Florida Administrative Code
40 - WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS
40E - South Florida Water Management District
Chapter 40E-3 - WATER WELLS
Section 40E-3.517 - Grouting and Sealing

Universal Citation: FL Admin Code R 40E-3.517

Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024

Wells shall be grouted and sealed in accordance with paragraph 62-532.500(3)(i), F.A.C., incorporated by reference in subsection 40E-3.036(2), F.A.C., to protect the water resource from degradation caused by movement of waters along the well annulus either from the surface to the aquifer or between aquifers, and to prevent loss of pressure in artesian aquifers.

(1) All wells that are constructed in a manner which creates an annular space between the casing and the naturally occurring geologic formations shall be grouted and sealed in accordance with the methodologies listed in paragraph 62-532.500(3)(i), F.A.C., incorporated by reference in subsection 40E-3.036(2), F.A.C.

(2) Wells obtaining water from unconsolidated formations, using a method other than jetting or driving a casing, and creating an annular space, shall be grouted from no more than ten (10) feet above the top of the screen to the upper terminus. Borehole cuttings shall not be reintroduced into the annular space.

(3) For jetted wells or sand point wells obtaining water from an unconsolidated formation of a naturally caving nature in which the annular space is completely filled with formation material, only the upper three (3) feet shall be grouted to provide protection from possible contaminated surface water.

(4) For jetted wells or sand point wells circulating drilling fluids to the surface, and obtaining water from a consolidated formation, shall be grouted bottom to top prior to being seated into water bearing formation.

(5) For wells constructed by driven casing, dry bentonite, with an average mesh size of between 4 and 20 U.S. standard sieve size or grain size between 5mm and .85mm, must be added to the continuous casing string at land surface at the beginning and during construction of the well.

(6) All other wells shall be grouted from the bottom of the casing to land surface.

(7) Unless a variance has been granted by the District, grouting and sealing of water wells shall be accomplished in the following manner:

(a) The grout mixture shall consist of either Portland Cement or a natural bentonite slurry for wells and boreholes meeting the requirements in subsection 40E-3.512(7), F.A.C. The mixture shall consist of 5.2 to 5.5 gallons of water per sack of Portland Cement or a mixture of 6.0 gallons of water per sack of Portland Cement with 3 to 7.5 pounds of Bentonite, not to exceed 8% by weight.

(b) The minimum set time for grouting of casing using either Portland Cement or Bentonite before drilling operations may continue is 12 hours.

(c) Grouting of the annular space shall be completed using the tremie pipe, forced pressure, or other equivalent method approved by the District. In all cases, grout will be introduced into the annular space from bottom to top.

(8) Water wells constructed using Bentonite grouts shall meet all the following requirements:

(a) The slurry grout mixture shall be introduced into the annular space from bottom to top. The casing seat must be clean, allowing the casing to set at the total depth bored in a hole reasonably free of drill cuttings;

(b) A formation packer or a 5-foot neat cement plug must be installed at the casing seat;

(c) Neat cement must be placed in the upper ten (10) feet of the annular space to prevent deterioration of, or damage to, the bentonite seal;

(d) Bentonite grout may be used only on monitor, domestic, irrigation, water source, or ground source heat pump installations with a nominal casing diameter of five (5) inches or less. Use of bentonite grout is not allowed on public supply wells, wells in delineated areas, wells where artesian flow occurs, in any identified contamination sites where the contaminants will prevent an adequate seal, or in wells with the water quality concentrations exceeding 10, 000 milligrams per liter total dissolved solids;

(e) Bentonite grout may be used for abandonment purposes for any well. However, it cannot be used to abandon a dry well, or a well which flows to surface and cannot be placed any higher in the well than the height of the static water level. Any unsealed remainder above the height of the static water level must be filled with neat cement;

(f) Bentonite chips or pellets used for abandonment purposes may not be placed in any well casing or hole less than three inches in diameter or for sealing the annular space of any well; and,

(g) In all circumstances, the manufacturer's mixing instructions shall be followed.

Rulemaking Authority 373.044, 373.171, 373.309 FS. Law Implemented 373.113, 373.306, 373.308, 373.309 FS.

New 1-1-85, Amended 3-16-05, 9-26-12, 6-8-15.

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