well and well pump in the future. Ask your well contractor for these records. A well log can provide information regarding the depth of the well, the type of casing used, grouting practices and intervals, static water levels, what type of pump test was performed and results, if the well is screened or not, and more.

You should also be aware of any filtration or treatment systems. Know if one is installed, what type of treatment method is used, and what the water is being treated for. Read the owner’s manual and  keep a copy with your well records for when an issue arises.

Visual Inspection
Well owners should also conduct a regular visual inspection of the well to monitor its performance.

• On the wellhead, inspect the casing’s general condition and if it extends at least 12 inches above ground. The well cap on top of the casing should be securely attached. Verify that any electrical connections are secure.
• Survey the area above ground surrounding the well. Check the location relative to potential sources of contamination, flooding, and physical dangers. Maintain at least 50 feet between the well and any kennels, pastures, feeding areas, or livestock operations, and ensure a proper distance is maintained from buildings, waste systems, or chemical storage areas (including fuel tanks). Be sure the ground surrounding the wellhead is sloping away from the well to divert surface runoff.
• Any growth of weeds, trees, shrubs, or grasses with root systems within 10 feet of the well should be physically removed. Avoid the use of chemicals or herbicides near the wellhead. 
• The well should not be in a roadway or driveway. If it is within close proximity to a roadway or driveway, it should be properly marked to avoid being hit by vehicles. Be conscious of any other potential threats to the wellhead—garages, ATVs, sledding hills, debris, dirt, surface water, fuels and chemicals (including fertilizers), and runoff water from kennels, pastures, or feedlots. 
• Well owners should visually inspect any above-ground pumping equipment. Ensure motors are  properly cooled and vented, check for shaft seal leaks, and rust or other signs of weakened fittings.
• Examine other above-ground well system wiring and parts such as pipes, connections, joint seals, gauges, pressure relief valves, and the water meter (if present). A water sample tap should be located near the pressure tank, high enough to easily collect a water sample.
• Note the condition and accessibility of above- and below-ground storage tanks. Evaluate the condition of the control box and connections. Maintain water softeners, conditioners, and filtration equipment.

When to Call a Professional
A qualified water well professional should be consulted for any issues discovered during a visual inspection. When in doubt, call a water well systems professional, but especially:

• Anytime the well has to be opened (cap or well seal removed). 
• If you experience taste or odor problems.
• If you experience turbidity or cloudiness (“dirty” looking)
• If there is a loss of capacity or pressure—the well is not producing as much water as previously produced, the pressure drops and surges, or the pump cycles on and off frequently. 
• If a test is positive for total coliforms, anaerobic bacteria, or any positive test results indicating a potential health concern. 
• If you find defects with your wellhead, the wellhead area, or the overall water system during your routine inspection.

Cleaning and disinfection should only be performed by a qualified water well systems professional—for your safety and the protection of your well system.

Find out more about proper well maintenance and much more online at www.wellowner.org.

BLOG: 10 Cool Things About Groundwater

by Jennifer Wemhoff, Groundwater Foundation

Groundwater is a unique resource, in that we can't see it. In honor of this week's National Groundwater Awareness Week, here are 10 cool things about groundwater.

• Groundwater is the water that fills the cracks and crevices  in beds of rocks and sand beneath the earth's surface. Groundwater is recharged when water soaks into the soil from rain or other precipitation and moves downward. Groundwater is generally considered a renewable resource, although renewal rates vary greatly from place to place according to environmental conditions.

• The aquifer in the U.S. is the Ogallala, underlying 250,000 square miles under eight states (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico). Scientists guess that it could take 6000 years to naturally refill the aquifer if it were ever fully depleted.

• There's a lot more groundwater on Earth than surface water, to the tune of 20 to 30 times more than all U.S. lakes, streams, and rivers - combined!

• There's a lot of water on Earth, but only 1 percent of it is useable; 99 percent of that is groundwater!

• Groundwater provides much of the flow of many streams. The USGS estimates that about 30 percent of U.S. streamflow is from groundwater (although it is higher in some locations and less in others).

• The United States uses nearly 80 billion gallons per day of fresh groundwater for public supply, private supply, irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and other purposes.

• The temperature of shallow groundwater in the U.S. ranges from 44°F in north central areas to approximately 80°F in Florida and southern Texas.

• Groundwater is an important part of the hydrologic cycle. When precipitation hits the ground, it can take many paths. It can be absorbed by plants; stored on the surface in a lake, river, stream, or ocean; evaporated due to the sun's energy; absorbed into the soil temporarily; or pulled by gravity through the soil to be stored for years as groundwater.

• India has the most water wells in the world, with 21 to 25 million wells. The U.S. is second with 15.9 million wells and China has 3.4 million.

• Irrigation accounts for the largest use of groundwater in the U.S. Over 53 billion gallons of groundwater are used daily for agricultural irrigation from 407,923 wells to help feed the world.

Groundwater is truly amazing, and needs our protection. Get started today!