March 2014

Page 1

Educate your community during Groundwater Awareness Week, page 14

JOURNAL

March 2014

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Responding to Flooded Wells Floods can impact systems and aquifers for years, page 17

Inside: Cameras in treatment work, page 21

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JOURNAL

Vol. 68, No. 3 March 2014 www.waterwelljournal.com

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

FEATURED ARTICLES 17 Responding to Flooded Wells By Mike Schnieders, PG, PH-GW

Aside from the immediate and obvious damage, flooding can impact well systems and aquifers for years. 21 Cameras in Treatment Work By Jennifer Strawn

A downhole look helps you diagnose problems quicker and create loyal customers. 25 Increasing the Value of Your Business By Tim McDaniel

Setting goals to grow your business’ value will have you ready when it’s time to exit.

Page 21

DEPARTMENTS In This Issue Industry Newsline The Log Web Notes Coming Events Newsmakers Featured Products Classified Marketplace Index of Advertisers Closing Time

IN EVERY ISSUE 6 Editor’s Note Surprises of the Not-Fun Kind

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About the cover Floodwaters can impact water well systems for years. Go to page 17 for the cover story on how to best respond and treat water wells that have been significantly impacted. Photo submitted by Jay Erickson, PG, of Arcadis US Inc.

®

The Water Well Journal (ISSN #0043-1443) is published monthly by the National Ground Water Association, 601 Dempsey Rd., Westerville, OH 43081. Printed and mailed at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and additional mailing offices. Postal acceptance: Periodical (requester subscription circulation) postage paid at Westerville, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Water Well Journal, 601 Dempsey Rd., Westerville, OH 43081. Canada Post/ Publications Mail Agreement #40739533. Return address: 4960-2 Walker Rd., Windsor, ON N9A 6J3.

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Water Well Journal March 2014 3/

JOURNAL A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Advancing the expertise of groundwater professionals and furthering groundwater awareness.

Chief Executive Officer Kevin McCray, CAE kmccray@ngwa.org NGWA President Griffin Crosby Jr., CWD/PI Director of Information Products/Editor Thad Plumley tplumley@ngwa.org Water Well Journal Editorial Review Board Art Becker, MGWC, CPG; Tom Christopherson; Don Harvard; Dan Milan; Roger Renner, MGWC; John Schnieders, Ph.D., and Robert Sterrett, Ph.D.

FEATURED COLUMNISTS

Senior Editor Mike Price

mprice@ngwa.org

Copyeditor Wayne Beatty

wbeatty@ngwa.org

Production and Design Janelle McClary jmcclary@ngwa.org Advertising Shelby Fleck Vickie Crosby

Page 17

sfleck@ngwa.org vcrosby@ngwa.org

Circulation Coordinator Katie Neer kneer@ngwa.org Contributing Writers Ed Butts, PE, CPI; Donald W. Gregory; William J. Lynott; Julie Hansen; Christine Reimer; Al Rickard, CAE; Ron Slee; Lana Straub; Jennifer Strawn; and Alexandra Walsh Editorial, Advertising, & Publishing Offices 601 Dempsey Rd., Westerville, OH 43081 (800) 551-7379 Fax: (614) 898-7786 Selected content from Water Well Journal is indexed on Ground Water On-Line™ at www.NGWA.org/gwonline ©Copyright 2014 by the National Ground Water Association. All rights reserved.

28 Safety Matters By Carly Johnson and Victor J. D'Amato, CIH, CSP Eye Injury Prevention Is Easy and Affordable A face and eye protection plan is important for every business.

30 Not Just Another Day of Drilling By Denis Crayon The Driller Who Always Makes It Look Easy When jobs provide the unexpected, professionals carefully evaluate their options.

32 Engineering Your Business by Ed Butts, PE, CPI Through the Years: All Those Well Pumps Ago Part 3(b): Submersible Pumps

36 People at Work by Alexandra Walsh Why An HR Audit? It’s critical to know if your company is in compliance with human resource policies.

38 The After Market by Ron Slee How Are We Doing? Too often we complain, but we can explain.

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40 ACT Like a Sales Pro by Julie Hansen Brando’s Secret to Sealing the Deal When it comes to customer interaction, get creative. The views expressed in the columns are the authors’ opinions based on their professional experience.

4/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

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EDITOR’S

NOTE

Surprises of the Not-Fun Kind

S

urprises are usually a wonderful thing. But there is a big difference between “I saw this when I was out and had to get it for you!” and seeing a price at the bottom of a bill from a contractor larger than his original quote. Guess which one happened to me recently? My wife and I were referred to a home contractor by a friend. When he came out to view our project, the meeting could not have gone better. He instantly came up with a plan for a remodeling job other vendors had not. The plan, while simple, seemed like it would work perfectly and the price range he provided was lower than the others. Double win—sign us up! Once the work began, it was exciting. I’d leave to head to my office at the National Ground Water Association and return home to see another portion of the work done. It was like we were living in a puzzle and more and more pieces were fit in each day. When I got home one day I could tell the project was nearly done. In fact, the picture seemed a little odd. It appeared that what remained could be knocked out in 10 to 15 minutes. So imagine my surprise when I went to another part of the house and the phone had a message from the contractor wanting the balance of his bill. That’s strange, I thought. I don’t even know the balance and the work isn’t done. I tried to call immediately, but was unable to get ahold of him. Oh well, things will work out the next day. Boy, was I wrong! No work got done and there were two calls wanting the balance. This time I made sure we spoke. I explained there would be no checks written without the work being completed and a written bill itemizing the work that was done. All of that was provided the next day— and yet things still got crazier. The bill was 18% higher than the highest estimate!

Seriously. I asked how that could be and the contractor explained he had run into trouble on part of the job. I then took our conversation back to our first meeting and reminded him of the price range he quoted us. I said “trouble” is what the high point of the estimate was for, just as the low point represented a best-case scenario. I added I had anticipated the price was going to be in the middle because rarely do jobs go perfectly and very few ever blow up where everything goes wrong. Frustrated, he told me to pick a price in the middle. I did, and I didn’t cheat him. I picked what I thought was a fair amount and provided the check the next day. But as frustrated as he was, I was too. The project was step one in a host of remodeling jobs my wife and I want to do as the weather warms—hopefully—here in the Midwest. I don’t know that I want to call the contractor for round two despite the work being exceptional. It didn’t have to be like that and hopefully it’s never like that for you. The word a contractor gives is everything. It’s their reputation as much as their work. And if you’ve ever “ballparked” a job quote, don’t ever do it again. NGWA provides water well drilling and pump installation contracts that can be used so you can provide and explain specific job details to customers up front. It also has cost calculators for well drilling, pump installation, and geothermal drilling so you know exactly what to charge. All are free to members of the Association. Use them and chances are the surprises in your life will come only from your better half!

Thad Plumley is the editor of WWJ and director of information products at the National Ground Water Association. He can be reached at tplumley@ngwa.org and on Twitter @WaterWellJournl.

Advertise your products and services to the groundwater industry’s most influential readership. Call Shelby Fleck and Vickie Crosby in the NGWA sales department at (800) 551-7379. ● ● ●

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Approximately 25,000 readers every month. More than 19,000 are groundwater contractors. Approximately 4000 reside in professions also allied to the field. Readers reside in every state, Canada, and other international locations.

Disclaimer Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association provide information for guidance and information purposes only. This publication is not intended to provide investment, tax, or legal advice. The information contained herein has been compiled from sources deemed reliable and it is accurate to the best of our knowledge and belief; however, Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association cannot guarantee as to its accuracy, completeness, and validity and cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions. All information contained herein should be independently verified and confirmed. Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association do not accept any liability for any loss or damage howsoever caused in reliance upon such information. Reader agrees to assume all risk resulting from the application of any of the information provided by Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association. Trademarks and copyrights mentioned within Water Well Journal are the ownership of their respective companies. The names of products and services presented are used only in an educational fashion and to the benefit of the trademark and copyright owner, with no intention of infringing on trademarks or copyrights. No endorsement of any third-party products or services is expressed or implied by any information, material, or content referred to in the Water Well Journal. Subscriptions/Back Issues For questions, changes or problems with your subscription call Katie Neer. Subscriptions: Water well contractors and other qualified groundwater industry personnel in U.S. and Canada — free; others in U.S. — $115 per year; $15 per copy. Canada – $135 per year; $24 per copy. International: $150 per year; $35 per copy. Subscriptions available through NGWA offices only. We reserve the right to refuse subscriptions to anyone not directly engaged in the groundwater industry. Claims for missing issues must be made in writing within three months of publication and will be subject to the availability of back issues. Advertising Disclaimer Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for all content (including text, representation, and illustrations) of advertisements printed and also assume responsibility for any claims arising therefrom made against the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising that it believes is not in keeping with the publication's standards or is deemed unsuitable or misleading.

Vickie Crosby

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IN THIS

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ISSUE

he March issue of Water Well Journal focuses on water quality and treatment. There are multiple feature articles focusing on protecting water well systems.

The first, “Responding to Flooded Wells� on page 17, is authored by Michael Schnieders, PG, PH-GW, who points out flooding is regarded as the most common environmental hazard impacting man, and along with the obvious and immediate damage, can impact water well systems and aquifers for years. He writes all wells that have been flooded should be viewed as unsafe for potable use until they are evaluated and tested to make Michael Schnieders, PG, sure they are safe for use as drinking water. PH-GW He then details the impacts a flood can have on a water system, how to respond to a flooded well, and disinfection methods for flooded water systems. An accompanying sidebar provides information on the National Ground Water Association’s Best Suggested Practice for Residential Water Well Disinfection Following a Flood Event. Another feature article, “Cameras in Treatment Work� on page 21 by freelance writer Jennifer Strawn, discusses how borehole cameras have developed into a standard piece of

Jennifer Strawn

equipment for many contractors in doing well rehabilitation work. Reduction in production rate, declining static level, water quality changes, and a reduction in specific capacity can indicate the need for treatment or rehabilitation of a well. And here Strawn points out cameras provide a piece of the puzzle when determining the best treatment for the job. She details the steps of a job using a camera. After pulling the pump and allowing the well to clear, running a camera down the hole can provide an idea of the severity and nature of buildup impacting production rates and whether the buildup is hard or soft. She adds that using the camera when the rehabilitation is complete and showing the film to the customer can lead to customer loyalty. Writer Tim McDaniel authors the feature article “Increasing the Value of Your Business� on page 25. He goes over the importance for business owners to focus on growing the value of their business while they are running it so it will be worth what they desire when it is time to exit the company. McDaniel points out a business is the largest investment most owners will make, but many don’t treat their business like an investment in stock, real estate, or a 401k. He goes over in detail three ways owners can make their business more valuable and attractive when it is time to sell. Those ways are: increasing sustainable cash flow, reducing business risks, and professionalizing the business.

