SOME TERMINOLOGIES:

 Well - a man-made excavation, constructed for the purpose of drawing water from, or
monitoring the groundwater system.

 Borehole - a narrow hole in the ground constructed in order to gain access to the
groundwater system.

 Groundwater - is simply water that is below the ground.

 RADIUS OF STATIC WATER LEVEL
INFLUENCE

WATER
TABLE DRAWDOWN

CONE OF
DEPRESSION

PUMPING
AQUIFER WATER LEVEL
Water well is a hole or shaft,
usually vertical, excavated into
the earth for bringing
groundwater to the surface
 TYPICAL WELL
CROSS SECTION
WELL CAP or
SEAL
BOREHOLE SCREENED

CASING WELL

GROUT

PACKER
SCREEN
WELL CAP
BEDROCK
BOREHOLE
WELL
CASING

GROUT

OPEN HOLE IN NO CASING

BEDROCK IN ROCK
BOREHOLE
AQUIFER
WELL CAP or
SEAL
OVERLAPPING
Mechanical device
to prevent SEALED TIGHTLY
TO CASING
contaminants
(including insects) SCREENED
AIR VENT
from entering well
casing TIGHT SEAL TO
ELECTRICAL
CONDUIT
BOREHOLE
 CASING
Steel or plastic
pipe installed to
keep borehole
wall from
collapsing
STANDARD
LENGTHS
STEEL 21 FT.

PLASTIC 20 FT.
 PVC PLASTIC VS. STEEL

Non-corroding Corrodes
Lower strength Higher strength
Fewer water quality Rusty water
complaints

Rotary construction only Suitable for any

drilling method

1/3 cost of steel No heat of hydration

impact from cement grout
TYPICAL 5 IN. DIAMETER
HOUSEHOLD WELL

CONTRACTOR IS
CUTTING PVC CASING
TO FINISHED HEIGHT
(MIN. 12 IN. ABOVE
GROUND)
 Device that seals
space between
casing &
telescoped screen
to keep sand out
of well

PACKER
 Intake device to
allow water to enter
well and keep sand
out

Structural support of
aquifer material
SCREEN
Wire-wrapped screen
most common
PACKER

SCREEN
BLANK

WELL SCREEN
Impermeable cement or
GROUT
clay placed in annular
space between borehole
and casing to:
 prevent well
TOP VIEW
contamination
 maintain separation of
aquifers
 preserve artesian
aquifers
CASING
BOREHOLE
 DOWNWARD LEAKAGE AROUND
UNGROUTED CASING

INFILTRATION FROM
SURFACE CONTAMINANTS

STATIC WATER LEVEL

CONTAMINANT PLUME

UNSEALED ANNULAR
SPACE AROUND
CASING

DOWNWARD
LEAKAGE
UNCONFINED
AQUIFER
 UPWARD LEAKAGE AROUND
UNGROUTED CASING
(Artesian Condition)

STATIC WATER LEVEL

UNCONFINED
AQUIFER
CONFINING
LAYER

CONFINED UPWARD LEAKAGE

AQUIFER
 GRANULAR BENTONITE
POURED INTO
MIX WATER

PORTABLE
GROUTING MACHINE
(MIXER & PUMP)

GROUT PIPE
TO BOTTOM OF
ANNULAR SPACE

BENTONITE GROUT
RETURN
AT SURFACE
(GELATIN – OATMEAL TEXTURE)
 FILTER-PACKED WELL CONSTRUCTION
CASING

FILTER-PACK GROUT
SAND PLACED
BETWEEN
CASING
BOREHOLE & CENTERING
SCREEN BEFORE GUIDES
GROUTING (OPTIONAL)

FILTER PACK IS NOT

ALLOWED TO EXTEND
MORE THAN 10 FEET SCREEN
ABOVE TOP OF SCREEN
 BENEFITS
 Greater porosity Faster development
 Higher hydraulic  Easier grouting
conductivity
 Longer well life
 Reduced drawdown
 Improved well
 Higher yield rehabilitation
 Reduced entrance  Reduce sand
velocity pumping
DRILLED
DRIVEN
DUG
 DRILLED WELLS

 Terminated in glacial drift

(sand, gravel) or bedrock
 Constructed with rotary, cable
tool, jetting, hollow rod or auger
drilling methods
 2 in. or larger casing (Domestic
wells: 4 – 6 inch diameter)
 DRILLED WELLS
 Casing material: Steel or PVC plastic

 Installed by well drilling contractors

 Most are >50 ft. deep (avg. 125 ft.)

