Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 12, March 22, 2024
a) Abandonment
of Wells
1) The owner of a water well, boring,
or monitoring well shall assure that a well is sealed within 30 days after it
is abandoned and when the well is no longer used to supply water or is in such
a state of disrepair that the well or boring has the potential for transmitting
contaminants into an aquifer or otherwise threatens the public health or
safety. The Department wills grant an extension of this time if the owner
submits a written request to the Department indicating the reasons for the
request and an estimate of time in which the well will be either sealed or
reused. For an extension to be granted, the owner shall assure the Department
that applicable protective measures will be taken and that the methods and
materials will be in compliance with the Act and this Part. Applicable
protective measures may include ensuring that sources of contamination are down
grade from the water source, ensuring isolation of the potential source of
contamination so as to prevent a route of contamination of the groundwater, or
isolating the potential source of contamination to prevent accidental
introduction of contaminants into groundwater.
2) Water wells shall be sealed by a licensed
water well driller pursuant to the Water Well and Pump Installation
Contractor's License Act. An individual who is not licensed may seal a well if
all of the following conditions exist:
A) The
well is located on land that is owned or leased by the individual;
B) The land is used by the individual for
farming purposes or as the individual's place of abode; and
C) A request is made to the Department or
local health department prior to the commencement of sealing indicating how the
water well is to be sealed and the materials to be used. The Department or
local health department will grant approval when requested prior to the
commencement of sealing if the methods and materials are in compliance with
this Section.
b) Sealing Requirements. Where geologic data
does not exist for a particular abandoned drilled water well, the water well
shall be sealed, from the bottom up to where the well casing is removed, with
neat cement grout or any bentonite product manufactured for water well sealing.
Water wells, borings or monitoring wells that are abandoned shall be
disinfected by introducing a sufficient amount of chlorine to produce 100 parts
per million of chlorine in the water in the well and shall be sealed by placing
the sealing materials from the bottom of the well to the surface by methods
that will avoid segregation or dilution of material, in accordance with the
following requirements:
1) Non-creviced,
Consolidated Formations. Wells extending into non-creviced sandstone, or other
water-bearing consolidated formations shall be sealed by filling the well with
disinfected clean pea gravel or limestone chips to within 10 feet below the top
of the water-bearing formation or to within 10 feet of the bottom of the
casing, whichever is less. Neat cement grout or any bentonite product
manufactured for water well sealing shall be placed for a minimum of 20 feet
above this point. The upper part of the well to where the well casing is
removed shall be sealed by neat cement grout or any bentonite product
manufactured for water well sealing. Concrete or cement may be used for sealing
if the upper part of the well is dry. (See Illustration J.)
2) Creviced Formations. Wells extended into
creviced formations shall be sealed by filling with disinfected clean pea
gravel or limestone chips to within 10 feet below the top of the water-bearing
formation or to within 10 feet below the bottom of the casing, whichever is
less. Neat cement grout or any bentonite product manufactured for water well
sealing shall be placed for a minimum of 20 feet above this point. The upper
part of the well to where the well casing is removed shall be sealed by neat
cement grout or any bentonite product manufactured for water well sealing.
Concrete or cement may be used for sealing if the upper part of the well is
dry. If the earth cover is less than 30 feet, the hole shall be grouted from 10
feet below the creviced formation to where the well casing is removed. (See
Illustration J.)
3) Unconsolidated
Formations. If the water-bearing formation consists of coarse gravel and
producing wells are located nearby, the well shall be sealed by filling with
disinfected clean pea gravel or limestone chips to 10 feet below the top of
water-bearing formation. Neat cement grout or any bentonite product
manufactured for water well sealing shall be placed for a minimum of 20 feet
above this point. The upper part of the well to where the well casing is
removed shall be sealed by neat cement grout or any bentonite product
manufactured for water well sealing. Concrete or cement may be used for sealing
if the upper part of the well is dry. Abandoned dug and bored wells shall be
sealed by using one of the following methods:
A) Filling with disinfected clean pea gravel
or limestone chips to within 20 feet below the top of the casing. The upper
part of the well to where the well casing is removed shall be sealed for a
minimum of 20 feet by filling with neat cement grout, any bentonite product
manufactured for water well sealing, or impervious material such as clay.