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IN THIS

ISSUE

The latest installment of the People at Work column also touches on an important business topic, but one many owners may neglect—human resources audits. Columnist Alexandra Walsh writes in “Why an HR Audit?” on page 36 that the audits are important as they show if a business is in compliance with human resource policies. Walsh goes over the processes and benefits of such audits. Among them are ensuring compliance with wage-and-hour laws and other employment and benefits-related statutes, examining the effectiveness and costs of established HR policies, and discovering ways to save money by identifying and correcting Alexandra Walsh inefficiencies and compliance problems. The monthly Safety Matters column covers the critical topic of eye protection. Columnists Carly Johnson and Victor D’Amato, CIH, CSP, write in “Eye Injury Prevention Is Easy and Affordable” on page 28 that having a face and eye protection plan is important for every groundwater industry company. The writers discuss what can occur with an eye injury, what is needed in a proper face and eye protection program, how to train employees for such a program, and emergency care for when there are accidents.

National Groundwater Awareness Week Promote the resource that provides your livelihood! Educate your customers about the importance of annual water testing and well maintenance during National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 9-15, 2014. You will be helping them, yourself, your business, your industry, and the resource. NGWA is here to help you spread the word! From sample letters to the editor and radio spots to print ads, posters, and fliers, NGWA has materials for you to use.

www.NGWA.org/AwarenessWeek 800 551.7379 t 614 898.7791 Twitter @WaterWellJournl

March 9-15, 2014 Water Well Journal March 2014 9/

INDUSTRY

NEWSLINE

Construction Firms Expect Growing Demand in 2014 Many firms plan to start hiring again and most contractors predict demand will either grow or remain stable in virtually every market segment this year, according to survey results that were released in late January by the Associated General Contractors of America. The survey, conducted as part of Optimism Returns: The 2014 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, provided a generally upbeat outlook for the year even as firms worried about growing worker shortages, rising costs, and the impact of new regulations and federal budget cutting. “Contractors are more optimistic about 2014 than they have been in a long time,” said Stephen Sandherr, the association’s CEO. “While the industry has a long way to go before it returns to the employment and activity levels it experienced in the middle of the last decade, conditions are heading in the right direction.”

Sandherr noted many firms planned to begin hiring again, while relatively few planned to start making layoffs. Forty-one percent of firms that did not change staff levels last year reported they planned to start expanding payrolls in 2014, while only 2% planned to start making layoffs. Among the 19 states with large enough survey sample sizes, 100% of firms that did not change staffing levels last year in Utah planned to start hiring new staff this year, more than in any other state. Contractors had a relatively positive outlook for virtually all 11 market segments covered in the Outlook, in particular for private-sector segments. For five of those segments, at least 40% of respondents expected the market to expand and fewer than 20% expected the market to decline in 2014. The difference between the optimists and the pessimists—the net positive reading—was a strong 28% for private office, manufacturing, and the combined retail/ware-

house/lodging segments, and 25% for power and hospital/higher education construction. Among public sector segments, contractors were more optimistic about demand for new water and sewer construction, with a net positive of 17%. Contractors were mildly optimistic about the market for highway construction, with a net positive of 10%. Respondents were almost equally divided regarding the outlook for the other four segments, ranging from net positives of 5% for public buildings, 4% for schools, 3% for transportation facilities other than highways, and a negative of 2% for marine construction. The Outlook was based on survey results from more than 800 construction firms from every state and the District of Columbia. Varying numbers responded to each question. Contractors of every size answered more than 40 questions about their hiring, equipment purchasing, and business plans.

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Grundfos Launches Ecademy Online Learning Platform for U.S. Pump Market Grundfos launched Ecademy, its online training platform for professionals in the pump industry, at the 2014 International Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigerating Exposition in New York in late January. According to Dennis Wierzbicki, president of Grundfos USA, “Ecademy allows us to get closer to our customers by providing training across our markets which, in turn, supports our growth objectives. We are positioned to reach potential students through a combination of learning from the successful European roadmap, excellent North American training content, a comprehensive marketing and promotion plan, and strong administration.” Targeted for consulting engineers, installers, professional end users, service partners, and wholesale distributors, Ecademy is a training series that complements Grundfos’ pumps through a program that provides easy-to-access education before, during, and after the purchase process. Ecademy makes the

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customer an expert in product specification, operation, and troubleshooting. “This online platform will greatly extend our training reach,” said Clint Andrews, technical training manager for Grundfos USA. “Thanks to Ecademy, we can virtually accompany our customers to a job site or a client meeting via their mobile devices.” The platform features global as well as local content in a variety of formats such as videos, slideshows, articles, and interactive tools. Through the portal, customers will be able to access classes on topics such as products, applications, and industry standards. Grundfos Ecademy was launched in 2006 in Europe, where it now has 30,000 members. To learn more about Ecademy, visit http://us.grundfos.com/training-events/ ecademy.html.

Distracted Driving Remains Top Issue for Transportation Safety Board Transport Topics reports the National Transportation Safety Board in January said distracted driving remains a top

concern for the agency in 2014, and it will continue advocacy efforts to eliminate distraction in transportation. The agency said it is seeing a growth in the number of accidents due to distracted drivers, often with deadly consequences, and is advocating for stronger enforcement, education, and laws. NTSB’s commitment to eliminating distraction is on its “Top 10 Most Wanted” list of transportation improvements for 2014, which also includes reducing substance-impaired driving. “We appreciate NTSB’s persistence in addressing critical safety issues, especially those that affect the trucking industry’s workplace, our highways,” American Trucking Association President Bill Graves said in a statement. “ATA has long been a proponent of reducing the risks of distracted driving, eliminating drunken or drugged driving by all motorists, and improving the crashworthiness of vehicles. It makes good sense for NTSB to shine a light on these important issues,” Graves added. “The traveling public relies on a safe and efficient transportation system. Yet,

NEWS/continues on page 12

Water Well Journal March 2014 11/

NEWS/from page 11 every year, we see over 35,000 fatalities,� NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said in a statement. “That’s why we have the Most Wanted List—steps we can take today, so that more people make it home tonight.�

Northeast Sees Salt on Roads and Salt in Groundwater North Country Public Radio in Canton, New York, reports ecologists have been noticing a change in the groundwater throughout the northeast. It’s getting salty. Nancy Karraker, an assistant professor of wetland ecology at the University of Rhode Island, said she and other biologists have been documenting an increase in the salinity of groundwater. “The problem with salt is that plants don’t take it up, it doesn’t bind to soils; and so over time as it makes its way into wetlands, it concentrates,� Karraker said. They believe the main culprit is the salt used on roads. Some areas in the northeast have

been found to have groundwater that has 25% the salinity of seawater. The most likely places are seasonal pools, roadside drainage ditches, and in some cases, reservoirs. Karraker said sodium contamination poses health risks to those delicate ecosystems. “In the spring, when the snow is melting and the salts are being transported from the road into the wetlands, that’s the exact same time when amphibians like wood frogs or spotted salamanders are laying eggs,� she said. “So their embryos, their eggs, are exposed to high levels of salt.� What sodium-contaminated water doesn’t seem to bother are the eggs and larvae of the Culex mosquito, also known as the southern house mosquito. The mosquito thrives in salty shallow water and can carry several diseases, including the West Nile virus.

USGS Provides Online Water Resource Tools for Your State A new U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet provides one-stop information on USGS sources of stream, groundwater,

and water-quality data for locations across the United States. Managers and the public rely on such tools for information related to stream health, recreation, and the protection of life and property, including during times of floods and drought. This new publication can help citizens quickly navigate the extensive sources of USGS water data that are available online. “The USGS offers much more than topographic maps, earthquake and volcano information,â€? said Kimberly Shaffer, outreach coordinator for the USGS Ohio Water Science Center. “Our local and national water data are available in a variety of formats and are free to the public—even during natural hazards.â€? In cooperation with local, state, and federal partners, the USGS operates about 7400 stream gauges nationwide, and provides online access to waterresources data collected at more than 1.5 million sites in the United States and other selected areas. USGS online water-resources tools include: • WaterQualityWatch, which provides near real time water-quality data,

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such as temperature and pH, and dissolved oxygen readings from more than 1700 surface water sites in the country • WaterNow, which sends on-demand water data such as gauge height and streamflow directly to your mobile phone or e-mail • WaterWatch, which provides flood and drought information • Groundwater Watch, which gives updates on groundwater levels and statistical characteristics of groundwater levels at wells in the network. For more information on USGS water research, visit the USGS Water Resources Web site at www.usgs.gov/ water.

USGS Develops County-Scale Temperature and Precipitation The U.S. Geological Survey released a new Web site featuring maps and summaries of historical and projected temperatures and rainfall for counties inside the contiguous United States. The effort is a collaborative project with the College of Earth, Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University. The maps and summaries

New Nebraska Groundwater Atlas Is Available After more than two years of research, writing, and editing, the third edition of the Groundwater Atlas of Nebraska is available. “Rather than just reproduce maps that have been published in the past, we wanted our readers to know that our understanding of groundwater in Nebraska has evolved over the past half-century,” said Jesse Korus, a geologist and lead author/coordinator of the third edition atlas. The atlas is produced by the Conservation and Survey Division, a research, service, and data-collection organization in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s School of Natural Resources. Korus and his co-authors created maps, wrote text, and compiled and interpreted data for topics that fell within their respective areas of expertise. The third edition atlas has several unique editorial features, including an additional 20 maps and diagrams that illustrate aspects of groundwater not covered in previous editions. It also includes new chapters describing the interconnections between groundwater, surface water, and the hydrochemical aspects of groundwater. The atlas’ audience is well drillers, teachers, conservationists, farmers, ranchers, and other professionals. The atlas is also a popular resource for training and licensing programs.

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are based on 33 climate models used in the 5th Climate Model Intercomparison Project and the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report. The Web site provides useful tools to characterize climate change through climographs, histograms, and tables that summarize changes in temperature and precipitation from a series spanning from 1950 and projected to 2099. For more information, visit www .usgs.gov/climate_landuse/clu_rd/ nex-dcp30.asp.

The atlas can be purchased at http:// nebraskamaps.unl.edu and www.amazon .com.