 Much more common than driven or

dug wells

 MOST SANITARY WELL TYPE

Rotary Cable Tool
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Advantages and Disadvantages
Drilled Well
Advantages:
• Quicker and cheaper to sink than
hand-dug wells
• Less susceptible to contamination
• No dewatering during sinking
required
• Less lining material required
• Safer in construction and use
• The well itself needs barely
maintenance
• Many simple drilling techniques
available suiting many geological
conditions
Wells
Disadvantages:
• Skilled staff and experts required
for drilling
• Pump required, which needs
appropriate operation and
maintenance
• Lower yield than hand-dug wells
(smaller diameter)
• Overexploitation may lead to
adverse effects on the environment
• Arsenic pollution may occur
• More technical equipment and skills
necessary for construction
• No integrated storage capacity /
recharge during periods of low
abstraction
26
 DRIVEN WELLS
 Installed in glacial drift only -
CANNOT be driven thru boulders or
into bedrock
 Well point driven into
ground with post-driver,
tripod w/ weight or sledge
hammer
 1 1/4 in. to 2 in. diameter
 DRIVEN WELLS
 Installed by property owners
 Common around lakes and
high water table areas

 Most <35 ft. deep, limited yield

(7 gpm or less)
MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SURFACE
CONTAMINATION THAN DRILLED WELLS
TRIPOD
WELLS BEING
DRIVEN

CASING
DRIVER

1 ¼ IN.
CASING
 DUG WELLS
 Large diameter (18-48 in.)

 Found in low yield areas

 Casing material - concrete crocks
w/ loose joints

 Water enters well through loose

casing joints
SHALLOW UNSANITARY DUG CROCK WELL
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Advantages and Disadvantages
Dug Well
Advantages:
•High degree of involvement of the local
community during the whole process
•Under supervision, no skilled workers
are required
•Simple equipment sufficient for both
construction and maintenance
•Low cost for construction and O&M
•Involvement of private sector possible
(local well diggers)
•Yield can be increased after
construction
•Reservoir included (large diameter)
Wells
Disadvantages:
• Long construction phase
• Dangerous excavation
• Motorised pump (power source)
often required to lower the water
table during construction
• Application restricted to regions
with rather soft geological
formation and relatively high
groundwater levels
• Alteration of groundwater level can
adversely affect the surrounding
environment
• High susceptibility for
contamination
• People (i.e. children) can fall in if
the well is uncovered
32
OLD UNSANITARY HAND-DUG WELL
LINED WITH FIELD STONE
 DUG WELLS
 Older wells - hand dug

 Low well yield - storage in casing

(100’s of gallons)

 HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO
CONTAMINATION
PERCUSSION DRILLING

HAND-AUGER DRILLING

JETTING

SLUDGING (REVERSE JETTING)

PERCUSSION DRILLING
HAND-AUGER DRILLING
JETTING
SLUDGING
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Location
• Wells should not be constructed close to potential sources
of contamination, e.g. pit latrines, livestock farming,
fuel/pesticide/ fertiliser storage, etc.

Source: BUCHANAN et al. (2010)

• Well should be located in close proximity to the actual

point of water use
Wells 41
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Dug Well: Elements

Well Head

Well Shaft

Intake
Source: SMET & WIJK (2002)

Wells 42
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Dug Well: Excavation

• Excavation is done
manually with pick and
shovel
• Lining is most often
necessary to protect the well
from collapsing and
preventing subsequent
contamination of the well
• Materials for lining: Source: : http://cloud.globalgiving.org/pfil/7109/Handdug_Well2_Grid7.jpg [Accessed:
14.03.2011]
prefabricated concrete rings,
stones, bricks, masonry, etc.

Wells 43
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Drilled Well: Drilling

a) Basic hand-drilling techniques

Source:
http://www.nigerwaterforlife.org/images/upload/IMAG0010.j
pg [Accessed: 27.03.2012]

b) High-tech machine-drilling Source:

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/106324951/water_well_drilling
_and_borehole_rig_machine.jpg [Accessed: 17.05.2012]

Wells 44
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Drilled Well: Drilling – Many Different Techniques

a) Basic Hand-drilling techniques

Source: ELSON & SHAW

(1995)

b) Machine-drilling

Source: WURZEL (2000)

Wells 45
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Well Protection
• Wells and aquifers are susceptible to contamination. Contaminants
can either enter from the opening or from the sides of the
excavation.
• Water source protection involves:
 Interdiction of all activities that can potentially cause contamination
close to the well (e.g. pit latrines, livestock farming, fuel/pesticide/
fertiliser storage, etc)
• Wellhead protection involves:
 Drainage
 Surficial seal: an apron
 Impermeable lining (dug wells) or
casing (drilled wells)
 Securing functioning of the pump

Wells
Source: NABUUR (n.y.) 46
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Operation and Maintenance

Drilled Well

• Drilled wells are easy to operate and basically not in need for
maintenance.
• However, as a drilled well always include a manual or mechanised
pump, maintenance of the lifting is critical!

Source:
http://www.edgeoutreach.com/sites/edgeoutreach.com/files/HaitiHPRTrainers.j
pg [Accessed: 18.05.2012]

Wells 47
STEADY FLOW – A flow in which the properties of fluid REMAINS CONSTANT with TIME.

UNSTEADY FLOW – A flow in which the properties of fluid VARIES with TIME.