Concrete or cement may be used for sealing if the upper part of the well is
dry;
B) Placing a one foot layer of
any bentonite product manufactured for water well sealing at the bottom of the
well, followed by alternating layers of agricultural limestone (limestone
fines) and any bentonite product manufactured for water well sealing. The
alternating layers of agricultural lime shall be 5 to 7 feet thick and the
alternating layers of any bentonite product manufactured for water well sealing
shall be 6 inches thick. The uppermost or top layer shall be agricultural lime;
or
C) Completely filling with
concrete, cement grout or impervious material such as clay. (See Illustration
K.)
4) More than One
Water-Bearing Formation. If wells extend into more than one water-bearing
formation, each water-bearing formation shall be sealed independently in the
manner described in this Section. Neat cement grout or any bentonite product
manufactured for water well sealing shall be placed a minimum of 10 feet above
and below at all intermittent water-bearing formations except artesian wells
and artesian formations. Disinfected clean pea gravel or limestone chips shall
be placed in each water-bearing formation between plugs. When the lower
formation has an upflow of water into the upper formation, a pressure seal is
required to shut off the upflow while a neat cement plug at least 50 feet in
length is pumped in place and allowed to set. The upper part of the well to
where the well casing is removed shall be sealed with neat cement grout or any
bentonite product manufactured for water well sealing. Concrete or cement may
be used for sealing if the upper part of the well is dry. (See Illustration
L.)
5) Artesian Wells. A cement
retainer shall be used with pressure grouting equipment used to place cement
grout. Neat cement grout, containing bentonite from 2% to 6% by dry weight,
shall be placed for a minimum of 10 feet below and 10 feet above the water
bearing formation. The upper part of the well to where the well casing is
removed shall be filled with neat cement grout or any bentonite product
manufactured for water well sealing. Concrete or cement may be used for sealing
if the upper part of the well is dry.
6) Buried Slab Bored Wells. Wells shall be
sealed by filling with disinfected clean pea gravel or limestone chips to
within 1 foot below the buried slab. The upper part of the well to where the
casing is removed shall be sealed with neat cement or any bentonite product
manufactured for water well sealing.
7) In lieu of filling the well with
disinfected clean pea gravel or limestone chips as required in subsections
(b)(1) through (6), wells may be sealed by grouting from the bottom up by using
neat cement grout or any bentonite product manufactured for water well sealing.
This material shall be applied the full depth of the well and shall terminate
within 2 feet of the ground surface. Concrete grout may be used in the upper
part of the well if the upper part of the well is dry.
c) Non-Producing Well. If a water well is
drilled and a water-bearing formation is not located, the water well driller
shall fill the water well with clay, or neat cement containing bentonite or
similar materials from 2% to 6% by weight, or pure bentonite in any form, not
more than 10 calendar days after the well has been drilled. If a water well is
drilled and a water-bearing formation is located, but the yield from the
formation is not sufficient, or if the water well is to be sealed for any other
reason, the water well shall be sealed in accordance with all provisions of
this Part regulating the sealing of water wells.
d) The well casing or liner shall be removed
to at least 2 feet below final grade, except where the well terminates with a
concrete slab that is part of a building floor. If the well terminates in a
slab that is part of a building floor, the sealing material shall be placed
flush with the floor. The pump and drop pipe shall be removed.
e) Notification
1) The Department, approved local health
department, or approved unit of local government shall be notified by telephone
or in writing at least 48 hours prior to the commencement of any work to seal a
water well or monitoring well. Preparation of the abandoned well, such as
pulling the pumping unit, may be completed prior to notification.
2) When a water, boring or monitoring well is
sealed, the individual performing the sealing shall submit a sealing form to
the Department or approved local health department not more than 30 days after
the well is sealed. The following information shall be submitted on a form
provided by the Department:
A) The date that
water, boring or monitoring well was drilled;
B) Depth and diameter of the water, boring or
monitoring well;
C) Location of the
water, boring or monitoring well;
D) Type of sealing method used;
E) Original water well permit number if
available;
F) Date that the water,
boring or monitoring well was sealed;
G) Type of water well (bored, dug, driven or
drilled);
H) Whether the formation
is clear of obstructions;
I) Casing
record (explanation of the required removal); and
J) Water well driller's license number and
name.