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THE

LOG

NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Educate Your Community During Awareness Week Some years ago, Frank Chappelle of the U.S. Geological Survey wrote a book about groundwater, titled The Hidden Sea, and for good reason— an estimated 99% of all available fresh water is in the form of groundwater, thus dwarfing all other sources. As National Groundwater Awareness Week approaches on March 9-15, it is a good time to reflect upon—and educate the public about—the enormous importance of this “hidden sea” to the lives of Americans. Consider these facts: • About 44% of America’s population regularly depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply. • 42 million American residents are served by privately owned individual wells. • 13.2 million American households are served by privately owned individual wells. The National Ground Water Association urges groundwater professionals everywhere to use the occasion of Groundwater Awareness Week to take steps to inform citizens about what groundwater is, why it is important, and what they can do to be good stewards of groundwater. “To have one of our nation’s most precious natural resources literally beneath the feet of Americans and them not

14/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

realize it is cause for concern on many fronts,” says NGWA Public Awareness Director Cliff Treyens. “As the need for fresh water grows, so should the public’s understanding of the role of groundwater.” NGWA encourages groundwater professionals to visit www.NGWA.org/AwarenessWeek to access its Groundwater Awareness Week Web page, where they can click on “Get involved” or “Promotional tools for groundwater professionals” on the Awareness Week menu. Here one can find links to and downloads of informational tools that can be used to promote groundwater awareness during the week such as articles, logos, a flier, a poster, and more. Also, contact Treyens for draft news releases that can be modified for use locally at (800) 551-7379, ext. 554, or at ctreyens@ngwa.org.

NGWA Adds 152 New Members in December NGWA added 152 new members in December 2013. The total consisted of 70 scientists and engineers, 39 contractors, 16 suppliers, 13 students, 12 manufacturers, and 2 associates. A total of 508 members renewed their membership as well. To learn more about NGWA and how to become a member, visit www.NGWA.org/Membership.

Four Join NGWA Certified Ranks in December Two groundwater professionals joined the ranks of NGWA’s Voluntary Certification Program in December 2013. James M. Whitley, CWD, of National Exploration Well Pumps in Woodland, California, earned his certified well driller designation. Matthew A. Nielson, CPI, of Nielson Water Systems Inc. in Highland, New York, became a certified pump installer. In all, there were seven tests taken for NGWA certification in December, five of which were passed. There were also 14 NGWA exams given for state licensing in December, eight of which had passing scores. A total of 137 tests were taken for NGWA certification in 2013 and 60 had passing grades (44%). For state licensing, there were 341 tests given on the year with 154 passing (45%). The NGWA Web site has a chart detailing all of the certification tests given in 2013 and the percentages of those that were passed. The chart can be found at www.ngwa.org/ Professional-Resources/certifications-exams/contractors/ Pages/Contractor-certification-exam-pass-rates.aspx. There are currently 1015 industry professionals with NGWA certifications, with 953 in good standing. If you have any questions about the NGWA certification programs, contact Jessica Rhoads, NGWA industry practices administrator/certification coordinator, at jrhoads@ngwa.org, or call (800) 551-7379, ext. 511. If outside the United States, call (614) 898-7791, ext. 511.

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WEB

NOTES

FIND IT ON THE NGWA WEB SITE, NGWA.ORG

NGWA Names Preferred Property and Casualty Insurance Services Provider After several months of evaluating responses to the National Ground Water Association’s request for proposals, NGWA has named Franchise Insurance Agency of Columbus, Ohio, as the Association’s preferred property and casualty insurance services provider. “Franchise demonstrated a strong commitment to understanding the groundwater industry’s people, products, services, and equipment so underwriting quotations can be smooth, comprehensive, and accurate,” says NGWA CEO Kevin McCray, CAE. “Franchise will work with any firm from the groundwater industry, no matter the industry business line, size of the firm, or other factors.” “We have a commitment to do all we can to serve this critical industry,” adds Brad Stammler, vice president of commercial property and casualty programs for Franchise. “We at Franchise have learned how important the groundwater resource is, so now we want to help those who provide, protect, manage, and remediate it for all of its uses.” Franchise will use CNA Insurance as the preferred carrier, but will work with NGWA clients to find affordable coverage when CNA solutions are not available. CNA, the 13th largest U.S. property and casualty insurer, provides insurance protection to more than one million businesses and professionals in the U.S. and internationally. The firm has a long and deep experience with insuring groundwater industry businesses. Details of this new insurance partnership are available on www.NGWA.org. Stammler, Kellis Waller, and their associates will be reaching out to industry firms. You can also contact them directly by sending an e-mail to brad@franchise-ins.com or by phoning (614) 545-1686. Franchise’s insurance services replace the former WellGuard program offered through NGWA, Willis Programs, and The Hartford, which Willis and Hartford ended in December 2012.

that have been demonstrated to show superior results. They are prepared by a consensus of groundwater professionals from around the country. NGWA members can download all BSPs for free as a member benefit under the “Member exclusives” section at www.NGWA.org. Nonmembers can purchase the BSPs.

NGWA’s Wellowner.org Helps You Inform Your Customers About Water Wells NGWA’s Wellowner.org is a one-stop resource for information relating to water well systems and groundwater, so make sure to promote the Web site to your customers. Throughout, the importance of regular well maintenance and water testing is demonstrated again and again. Tell your customers their water well system is a direct link to an underground water reserve and the responsibility is theirs to protect this valuable natural resource, as well as safeguarding their family’s health. Such useful tools like the Water Use Calculator and calculating a home’s water footprint are available to download at WellOwner.org/groundwater/conservation-matters. WellOwner.org also features Contractor Lookup under the “Find a Contractor” tab. This resource enables users to find NGWA member water well contractors and contractors who are certified in NGWA’s voluntary certification program.

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NGWA Provides Industry Best Practices on Issues with Water Quality and Treatment NGWA has a variety of industry “best suggested practices” for issues with water quality and treatment, including: • Reduce and Mitigate Problematic Concentrations of Stray Gases in Water Well Systems • Reducing Problematic Concentrations of Arsenic in Residential Well Systems • Reducing Problematic Concentrations of Boron in Residential Well Systems • Reducing Problematic Concentrations of Fluoride in Residential Well Systems • Reducing Problematic Concentrations of Iron and Manganese in Residential Well Systems. NGWA’s BSPs are designed to aid groundwater professionals at industry job sites. They are not standards, but practices Twitter @WaterWellJournl

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Responding to Flooded Wells Aside from the immediate and obvious damage, flooding can impact well systems and aquifers for years. By Michael Schnieders, PG, PH-GW

looding is regarded as the most common environmental hazard impacting mankind. This is a reflection of the large expanse, topographically, of rivers and coastlines as well as our historical tendency to settle homes and cities in floodplains and low-lying coastal areas. Flooding is a natural phenomenon typically related to meteorological events such as intense or prolonged storms. Seismic events generating storm surges or tsunamis, or that impact landforms or containment structures, can also be responsible for flooding. Aside from direct damage to infrastructure or the limiting of access to well systems, one of the challenges our industry faces is dealing with the after effects of wells and watersheds that have been flooded. This is key. The occurrence of highwater events can impact a well beyond the immediate submergence of the wellhead and can alter conditions within the

F

Michael Schnieders, PG, PH-GW, is the president and principal hydrogeologist at Water Systems Engineering Inc. He has an extensive background in groundwater geochemistry, geomicrobiology, and water resource investigation and management. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of fouled wells and potable water systems. He can be reached at mschnieders@h2osystems.com.

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Any well that has been flooded should be viewed as unsafe for potable use until the well has been evaluated and tested.

watershed that influence an aquifer for an extended number of years. Wells that are susceptible to flooding or potential contamination include: • Older wells completed in areas now designated as floodplains • Wells in which the casing is not finished above the high-water level • Wells not adequately capped or sealed, or older wells with shallow grout or insufficient surface seal • Wells in areas structurally unstable, or where previous erosion or subsidence has compromised the structure and landform • Wells with an abnormal affinity for bad luck. Any well that has been flooded or is suspected of having been influenced by floodwaters should be viewed as unsafe for potable use until such time the well has been evaluated and tested to make sure it is safe for use as drinking water.

Floodwaters can damage well caps, vents, pipes, casing, and pump components. Photo submitted by Jay Erickson, PG, of Arcadis US Inc.

Impacts Flooding of well systems can impact water quality and operation for many years if not properly addressed at the earliest possible time. Floodwaters can directly influence the well when debris carried by the flood impacts the structure —damaging or destroying caps, vents, piping, and the well casing and pump components. Additionally, by destabilizing the ground around a well, flooding can weaken the structural integrity of a well, jeopardizing the sanitary seal. Floodwaters entering the well introduce not only surface water with drastically different water chemistry and microbiology, but also sediments and a variety of foreign contaminants into the well system. The general health risk with regards to floodwaters is a higher risk of infection and diarrheal disease. However, floods can potentially increase the transmission of communicable diseases including water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera, and hepatitis, and vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.

FLOODED WELLS/continues on page 18 Water Well Journal March 2014 17/

Use NGWA’s Best Suggested Practices The National Ground Water Association has published 17 Best Suggested Practices. Among the topics are residential water well disinfection following a flood event as well as reducing problematic concentrations of iron and manganese, residential well cleaning, water well system inspection, and more. The BSPs are not standards but practices that have been demonstrated to show superior results. They are prepared by a consensus of groundwater professionals. NGWA members can download the BSPs for free as a benefit of membership. Go to www.NGWA.org for more information. Approved by NGWA Board of Directors: 1/16/2013

Introduction As a service to members of the National Ground Water Association, this document provides the water well system professional (WWSP) with basic knowledge and suggested practices on this subject. Because of varying geologic conditions and other factors, it is not practical to develop a totally prescriptive guideline and this document is not a substitute for independent professional judgment by a WWSP. There are references throughout this document to public health standards in the United States; other nations may have different standards. Recommended procedures are always subject to review and revision by local or state regulation and advisories by local or state authorities. This document provides best suggested practices (BSPs) for emergency water well disinfection following inundation from a flooding event for residential wells. While disinfection procedures should be tailored to each well’s dimensions, design, and conditions, the following recommendations are general requirements of emergency disinfection in response to inundation from floodwaters. Such decisions are site-specific and, thus, should be based on careful analysis by the WWSP. Subsequent positive coliform test results may require thorough cleaning of the well by the WWSP with removal of the pump including brushing and airlifting of debris from the very bottom of the well. After the residential water well has experienced a flood event, the residents shall boil their water or use an alternate clean water supply until a WWSP has completed inspection and/or disinfection of their well system. All disinfection procedures shall be performed by a WWSP.

NGWA Best Suggested Practice

Residential Water Well Disinfection Following a Flood Event: Procedures for Water Well System Professionals

• Section 1 provides general recommendations for emergency well disinfection of a drilled water well. • Section 2 provides specific steps for disinfection, dependent on well configuration. • Section 3 discusses proper disinfection follow-up procedures.

®

Phone/ Toll-free 800 551.7379/ 614 898.7791 Fax/ 614 898.7786 Web/ www.ngwa.org and www.wellowner.org Address/ 601 Dempsey Road/ Westerville, Ohio 43081-8978 U.S.A

FLOODED WELLS/from page 17 The World Health Organization notes that the major risk factor for outbreaks associated with flooding is the contamination of drinking-water facilities, and even when this happens, as in Iowa and Missouri in 1993, the risk of outbreaks can be minimized if the risk is well recognized and disasterresponse addresses the provision of clean water as a priority.

