Water wells with improper sealing around the well casings can provide a direct route for fertilizers to enter the ground water from the land surface. If a well casing is backfilled with gravel, sand, or other permeable material, fertilizers can run down the side of the casing and enter the ground water. Inadequate grouting and sealing can also lead to contamination. Inadequate grouting and sealing can be a problem particularly if the well is located in a topographically low area susceptible to collecting surface runoff.
State standards for well abandonment should be followed. Generally, wells should be sealed with bentonite grout or some other form of relatively impermeable material. In addition, wells should be sealed with concrete for at least two feet below the ground surface.
As is the case with wells that are inadequately grouted and sealed, abandoned wells can also provide a direct route for fertilizers to reach the ground water, particularly if the well is located in an area susceptible to runoff or fertilizer spills. Also, abandoned wells may be used to dispose of fertilizers by parties unaware of the environmental and legal implications.
Although many states have strict codes regarding the abandonment of wells, these codes are often difficult to enforce. Proper well abandonment often requires pressure grouting and the blocking of casing perforations to adequately seal off different aquifers and to prevent movement of water through annular spaces. It may involve removal of the well casing or the pump above the ground.
If you are unsure whether you have an abandoned well on your property, there are several ways you may be able to find out:
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Abandoned wells are often difficult to identify. Look for pipes sticking out of the ground. A typical well casing is a metal pipe 1 1/4 to 6 inches in diameter. A typical dug well may be a ring of concrete, tile, bricks, or rocks 12 to 36 inches or more in diameter. If you are in the basement of a house, look for a pipe sticking out of the floor.
Look for signs such as depressions in the ground, which may indicate a buried well. Also, unnatural wet areas may indicate an artesian (free flowing) well that was never properly sealed. Small buildings, such as old sheds, may house an abandoned well. A rusted hand pump is probably connected to a well that needs to be sealed.
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