Expert Water Well Rehabilitation
Wells are a key resource in our day-to-day lives, providing us with the precious commodity that is water. That alone is reason enough to warrant well rehabilitation as the need arises.
Well rehabilitation is a combination of procedures that are carried out by well and pump systems professionals to renovate the wells functionality. Generally, this includes different treatments and redevelopment techniques. Depending on the problem that needs rehabilitation, a professional well specialist is able to tailor-make a treatment solution.
In the case that there is plugging in a well the discharge pipe from the well and the distribution lines have to be cleaned. This happens whether the plugging is biological, chemical, or physical. Nevertheless, there are common plugging problems that you find in most wells, while specific water supplies are prone to certain types of plugging subject to the characteristics of the water.
Ideally, even after well rehabilitation, it is advisable that as a well owner, you should schedule regular inspections and maintenance as a preventative method of preserving the longevity of your well.
Rehabilitation is necessary when the preventative measures are no longer sufficient to keep the well in its best state. When your water well needs rehabilitation, always ensure that a licensed driller or rehabilitation specialist undertakes the process.
Common well complications that require rehabilitation
As mentioned above, every well problem is unique and calls for a specialized approach. Only a qualified and experienced well maintenance professional can be able to adequately inspect your well and come up with the best solution. The same professional will be able to test the efficacy of the solution implemented and advise you as an owner accordingly. Noteworthy, if your well has severe plugging, restoring it to its original state is near impossible so it is better to have it checked every now and then.
A well rehabilitations objective is normally to remove built up deposits so the pump does not labor too much. This helps increase the pumps efficiency and reduces power costs as the more the pump labors to push water through grime, the higher the energy used. Treatment and rehabilitation also keeps potential contaminants at bay, and lengthens the lifespan of the well. A poorly maintained well can cause diseases or be lost entirely.
However, before rehabilitation, reviewing previous maintenance records is a prudent measure. This provides a better understanding of where the potential problem could be.
Below, we look at some basic steps taken when rehabilitating a well:
- Diagnostics before treatment: this includes testing the pump, sampling the well water and even removing the pump for inspection if there is need. Most important of all is a video inspection. This serves to create a vivid picture of what sort of plugging or deposits are preventing your well from performing optimally.
- Cleaning mechanically
Mechanical cleaning involves using a variety of methods to help dislodge build up and deposits. These methods include:
- Wire brushing: it helps remove built up minerals and biological compositions for increased chemical treatment effectiveness. It is also a pretreatment process. The brushes attach to a rotating head that scours the casing wells to dislodge debris.
- Swabbing: this method allows for placement of chemicals where desired so they act on the mineral deposits for easier removal. Pairing the swabbing technique with suction helps airlift dislodged minerals to the surface and dispose them.
- Jetting: this has for a long time been a proven way of opening screens that have been plugged. A combination of jetting and airlift pumping removes the loosened materials.
- Chemical cleaning
Chemical cleaning involves the use of chemicals to dissolve the plugging elements, which are then pumped out together with the chemicals. However, there are considerations that apply before settling on chemical treatment as this method can do more damage than good. Again, the best way of going about well rehabilitation is by engaging professionals with the requisite experience and qualifications.
Before settling for chemical rehabilitation, you should consider:
- The construction details of the well
- You aquifer type
- The concentrations of whichever chemical you use
- The sequence in which you chemically treat the well and
- The temperature of the groundwater should be relatively similar to that of the chemicals in use
The different types of chemicals used are:
- Mineral: these acids dissolve contaminants such as calcium, iron and manganese among other precipitates.
- Organic acids on the other hand work on biofilms while
- Surfactants help the chemicals in use penetrate better into the organic matter
- Dispersants act as a preventative measure, stopping the minerals and biofilms from reforming and suspending them to ease removal.
There are a number of other chemicals that are specially formulated and designed for specific needs.
When does my well require rehabilitation?
Reasons that necessitate a well rehabilitation can vary. You might need a new pump system installation if yours is too old or has outlived its functionality. If your well has been opened up recently, there might have been damage, which can also occur in case of a storm or flood. A change in the supply of water as well as a change in portability can be a sign that rehabilitation should be considered.
As a well owner, you should prioritize regularly inspecting your water system. There are visual cues that can be signs of maintenance needs. Checking the condition of caps and seal and ensuring they are secure and inspecting connections should be at the top of your list.
The last step of well rehabilitation is redevelopment. In this step, the well water is pumped and let to run over the surface. This redevelopment of the well aids in removing all the dislodged plugging material that was not airlifted entirely. Other than over pumping, well redevelopment can be done by mechanical bailing, surge blocking, or a combination of these techniques. That way, the well capacity is restored and the resultant water supply is cleaner and healthier for consumption.
Even though this might look like a tall task, it is often the only way to save your well and the good thing is, you do not have to do it yourself. Just get in touch and let the professionals get you back on track.