Increased levels of bacteria and microorganisms and other “natural” contaminants like sewage and animal waste can be found in floodwaters. This contaminated water can enter the well casing through the top of the well or through defects and damage in the well’s casing or seal. Additionally, floodwaters can mobilize environmental contaminants beyond controlled areas, increasing risks associ18/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

ated with contact. One of the most common examples of this is the mobilization of hydrocarbon spills and the appearance of rainbows and oil films on the surface of the water. In addition to these health risks, floodwaters typically contain an elevated sediment load. Sediments found in the floodwaters can enter the well through vents and wiring conduits and cause mechanical fouling, increased wear of the pump components, and plugging of the aquifer.

Response When addressing a flooded well, the first step is to clear access to the well. Depending on the extent of the flooding, this may be a minor or an involved task. Remove all debris from the well site, including any standing water. It is advisable to document this work, noting all damage as well as any containers that are present and visible discoloration of the water surface or vegetation. Immediately prior to this work, you should have the electrical components inspected to ensure none were jeopardized, which could cause added problems to the site during treatment. There exists a significant danger of electrical shock, personal injury or death, and damage to the well, the pump, and the water system. The initial objective for the well is to purge as much of the introduced material from the borehole. As needed, restore pump function and pump flooded wells for several hours to clear sediment and floodwater from the borehole. Do not pump this flushwater through associated treatment and distribution systems, but discharge it away from the well. The time required is dependent on well size, aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and floodwater depth and quality. As few as three hours and as many as 24 hours may be needed. It is recommended you purge the well until visual turbidity is gone and the conductivity has reached a normal level (typically less than 1000 mV). Visual turbidity is a means of evaluating a sample visually against an opaque background for signs of contamination or sediment. Conductivity is the measure of the ability of water to pass an electrical cur-

rent. Conductivity in water is affected by the presence of inorganic dissolved solids such as chlorides, nitrates, sulfate, and phosphate anions (negatively charged ions) or sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and aluminum cations (positively charged ions). As such, conductivity is an easy means of evaluating water quality. Typically, groundwater has a lower conductivity than surface water. Groundwater conductivity values change considerably, so it is advised that you secure a general background level from historical test records prior to using it as a means of monitoring progress. Once the well is flushed of the immediate threat, it may be necessary to conduct a video survey to assess any potential damage and document the well’s condition. This would be an important step if the well was exposed to prolonged influence from the floodwaters or was suspected of having damage and fouling prior to the flooding event. During the video survey, evaluate the upper casing for signs of damage or instability, as well as the lower extension of the well for accumulations of sediment and biological debris. If prolonged exposure to floodwaters has occurred or if sediment infiltration is suspected, the pump and associated equipment should be removed from the well. Disassembly of the pump is recommended for effective cleaning and removal of biomass and sediment accumulations. After cleaning, the pump and column pipe should be evaluated for corrosion and material degradation that may have occurred as a result of the congested water and sediment present. Disinfection of a flooded well is necessary if major impaction of the well is confirmed or even suspected. A combined chemical and mechanical cleaning of the well may be required too. Well system owners often postpone maintenance or have a “run to failure” mentality, so it is fairly common for flooded wells to be chemically and mechanically cleaned before returning to service. If cleaning of the well is needed, balance the mechanical efforts with the structural integrity of the well. The chemicals used for cleaning should be selected based on the suspected fouling mechanisms present and the materials used in well construction. As with all well rehabilitation projects, the chemiwaterwelljournal.com

cals selected should be NSF Standard 60 approved for their use in potable well systems.

Disinfection After the well has been purged of floodwaters or cleaning efforts have been completed, a multi-volume, pH adjusted chlorination treatment is recommended as a means of disinfection prior to returning the well to active service. Chlorination should use a pH adjusted chlorination treatment of a 200 ppm chlorine level in a pH range of 6.5 to 7. Using 10% strength sodium hypochlorite, this is equal to 1 gallon of chlorine per 500 gallons of treatment volume. The volume of the disinfection solution should be equivalent to three times the standing static volume of the affected well. It is not recommended to use more than a 500 ppm chlorine concentration. There are several commercially available products on the market that aid in buffering of the pH to an effective level during chlorination. Various products have additional benefits such as increased penetration of biomass and surfactant qualities to increase the zone of treatment. When choosing the best product, we recommend selection of an NSF-approved chemical that accounts for the water chemistry (pH and total alkalinity) and the strength and type of chlorine used to allow for best results. The disinfection solution should be blended above ground and introduced into the well by a tremie pipe or similar treatment method. Efforts should be made to evenly disperse the disinfection solution evenly throughout the well, including the bottom of the well. Once the solution is placed into the well, it should be agitated to disperse the solution all throughout the entire column. Swabbing of the well, cycling of the pump, or a pump-to-tank surging is recommended. Following agitation, check the chlorine residual within the well to assure sufficient strength is present. If the residual has diminished below 100 ppm, add additional sodium hypochlorite to raise it to that level. It is important to note if you are unable to maintain a chlorine residual during disinfection, this may indicate additional flood contamination remains and more invasive cleaning is needed. Twitter @WaterWellJournl

This set of samples show the progress made with pumping of a flooded well that sat out of service following impact. The sample on the far left shows heavy turbidity with a lot of iron oxide and sediment present. Pumping of the well over the course of several hours yielded the improvement visible in the samples, moving left to right.

High levels of organic material, dissolved solids, and variable pH levels (all associated with floodwater) can degrade chlorine concentrations during treatment. Allow the chlorine solution to remain downhole overnight. The following morning, check the chlorine residual within the well to ensure sufficient strength has remained. If the solution has fallen below a 50 ppm residual, additional disinfection or cleaning may be necessary. Once sufficient disinfection has been achieved, begin evacuation of the well. Purge the well until the chlorine has been evacuated (total chlorine is <0.2 ppm) and all debris has been removed from the well as identified by visible turbidity. Following removal of the chlorine, collect a water sample and test for required water quality parameters, including total coliform bacteria presence and nitrates. Conduct pipeline and water system disinfection of associated components per state rules or recommendations. Once final disinfection efforts are completed, the well should be returned to an active operating schedule as soon as possible and not allowed to sit idle for any extended period of time.

If major structural damage has occurred to the well, or the well is substandard at inspection, or does not respond to chlorine treatment, more invasive cleaning, repair, or replacement may be needed. Although all wells should be periodically monitored and evaluated, it is especially important that follow-up evaluations be conducted on flooded wells. The evaluations should include periodic water testing to make sure disinfection (or cleaning) was sufficient, and no contaminants have impacted the aquifer and watershed and have migrated into the well. Additionally, within six months of the receding of floodwaters and again after one year, the well site should be evaluated for subsidence or other changes to the land within the vicinity of the wellhead. Flooded wells are often just one problem often during a deluge of problems that can have far-reaching impacts. Understanding the well and the steps necessary to get it back online are important. And the risk of problems from flooded water systems can be minimized if the risk is recognized and response plans are set in place beforehand. WWJ Water Well Journal March 2014 19/

Cameras in Treatment Work A downhole look helps you diagnose problems quicker and create loyal customers. By Jennifer Strawn

ll groundwater contractors know iron bacteria when they see it. “We were doing a well rehabilitation on a problem well that couldn’t have a pump in it longer than six months because it would get so seized up,” says Steve Strong, global sales manager with Laval Underground Surveys in Fresno, California. Strong and his colleagues suspected iron bacteria was to blame, so they put a camera down the hole to get a better look. “It looked almost like a lava lamp of floating biofilm,” Strong says. The side view of the camera showed an uncased granite well with what Strong describes as a “fluffy” coating of iron bacteria. “This well was just inundated with it,” he says. “Iron bacteria is easy to recognize, but the camera helped us understand just how bad the situation was.”

A

Jennifer Strawn was the associate editor of Water Well Journal from 2004 to 2007. She is currently in the internal communications department at Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio. She can be reached at strawnj2 @gmail.com.

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Cameras have become a standard tool in well rehabilitation work, but it hasn’t always been the case. “Before using cameras became standard practice, the results people were getting from mechanical or chemical cleaning of wells was very hit or miss,” says Kevin McGinnis of Cotey Chemical Corp. in Lubbock, Texas. “People thought we were selling snake oil. We didn’t know exactly why a well was losing production. We just theorized.” Now, cameras allow contractors to see down the borehole and pinpoint a well’s problem with better accuracy. “It takes the guesswork out of it,” says Al Boone, president of Boone Water Systems Inc. in Dayton, Ohio. “When we run the camera down, it gives us an indication right where the problem is. We can often pinpoint the problem just through the camera.”

Using a camera in treatment work Reduction in production rate, declining static level, water quality changes, and a reduction in specific capacity can indicate the need for treatment or rehabilitation of a well. Cameras provide a piece of the puzzle when determining the best treatment for the job.

Cameras enable contractors to pinpoint well problems with accuracy. All photos courtesy Steve Strong of Laval Underground Surveys.

“If you’re sick and you go to the doctor, they’ll check your ears and listen to your lungs. In other words, they look at a lot of things before giving you a diagnosis,” McGinnis says. It’s the same with well rehab work. Water level data and water quality data are important when evaluating a well problem, but a visual inspection of the borehole is also important. “In well rehab work it’s really helpful to get a look to see which of the many different reasons a well can decrease in performance and require treatment,” says Jeff Hoffer, a sales manager with Allegheny Instruments, manufacturer of GeoVISION borehole cameras. After pulling the pump, allow the well to clear before running the camera down the hole to get an idea of the severity and nature of the buildup. The camera can show whether the buildup is hard or soft. Then, perform some basic well cleaning to expose the well casing and screen. “The idea is to clean it gently, maybe some light brushing,” McGinnis says.

