PRIVATE WATER SYSTEMS - Water Well Design - Choice of Material

Choice of Materials

Steel and thermoplastic pipe are the most practical casing have been used where soil or water corrosion seriously limited the estimated life of the well. Plastic, PRC, ABI, SR, and fiberglass pipe have been introduced for casing rotary-drilled, and fairly straight percussion-drilled wells. These casings may also reduce iron bacteria problems.

Pipe is covered by standard specifications. Refer to them by the following designations; ASTM A-53, ASTM A-120, and API 5L for steel; and ASTM F-480-76 for thermoplastics.

Use of polyvinyl chloride casing (PVC), schedule 40 or 80 is increasing. Maximum depths are usually less then 200 feet and, for strength, the diameters are not larger than 6 inches.

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