CAMERAS/continues on page 22 Water Well Journal March 2014 21/

CAMERAS/from page 21 “Just to get a bunch of junk out of the way so you can get a better look at the integrity and the structure of the well. If your screen or casing seems to be intact, you can develop a treatment process, whether that’s mechanical, chemical, or a combination of both.� Cameras also provide visual proof to well owners, particularly homeowners who may not be knowledgeable about groundwater or well systems. “Video surveys can be more persuasive than a graph of specific capacity reductions or other data,� Hoffer says. “It’s a much easier thing to show to a client. They can actually see the clogging or the bacteria on a TV screen while the camera is down the borehole.� Regular video inspections on municipal and industrial wells can indicate a need for treatment before a well actually fails. “Along with the collection of hydraulic and chemical data, periodic video inspections should be a part of any ongoing well maintenance and monitoring program,� Hoffer says. Boone works mostly with municipal and industrial wells where such mainte-

These images show an uncased granite well in Squaw Valley, California, before (left) and after (right) an iron bacteria treatment from Laval Underground Surveys, Dan's Pump Service, and Aquabiotics.

nance plans are common. For example, every five years a municipality may request a pumping test. Boone does the test with the existing pump in it and records the data. “Then, we remove the pump and run the video camera down the well before we perform any maintenance on it, like cleaning,� Boone says. “That will generally show any bad places in the well casing or if there’s any buildup or obstructions on the well screen. It helps us make a determination on whether the well needs to be rehabilitated.� Today’s smaller diameter cameras make it even easier to inspect municipal

wells. Many of the cameras are small enough to fit around the pump, so there’s no need to pull it. “Not all municipalities have the luxury of being able to take a well offline,� Hoffer says. “It also makes it quicker and less costly than pulling a pump out of the well.� After treatment is complete, a camera proves treatment was successful. After Laval Underground’s treatment of the granite well, a camera was run down the hole to show the improvements. “We put the treatment in the well on a Friday. We came back on Monday and pumped the well until it ran clear. Then,

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waterwelljournal.com

determine where they needed to put gravel. Cameras are also good for fishing operations, where it can show you what you’re fishing for and what tool you’ll need for the job. “You can also use it when you’re putting whatever type of tool you have down the bore to try to connect on to the piece that’s down the well, so you can actually watch while you’re doing it,” Hoffer says. “Without a borehole camera you’re just using touch and feel and guesswork. So it can save a lot of time in fishing to get tools back out of the bore.” Video inspections can also create loyal customers and extra income. “Anytime you’re pulling a pump, that’s an excellent time to run the camera down the borehole,” McGinnis suggests. “It’s a financial opportunity.” The camera may reveal work that needs to be done. If footage shows a dirty well, it could be used to sell regular cleanings. “We don’t wait for the oil light to come on before we change the oil in our car, yet with a well we often wait until they become severely plugged,” McGin-

we put the camera back down the well,” Strong says. “It was pristine—it looked like polished granite.”

Additional benefits of a camera Barnhart Pump Co. in Falcon, Colorado, advertises camera inspections on its Web site, but camera inspections for well rehabilitation is just a small part of the business, says company owner Steve Barnhart. “We use it for well rehabilitation maybe once or twice a year,” Barnhart says. “But it has definitely paid for itself. It has been an asset for many different reasons.” In one particular job, the camera was instrumental in saving historic wells in a nearby community. The wells were more than 100 years old and, given their age, many would have assumed the wells need to be condemned. “Many of the wells just needed liners,” Barnhart says. “We would have never been able to rescue them without the use of our camera.” The camera allowed Barnhart to see the condition of the boreholes, helped his crew determine what level to place perforated well casing, and helped them

nis says. “Just running a camera down a small house well might not generate any extra income, but it generates long-term loyalty or you could show them problems like a dirty well or damage in the well.” A camera also can be used to document a new well or completed repair work. A video log of a new well is often required for municipal work, but it can be a good idea for domestic or irrigation wells too. “It’s a good thing after a well driller’s completed a well and record it on DVD and give it to a client,” Hoffer says. “It can be very useful to show the customer, whether the customer is a homeowner or the engineer or the municipal water system owner. It can help a contractor educate them on wells and how they’re constructed.” Well owners may appreciate the extra step, creating a loyal customer who’s more likely to use your company again or recommend you to others. “People really are interested in what’s going on in their well,” McGinnis says. “They’re relying on the professionalism of the contractor to tell them what’s wrong with their well.” WWJ Be Reliable. | Be Effective. | Be In-Situ.

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Water Well Journal March 2014 23/

257 Caroline St. 257 Caroline St.

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Increasing the Value of Your Business

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wning a business is a great way of creating wealth and this is why many people start a business. Most studies indicate a business ownership interest is usually more than 50% of a business owner’s total net worth. If you own a business, it is probably your largest investment and it’s important to your financial future that you treat it like an investment. The major difference between your business investment and other investments (stocks, real estate, or 401k) is most business owners don’t treat their business like an investment or have a plan to grow its value. Growth in the value of your business will have a greater impact on your financial future than the growth in any of your other investments. Growing the value of your business begins with setting goals. Once you understand what your business is worth, the next step is to set goals on where you want the value to be in the future. Tim McDaniel is director of business valuations at Rea & Associates in Columbus, Ohio. He specializes in business valuation and succession planning. A recognized leader in the field, he has been involved in more than 2000 valuation engagements. McDaniel prides himself on using plain English to teach business owners the value of their most prized asset and how to increase that value. He is the author of Know and Grow the Value of Your Business: An Owner’s Guide to Retiring Rich.

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Setting goals to grow your business’ value will have you ready when it’s time to exit. By Tim McDaniel

What creates value is growth to the bottom line and not the top line. How much do you want your business to increase in value one year from now? Where do you want the value to be when you exit the business? It’s rare to see a business owner have specific goals for their business value as well as written strategies to achieve those goals. But the few I’ve witnessed doing this have been much more successful in growing the value of their business than a typical business owner. How do you increase the value of your business and make it more attractive to potential buyers? It’s simple to list, but much more difficult to implement. You can make your business more valuable and attractive with the following strategies.

Increase Your Future Sustainable Cash Flow

What is the goal of any investor? It’s to obtain a future cash flow stream. A buyer of your business looks at it like it’s a cash machine. Any actions taken that increase the future cash flow of your business will increase its value. Investors love to buy cash flow that is repeatable and can grow in the future. There is a three-prong approach to increasing your sustainable cash flow.

#1. Improve your gross margin levels.

You may be asking why I didn’t include growing revenues as a way to increase value. It’s because not all revenue growth leads to a higher value. What creates value is growth to the bottom line and not the top line. The best way to grow your bottom line is to improve your gross margin. Raising prices in today’s economy is difficult to do. However, instead of implementing a price increase across the board, you may want to consider raising prices on selected services and products where you have a competitive advantage.

#2. Lower your operating expenses.

In addition, you want to make sure you are producing or acquiring your products in the most efficient way possible. By lowering your material waste and labor costs, your gross margin percentage will increase. Also, buying your raw materials at lower prices will increase your gross margin percentage. You can do this by comparison pricing between vendors and with volume discounts. Operating expenses are the costs not related to producing a product or delivering a service. These costs include office rent, administrative wages, advertising, telephone, utilities, entertainment, and professional fees. Review all

VALUE/continues on page 26 Water Well Journal March 2014 25/

VALUE/from page 25

of your operating expenses on an annual basis and ask is this expense really necessary or if there’s a more efficient way in using the expense.

#3. Increase your growth rate.

The buyer’s perception of your future growth rate will impact the value of your business. The higher the expected growth rate, the higher the value of the business. You can increase the value of your business by developing a strategy to have sustainable profitable growth. This may include expanding your geographic reach, offering a new product or service, or making an acquisition.

Reduce Your Business Risk

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The Gus Pech Brat rig is the best all around rig for you. As we customize your rig with options as a bottom table drive, angle drilling, mud pit system, casing hammer attachment, rod spinner, carousel, or rod box. With our dual spindle head you can switch from rotary to coring with the touch of a button on the console. The Brat series is ideal for auger drilling with its high torque capability. We at Gus Pech will customize the rig to your specifications. Contact us today to get your new rig ready for you.

There is an inverse relationship between your business value and the required rate of return needed to entice an investor to buy your business. The level of the required rate of return is based on how much risk is associated with the business. The lower the risk associated with your business, the higher the value. The business owner can reduce business risk with the proper focus and strategies. Once you truly understand how specific risk factors impact your value, you will be motivated to set a plan of action to reduce your business risks. Some risk areas will take years to address while others can be minimized by simply purchasing insurance or making the right hire. Based on my experience, the following five areas are the most prevalent risk factors that impact business value. ►Employee issues Most privately held businesses have thin management teams and rely on a few employees to drive business performance. The loss of a key employee can significantly impact the company’s future cash flow. It is imperative that you build a strong management team and lessen the reliance on any one employee. ►Customer concentration Besides employee issues, having most of your revenues from a few customers lowers the value of a business. How would you feel about buying a company that had 80% of its revenues from one customer?

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►Low barriers to entry

Companies with low barriers to entry are more risky than those that have a high barrier to entry. How easy is it for a competitor to enter your market? You may be making a ton of money, but if it is easy for a competitor to grab your market share, it is unlikely the cash flow will be sustained. ►Inconsistent financial performance Buyers of businesses love to see cash flow that is repeatable. If there are two companies that have averaged $500,000 a year for the past five years in earnings, which one do you prefer? The one that has earned $500,000 each year for the past five years? The one that had earned $1 million two of the past five years and lost $500,000 the other three years? The more volatility you have in your historical earnings, the lower your business value. ►Litigation exposure Litigation is a fact of life for business owners. This risk area, if managed properly, will not impact the value of a business. It is important that you have the right insurance coverage to protect you from product liability, malpractice, employee issues, and other business risks. The same is true for violations against government agencies’ rules and regulations. A large EPA fine or an assessment from the IRS will negatively impact your value.

Professionalize Your Business

What does it mean to professionalize your business? It’s simply giving the impression to a buyer that your business has the look and feel of a well-oiled machine. It provides a buyer with additional confidence that they are making the right decision to buy your business. There are three main areas that will make your business more professional and more attractive to a buyer.

#2. Update your written employee manuals and job descriptions. A buyer wants to be confident the business will continue to be profitable after a transaction. It is not unusual for there to be some turnover of employees once a transaction occurs. What creates the future cash flow? Employees! Buyers will feel better about buying a business that has the employees’ roles and responsibilities well documented.

#3. Identify and document your intangible assets.

Intangible assets are important to all businesses. You want to make sure the buyer understands what they are buying when they purchase your business. They know they are buying inventory, fixed assets, receivables, and some intangibles (e.g., customers and patents). However, many intangible assets are much harder to identify. You need to communicate to a buyer all of your intangible assets that your business owns. The majority of business owners will eventually sell their business. A few will give it away to family members or simply shut down the business when they

Learn How to Retire Rich The book Know and Grow the Value of Your Business by Tim McDaniel is a guide for business owners on how to retire with wealth as it details how to adapt an investment mindset when running a business. The author points out the value of a business is the most important asset for an owner, so they must have an organized plan to increase it. The book lays out such a plan, including information on: • How a company is valued • Steps to immediately increase the value • Details on the different types of buyers • How to remove yourself from day-to-day operations • How to exit the business on your terms. The book is available in the NGWA Bookstore at www.NGWA.org.

exit. With this in mind, when is the best time to sell your business? It’s when your profits and growth levels are peaking and your business risks are at their lowest levels. So be sure you are in the best position to sell your business when you are ready to exit. Begin developing a plan now to make your business more valuable when the time comes. WWJ

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Water Well Journal March 2014 27/

By Carly Johnson and Victor J. D’Amato, CIH, CSP

Eye Injury Prevention Is Easy and Affordable A face and eye protection plan is important for every business. ye injuries that require medical treatment occur at an estimated rate of 2000 each and every day in the American workplace. That fact alone is a good reason to make sure employees at risk are protected from face and eye injuries. There are other reasons why face and eye protection in the workplace is so important. For one, compliance. Eye and face protection must be provided whenever necessary to protect employees from exposures to chemical, environmental, or mechanical irritants and hazards to the eyes. An employer can be fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for not providing an eyewash station, or for not complying with the General Duty Clause to provide a safe and healthy work environment. Incredibly, it is estimated that using the correct eye protection could lessen the severity or even prevent 90% of eye injuries.

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Carly Johnson is the project coordinator for Atrium Environmental Health and Safety Services LLC (Atrium), an environmental health and safety consulting firm in Reston, Virginia. She has two years of experience in environmental, health, and safety in biopharmaceutical industries and housing-related industries. Victor D’Amato, CIH, CSP, is the director for Atrium Environmental Health and Safety Services, a consulting firm in Reston, Virginia. He has 25 years of experience in conducting employee exposure evaluations in industries involving metal fabrication, including the military, transportation, maritime, and the construction industries.

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Eye and face personal protective equipment is not expensive. A good pair of safety glasses costs less than $20. Cost is another strong incentive to prevent eye injuries. The financial price of these injuries is enormous and can range from $300 to $3000 per incident. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than $300 million per year is lost in production time, medical expenses, and workers’ compensation. The return on investment for creating and putting into effect an eye and face safety program is huge. Eye and face personal protective equipment is not expensive. A good pair of safety glasses costs less than $20. Compare that to the expense of eye injuries. Emergency medical expenses and workers’ compensation. A worker permanently losing their sight in one or both eyes. The bad PR for the company. The impact on worker morale.

What Causes Eye Injuries? The goal of face protection is to shield the face and eyes from injury. Most impacts to the face come from flying objects, usually tiny little solid particles. When one of these hits the face, it might cause a cut or scratch and the skin will repair itself over time, given proper medical attention. If the particle hits the eye, it causes direct damage and it

becomes far more difficult for the eye to repair itself. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found most eye accidents resulted from flying or falling objects or sparks striking the eye. Injured workers estimated more than half of the objects were even smaller than a pinhead. Most of the particles were said to be traveling faster than a hand-thrown object when the accident occurred. Contact with chemicals is also responsible for occupational eye injuries. Other accidents are caused by objects swinging from a fixed or attached position. These could be tree limbs, ropes, chains, or tools that were pulled into the eye while a worker was using them.

Eye and Face Protection Programs As with any safety program, the first step in establishing an eye and face protection program is to conduct a hazard assessment. Hazards are assessed by occupation and work activity, and the hazard assessment will determine the specific type of protection that will be required for each activity. OSHA has an excellent eye and face protection tool at www.osha.gov/SLTC/ etools/eyeandface/index.html. It provides a comprehensive hazard assessment, information about selecting PPE, and OSHA requirements. After determining the hazards, the written program should document: • What PPE will be used to protect against these hazards • How the PPE will be selected waterwelljournal.com

• How workers will be trained to properly use the PPE assigned to them • How prompt emergency care will be provided in the event of an accident.

PPE Selection The ANSI standard for eye and face protection is Standard Z87.1 and it includes safety glasses, goggles, face shields, full-face and hooded respirators. In 94% of the incidents where workers wore eye protection, the injury resulted due to objects or chemicals going around or under the protector. Therefore, it is important to consider all possible exposures when selecting the appropriate PPE. For example, ANSI-approved safety glasses are appropriate and required for general hazards such as impact from flying particles and dust. Face shields are appropriate when there is a risk of getting hit in the face from flying particles. The fact is, impact-rated safety glasses or goggles may need to be worn under face shields because not all face shields are impact resistant. Because goggles sit tightly on the face and provide surround protection, they are more appropriate for highairborne dust concentrations, risks of chemical or liquid splashes, or significant vapor concentrations. Depending on the hazard, there are different goggles to choose from—direct vented, indirect vented, or non-vented. For a splash hazard, goggles should be used with a face shield to protect both the eyes and the face. If the worker wears reading glasses, ANSI-approved safety glasses and goggles are an option. It’s also possible to buy prescription lens safety glasses and goggles. ANSI-approved goggles and safety glasses are also available to fit over glasses but these may be uncomfortable to wear—thus increasing the likelihood they won’t be worn. The selection of safety glasses is wide open now as manufacturers like Harley-Davidson, NASCAR, and Smith and Wesson have even gotten into the game and stepped up to meet employee demand. Contact lenses can be a problem. If subjected to a chemical exposure, the chemical absorbs behind the lens and holds onto the eye and causes further damage. If contact lenses must be worn, Twitter @WaterWellJournl

the worker should bring an extra pair in case of contamination—or better yet, avoid contact lenses in hazardous situations altogether and use prescription goggles instead. Each chemical’s Material Safety Data Sheet should indicate if goggles are needed in addition to other required PPE.

PPE Training The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports most workers are hurt while doing their regular jobs. Workers injured while not wearing protective eyewear most often say they believed it wasn’t required by the situation. Even though the vast majority of employers furnish eye protection to employees at no cost, about 40% of workers report that they receive no information on where and what kind of eyewear they should use. The written eye and face protection program should also include information about when PPE is necessary, how to wear it, adjust it, take it on and off, care for it, the limitations of the PPE, and proper disposal. The program should also outline training guidelines. There is no annual requirement for retraining. Instead, the responsibility for making sure employees understand when and how to use their eye and face protection is on the employer. All the same, common sense would dictate any employee wearing PPE improperly or not at all needs retraining, as does any

employee involved in a new activity assessed as hazardous.

Emergency Care OSHA mandates that if an eye hazard exists, a means for flushing the eye must be provided. OSHA can cite an employer if they fail to provide an eye flush kit or eyewash station regardless of whether they’re complying with a specific standard under the General Duty Clause (the obligation to provide a safe and healthy workplace). There is an ANSI standard (Z358) for eyewash stations, and emergency eyewash stations must be able to provide a full 15-minute flush. In the field, eyewash bottles should be on hand for temporary assistance until an eyewash station can be reached. There are some larger portable eyewash stations available that can dispense water to the eyes for 15 minutes. When it comes to eye protection, employers cannot afford (literally) to allow their workers to become just more numbers in the statistics that record eye injuries. Drawing up an eye protection program is not an action undertaken just to avoid being fined by OSHA, or avoid bad PR, or avoid having workers think the company doesn’t care. No, an eye protection plan is simply the right thing—the safe thing—to do. WWJ

How valuable is your water? For Eddie, it was worth an entire cotton crop. Eddie’s crop was burning up. He needed more water and his well was not able to keep up. So he asked his well contractor to clean his well using Cotey Chemical products. “Cotey Chemical saved my crop! That’s money in the bank. I’m using their products in all of my wells and I recommend them to all my friends.” Eddie G. - West Texas Farmer

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By Denis Crayon

The Driller Who Always Makes It Look Easy When jobs provide the unexpected, professionals carefully evaluate their options. onnie Cespedes is the longesttenured field employee at my company with more than 16 years of drilling throughout New Jersey and has run every piece of equipment owned by the firm. Ronnie has a tendency to make it look easy, so it took a little convincing to get him to say he had a tough time of it on a recent job. His helper is Oscar Argueta, a man with more than 30 years of experience and who has seen it all with his first 20 years drilling and servicing residential water wells pump systems. Ronnie and Oscar have been together for the past two years and make a great team. Recently, they had a day that was nothing too unusual, but not exactly routine either. Ronnie was tasked with putting in a bedrock well for monitoring on a property he had visited before. This time he was there due to overhead electric lines. He was running his new Geoprobe 7822 using 6-inch augers to 10 feet and then air rotary to 45 feet to install a 2inch PVC monitoring well for a local dry cleaner. Doesn’t sound like too much, does it? He was given one day to complete the well, which isn’t unusual providing everything goes smoothly. He has run air rotary in the past many times using the Geoprobe 7822 and has a couple of specialty tools he uses to make life a

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Denis Crayon is the director of health and safety at Summit Drilling and president of the Experience Safety Institute, an organization dedicated to highly effective and systematic occupational health and safety training. He is a member of the NGWA Board of Directors and a national presenter and subject matter expert. He can be reached at dcrayon@summit drilling.com.

30/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

whole lot easier, including a rod breaker that installs in the hex for the auger cap.

Win Some, Lose Some Setting up was a major task as the well was located between the building the dry cleaner was housed in and the street on a sidewalk in a busy commercial district. Ronnie was asked to work this location with the Geoprobe 7822 due to the approximately 15-foot mast that would allow for drilling under the overhead electric lines. Police were also required on the street and sidewalk to assist with traffic control. Before the team could set the rig on the hole to drill, it had to air excavate the location down to 8 feet to ensure it didn’t encounter any utilities not accounted for with its 811 call. Ronnie set up the rig late in the morning by running the augers down to 10 feet and bringing up his compressor to tie into an 800 cfm/150 psi, which delivers more than enough for him to run his 6-inch downthe-hole hammer on NWJ rods to the required depth of 45 feet. If you have ever drilled in New Brunswick shale, also known as the Passaic Formation, you know that sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t. Why you ask? Oftentimes it is highly fractured, making it difficult to keep the borehole open. Oh, and one other thing. What do you normally find in highly fractured bedrock? That’s right, lots of water—and sometimes a lot more than you want! Plenty of water is great if you’re drilling a water well, but 20 gallons per minute for a small environmental well on a sidewalk using a small machine is no picnic. Ronnie hit that fracture that was delivering water at about 20 gpm at 30 feet

and knew he had his hands full. It was more than they could keep up with, especially knowing that he had another 15 feet to go and their pan could only hold a maximum of 75 gallons. They knew they couldn’t contain it all and definitely couldn’t allow their small pan to overflow and migrate to the storm sewer. The sudden need to manage containment for all this contaminated water in his tight work location required shutting down and engineering a set-up. They finished pumping off the water they had in their small tub into the remaining drums they had and secured the borehole for the overnight, barricading the location to make sure no one got hurt, and packed up all the equipment because they couldn’t leave anything on site. The great debate now was whether to bring a larger mud pan in or build the containment area around the rig once in place. They got back to the shop, made their decision, and loaded for the next day—a few 6-inch by 6-inch by 8-foots and plenty of plastic sheeting. They also grabbed a trash pump and plenty of hose to deliver the water to additional drums that they loaded to set on the site to fill as they drilled. So why not just bring the larger mud pan, you ask? They determined the area they were drilling in was too tight and it made more sense to build the containment area around the rig once in place than attempt to drag the pan in and out of the work area. They got back to the site the next morning and took the time to plan the set-up. They built the containment area with the timbers and plastic sheeting and then took a minute to pray they waterwelljournal.com

wouldn’t hit any more significant water-bearing fractures. Their prayers were answered. They hit one more small fracture at 42 feet that was only worth another 1 gpm.

Patience Pays Off They had the well in before lunch. Why? Because Ronnie and Oscar knew to step back. They realized they weren’t prepared to deal with the unexpected, and combined their years of experience to come up with a solution to a situation that could have easily gotten a younger, less experienced team in trouble. As drillers, sometimes we have to remember we have to take a few minutes to think about what to do before we regret making a bad decision. I’ve discovered patience was my best friend and the lack of it my worst enemy when confronted with the unexpected when drilling—whether it was a 500-foot water well or hand augering a well point on a Superfund site. Ronnie proved once again taking a few minutes to make the right decision pays off in a big way as he has a satisfied client for a job well done. If you are ever in a jam related to drilling, hydrogeology, pump information, etc., I highly recommend you check out the Groundwater Forum in the member center on the National Groundwater Association’s Web site. It can be found at http://community.ngwa.org/home and is an invaluable resource to solicit help from the thousands of groundwater professionals who frequent the forum. They routinely solicit and provide technical assistance, guidance, and advice from around the world. I hope to see you there. WWJ

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Water Well Journal March 2014 31/

By Ed Butts, PE, CPI

Through the Years All Those Well Pumps Ago Part 3(b): Submersible Pumps

ur “Through the Years” series is a new, irregular installment in Engineering Your Business. The series is intended to be a historical and mostly fond look back at all of the various well pumps and motors and installation methods we have used since the days electric motors started to turn them. As we venture back in time, I feel this is a good time to inform you I regard myself somewhat as a “water systems junkie.” I have collected and amassed a fairly good collection of engineering, technical, and sales data related to all kinds of pumps—positive displacement, jet, submersible, vertical turbine, and centrifugal—since 1972. For example, I possess technical data and installation instructions for submersible pumps from 1956 and on, cup sizes for Myers rod pumps from the 1930s, a copy of every single Franklin Electric service manual from the mid-1970s on, and the complete Jacuzzi injector codes for sizing the nozzle and venturi tubes on jet pumps from ¼ hp up to 20 hp. My collection even includes items such as old pump curves from virtually all manufacturers, and technical data from many water system component manufacturers such as data for the old Century Electric sub motors and the old style B/W and Warrick liquid level controls.

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Ed Butts, PE, CPI, is the chief engineer at 4B Engineering & Consulting, Salem, Oregon. He has more than 35 years experience in the water well business, specializing in engineering and business management. He can be reached at epbpe@juno.com.

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I was always amazed just how many different ways a control box could get connected, especially if there was a ground wire involved. My point is this: If you need to find out something about an old pump, a motor, or a component used for water systems, please contact me. I cannot guarantee I’ll have what you’re looking for, but I will certainly try to find it. As we now move to the next article in this series, I grant you my personal experience does not go back to the original creation of submersible well pumps. And although I cannot claim to actually working full time on wells and pumps in the 1960s, I can state I obtained a wealth of experience in the wide world of water well pumps during the 1970s and beyond to the extent I am regarded by most as an official “old timer.” In fact, since most of the installation and troubleshooting methods we used during the ’70s were exactly the same as were formed in the ’60s by those “older timers,” I feel I can relate to all of the earlier pump issues.

Early Pump and Motor Companies When I started to work full time in the well and water pump business in 1974, there were a multiple number of well pump and motor manufacturers from whom you could purchase whole or partial units. Although the pump manufacturers outnumbered the motor manufacturers,

there were still many submersible motor manufacturers around. These included companies such as Barnes, Century Electric, Colt Industries (Fairbanks Morse), Franklin Electric, Myers, Reda, Red Jacket, and Sta-Rite. At one point or another I had the opportunity to either install or service at least one of each of the previously cited manufacturers. Without naming names, I wish to state while I had high respect for all of these manufacturers, I did not necessarily wish to use their equipment on a steady basis. The primary prejudice I retained was against those manufacturers who insisted on retaining a non-NEMA motor design for matching to their pump end. This usually required a complete replacement of the entire pump and motor unit if either component failed, even if it was the pump alone that had failed. This often not only resulted in an unnecessary replacement of a perfectly good pump, but usually caused ill feelings from the customer as they often assumed they were being gouged and overcharged by us. Although the soon to be common five-year warranty packages covering the entire pump and motor often helped to soothe these customer complaints, the lack of logic behind the need to completely replace an otherwise functional pump or motor did not fully alleviate their concerns.

A Company with Respect And as we move into the subject of pump and motor manufacturers, let me start out by saying there is no firm in the water well industry I have more respect for than Franklin Electric. In my opinion, Franklin Electric has consistently waterwelljournal.com

Figure 1. A cutaway view of a Franklin Electric split-phase, two-wire motor.

series of motors, we encountered almost 100% failures. But I must add through our distributor Franklin Electric covered the warranty on each and every motor without question or blame directed at our installation practices. In fact, it was installing and then pulling these motors from the wells that convinced me Franklin Electric was a standup manufacturer that recognized mistakes when they occurred and stood behind their product. I like to think this corporate attitude and business philosophy is what has made Franklin Electric prosper when other submersible pump motor manufacturers have left the marketplace.

Talking Two-Wire Since we’re on the subject of submersible pump motors, let’s talk about two-wire motors for a minute. There were numerous manufacturers of two-wire motors in 1974, but most installers I knew didn’t trust them and preferred to stick with using three-wire motors with more reliable control boxes. Even though the reasons for this were numerous, there were two primary reasons I heard. One was the high failure rate of the two-wire motor as opposed to its three-wire brother when exposed to excessive cycling. The other was the relatively low starting torque. I particularly heard about the low starting torque in the type without start capacitors, which simply did not have the starting torque needed to overcome some of the tighter new pump ends, high heads, or sandy well conditions—and would often need to be replaced with a threewire unit. In the early 1970s there were three basic types of two-wire motor starting methods for submersible well pump motors: • Split phase (Figure 1) • Capacitor start • Permanent split capacitor

demonstrated two important traits that continue to make them one of the best manufacturers in the water well business. They are always working on developing and introducing innovative and necessary technologies for the water well industry and looking for ways to improve the existing products to help the installer with improving their installation and service skills. I think the Franklin Service Schools attest to this trait. I’ve attended 12 of them since 1974 and found something useful every time. But even with all of their successes, Franklin Electric is not immune to an occasional gaffe in my opinion. For example, witness the MT-3 motor. For those of you who do not yet creak when you walk, the MT-3 days refer to one of the only motor design failures Franklin Electric can lay claim to. As far as I can surmise, the MT-3 motor series was intended to be a lower-cost option for the original MT line of the entire stainless steel domestic units between ¼ hp up to 1½ hp. The MT-3 motor was essentially the same as the stainless steel units, with the exception of using Lexan plastic for the lower end bell. Whether it was overheating or misalignment of the Lexan end bell, improper or inadequate epoxy enclosure of the windings, or thrust bearing issues in the end bell, there were failures. In the single year my company used the MT-3 Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Split-phase and capacitor-start motors have both start and run windings with the design requirement that the starting winding must be removed from the motor circuit as soon as the motor reaches full speed. This is accomplished through use of a starting switch, either a solid-state or mechanical type of switch. Many installers told me the seemingly slow disconnect of the start winding using a solid state switch caused them and their customers angst, but I didn’t notice the same impact. Permanent split capacitor motors also contain and use startand-run windings along with an oil-filled capacitor connected across both windings. This type of configuration applies voltage continuously across both windings and therefore does not need a starting switch to operate. Of these three types, most of the two-wire motors at the time (about 75% of all manufacturers) were using a permanent split capacitor type of design that also provided the lowest starting torque of the three. These were often the so-called “cheap” motors made and sold by mass merchandisers such as Sears, Montgomery Ward, and a few others. They were an assembly line type of produced pump and motor unit, designed largely for the “do-it-yourselfer” who thrived on the challenge of installing their own well pump and avoiding the additional costs of hiring a professional.

ENGINEERING/continues on page 34 Water Well Journal March 2014 33/

ENGINEERING/from page 33 Many times the homeowner had enough savvy and skills to complete the job and their installations lasted for years. But in numerous other cases, our firm was called out to rescue the inept homeowner from himself, often to fish the dropped pump out of the well or to rewire the power supply from the 120 volts he had hooked it to (often directly from a wall outlet) to the 230 volts the motor was designed for. But our rescues usually consisted of reconnecting the control box on a three-wire unit. I was always amazed just how many different ways a control box could get connected, especially if there was a ground wire involved. The poor and unsuspecting and uninsulated ground wire was often used in a two-wire NM or UF cable as the red wire either in the offset run or down the well as drop cable, since after all we all know the black wire is for the black motor lead and by default the white wire has to be for the yellow lead, right? Once again, I’m amazed as to how many times these miswired installations would actually run the motor, albeit for a short time. The two-wire motor was supposed to eliminate all of that. It was intended to be the type of motor that would eliminate the troublesome and often difficult to install control box for the professional installer as well as provide an option to the do-it-yourself homeowner. Unfortunately, it did not always work out that way.

Figure 2a. Splice connection kit.

Figure 2b. Poured splice (using motor lead).

Splicing Full Circle Lastly, let’s have an overview of the various splicing and drop cable methods used since the inception of submersible pump motors occurred. Even from the early days of submersible pump and motor installation during the 1950s, there has always been an obvious disconnect between the factoryboxed and packaged pump and motor unit and the drop cable that conveys power to the motor. The unit was typically supplied with a pre-installed motor lead, but it was generally impractical and burdensome to supply the pumping unit with the pre-spliced drop cable to the proper length. It could be several hundred feet and the installer was usually forced to purchase the drop cable separately and attach—or “splice”—the cable onto the motor lead. This procedure was generally performed in the field, right before the installation started and could take hours to complete. Splicing the drop cable during my early days of pump installation generally revolved around the size of the motor along with the size and type of drop cable we were using. Three-wire cable was the norm at the time and the only variation of choice was whether or not the wire was flat, round, or twisted single conductors in shape and neoprene rubber or thermoplastic in insulation. Regardless of the splice method used, the one constant down through the years has been the use of preformed “buttconnectors” to connect the conductors together. The principal advantages in using a butt-connector for underwater splices lies in their universally round shape, which helps to prevent protrusions through overlying tape wraps and the strength of the connection. Generally, butt splices are made using special pliers, often referred to as “sta-kon” pliers, or for larger connections, a 34/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

specialized anvil or compression tool. Beginning in the 1950s, there were two common methods of attaching the motor lead to the drop cable. The first one involved the use of a taped splice, which we will discuss at greater length later, and the second method involved the use of an epoxy-poured splice. Although I only made around four or five epoxy-poured splices, I can relate that performing one required great patience and fairly decent weather. This type of splice involved the pre-connection of the three pairs of wires, usually through the use of heavily crimped butt-connectors once the leads and drop cable had been pulled through separate ends into a clear plastic sleeve that acted as the outer shield and encasement for the splice. Once the connections had been made and the splice joint pulled back to the approximate center of the clear sleeve (the sleeve was generally clear to enable the installer to know when the splice joint was situated in the middle), a heated or catalytic solution of an epoxy resin was generated and poured waterwelljournal.com

Figure 3. Mechanical splice.

Figure 4. Taped splice.

from the top to the bottom of the sleeve. Care was given to make sure the splice was poured rapidly to prevent premature setting of the resin, the sleeve was full of the resin when done, and all air bubbles were dislodged. Although this type of splice connection is not in common use today due to the high cost, time to complete, and specialized training and equipment needed, they are still commercially available and commonly used for underwater splice connections for power and communication cables used in ocean or undersea transmission settings (Figure 2a). Another version of this type of splice, shown in Figure 2b, involved the same type of poured splice to connect the drop cable to a power cable receptacle. The connection between the motor and the power cable receptacle was then performed using a two-ended jam nut assembly that plugged into the motor as well as into the end of the power cable receptacle. Either of these methods could take up to a full hour to complete and great care had to be taken to ensure the buttconnectors did not touch in any way. Otherwise a shorted connection could occur. There were several problems with these types of splices, mostly surrounding an improper or rushed assembly or the eventual migration of water into the splice joint—and failures were often seen after only a week or two in operation. But many of these splices, originally made during the 1950s and 1960s, can still be found powering well pump motors in water well and oilfield applications. Another method of splicing the motor lead to the drop cable used a mechanical splice connection (Figure 3). This method was fairly easy to make on new drop cable with good insulation and involved the centering of the butt-connector in the middle of a plastic tube with a rubber sealing ferrule and threaded cap used to compress the ferrule against the wire insulation. This type of splice kit was commonly shipped with new pump and motor units for several years and was popular with pump installers as no heat or specialized methods were needed to create an effective splice. This type of splice, however, also had limitations as they were not effectively interchangeable between wire sizes and an over-tightening of the cap could cause leakage of water into the connection. The next type of splice, known to almost all old-timers, is the taped splice (Figure 4). For many of us, performing a good taped splice was akin to a baptism into the pump business. In my case I was forced to watch another, more senior pumpman demonstrate several of them before I was allowed to make my first one. Our standard procedure consisted of a butt-connector connection between the motor lead and drop Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Figure 5. Heat shrink kit.

cable followed by a coating of Scotchkote solution, 3-4 wraps of 3M #70 or #2242 rubber tape, and then finished with several wraps of 3M #33 vinyl plastic tape. I readily admit I was proud of my taped splices, and to my knowledge never had a failure. In fact, in a few cases we actually used them to fish pumps from wells (more on this next month). Finally, the innovation and widespread use of heat shrink splice kits (Figure 5) has become almost universal in the pump industry and has essentially replaced all of the prior methods. It sometimes seems as if the splicing part of our work has come full circle as we are back to using heat to make splices, exactly as they did in the 1950s.

Thank You Finally, this month’s column represents the 150th edition of “Engineering your Business.” I want to thank all of you and say I have truly enjoyed penning this column for more than 12 years and look forward to several more. Your encouragement, input, and yes even occasional criticism, have made this a worthwhile endeavor. I appreciate all of your support. We will continue our series next month with more stories on the early years of submersible pump and motor technology and installation, as well as share a few I’m sure the younger pump people have not heard. Until then, work safe and smart. WWJ

Learn How to Engineer Success for Your Business Engineering Your Business: A series of articles serving as a guide to the groundwater business is a compilation of works from long-time Water Well Journal columnist Ed Butts. Visit NGWA’s Online Bookstore at www.NGWA.org for more information.

Become a Certified Pump Installer Show off your expertise by becoming a certified pump installer in NGWA’s Voluntary Certification Program. Being certified promotes your professionalism to your customers. Find out more at www.NGWA.org/Certification. Water Well Journal March 2014 35/

By Alexandra Walsh

Why an HR Audit? It’s critical to know if your company is in compliance with human resource policies.

human resources audit is a comprehensive method to review current human resources policies, procedures, documentation, and systems. What this does is identify any needs for improvement and enhancement of the HR function as well as assure compliance with frequently changing rules and regulations. At its best, a human resource audit helps management to:

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• Ensure compliance with wage-andhour laws and other employment and benefits-related statutes. • Examine the effectiveness and costs of HR policies and practices and their role in the organization’s strategic planning. • Benchmark actual against desired performance and develop an action plan for addressing shortfalls. • Save money by identifying and correcting inefficiencies and compliance problems.

The HR Audit Process Auditing human resources is a systematic process involving at least two steps. First, there is gathering information to determine compliance, effectiveness, costs, and efficiencies. The second step is evaluating the information and preparing a written report with an action plan based on exposures, Alexandra Walsh is the vice president of Association Vision, a Washington, D.C.–area communications company. She has extensive experience in management positions with a range of organizations.

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priorities, and a timeline for instituting changes. In order to reduce exposure to legal liability, some changes will need to be implemented immediately, while others can be completed in three to six months. Like a financial audit, an HR audit must be comprehensive if it is to be effective. The audit review includes but is not limited to: • Compliance with state and federal employment laws • Recruitment and selection processes • Employment-related tests • Employee relations • Performance-evaluation processes • Documentation, including employee handbooks • Job descriptions • Personnel records and files • Benefits administration practices • Benefit costs • Exempt and non-exempt employee classifications • Time-keeping and pay practices • Recordkeeping and posting requirements • Policies governing independent contractors • Training and development • Technology • Safety and security • Labor relations • Department infrastructure. There are several types of audits that can be structured to occur on a rotational basis or in one big project. The constraints of time, budget, and staff will help to dictate what is right

for your organization. Examples of the types of audits to consider might include: • Compliance: This audit focuses on how well the company is complying with current federal, state, and local laws and regulations. It may also anticipate and make recommendations for processes that will be impacted by pending legislation, and may include a review of compliance with the company’s code of ethics. • Best Practices: This audit compares the current practices of the organization with those of companies who are identified as having exceptional HR practices. • Strategic: This audit takes an overall view of HR functions and the strengths and weaknesses of each. It aligns with the organization’s strategic goals. • Function Specific: This audit targets a specific function of HR such as job classification and descriptions, personnel records, or I-9 documentation to verify employment eligibility.

Benefits of an HR Audit As with accounting audits, the findings and recommendations from HR audits are only as good as the information they provide. If you are not entirely honest and objective, no purpose is served. However, if staying on the right side of the law and reducing legal exposure are not enough incentive to launch your organization on the audit path today, consider the other benefits. Very typically, small to medium-size companies realize almost instant cost savings once waterwelljournal.com

an audit is complete and changes are acted on. For example: • Correcting benefit premium errors and overpayments can generate many thousands of dollars in savings. • Initiating a safety program can reduce workers’ compensation experience modification numbers, reducing annual premium costs by tens of thousands of dollars. • Shopping benefit costs among alternative carriers and modifying employer/employee co-pay ratios can recoup dramatic savings. • Examining the effectiveness of recruiting tools can pare the expense of filling positions. A small or medium-size firm also may benefit from using an HR audit to: • Study retention and turnover, employing a neutral party to solicit honest feedback from employees, and allowing the company to develop an action plan. • Examine the company’s foundation for its compensation philosophies and develop an objective method of

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grading jobs, with new ranges that are market-competitive and internally equitable. • Create or enhance an employeereferral program or internal jobs board. • Improve employee communication and ensure that the HR department is accessible. • Identify opportunities to outsource areas within human resources that offer more value to the company.

HR Audits Make Sense Because of the multitude of laws affecting each stage of the employment process, it is extremely important for an employer to regularly review their policies and practices to assure regulatory compliance in order to avoid potentially costly fines and/or lawsuits. An employer overlooking regulatory compliance with their human resource practices could face: • A fine of $1100 for any violation of the appropriate payment of overtime for non-exempt employees in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act

• Penalties as high as $10,000 each occurrence for failing to post required safety notices or keeping accurate records • Fines up to $1000 per employee for non-compliance with the Federal Immigration Reform Act. While penalties such as these help define the risk of non-compliance and signify the importance of conducting periodic HR audits, an HR audit can also ensure policies and procedures are fair and consistent across the company and strengthen employee satisfaction. By maintaining a satisfied and productive workforce, an employer lessens the expense associated with costly turnover of staff. Losing one employee is estimated to cost a company 50% to 150% of the lost employee’s salary in time and money spent to replace that employee. The time and cost of the audit will depend on the scope and size of the company. However, be assured that the audit will cost less than defending the company in court with a team of attorneys. WWJ

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By Ron Slee

How Are We Doing? Too often we complain, but we can explain. ince the end of 2013 I have been in communications with several hundred people through my consulting practice, the classrooms in management training, or at conventions. I’ve typically tried to get a read on the outlook and attitudes of the people in the various industries. This year more than most, I am getting mixed signals. Nothing is horribly negative or disturbing from a marketplace perspective. The market is going to be difficult in housing, but I don’t view that as anything new. The housing market is going to be under a rather radical transformation as 79 million Americans retire and leave the workplace between the years 2010 and 2030. Yes, you read that right. And those Americans will most likely change their primary residence. Unless the population grows, housing units are in all likelihood going to be static and replaced on an attrition basis. Government rules and regulations, tax laws, and the advent of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) have many worried about costs tied to payroll. This is understandable in that the industry business models have been in place for nearly 35 years since the Volker/Reagan team killed inflation and drove us to the current business models. We can work with it as long as we have time to make adjustments. Produc-

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Ron Slee is the founder of R.J. Slee & Associates in Rancho Mirage, California, a consulting firm that specializes in dealership operations. He also operates Quest Learning Centers, which provides training services specializing in product support, and Insight (M&R) Institute, which operates “Dealer Twenty” Groups. He can be reached at ron@rjslee.com.

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tivity gains can offset personnel costs, but they take time. And in the case of technology, they take investment and have a lead time to implementation. Gains can also be offset with price changes and standard charge recoveries. This also takes time to work through the supply chain.

Skill Shortage There are shortages of skilled people, and that makes things a challenge. Not just this year but for several decades to come. Yes that is correct—several decades. This is a serious problem in a multipronged way. The public school system, technical schools, junior colleges, universities—as well as legislators, school boards, unions, and businesses—have to come together to solve this for the good of the country. Simply stated, the young people who are coming into the workplace are not prepared. They cannot perform the fundamental tasks. They have trouble communicating, and then management doesn’t know how to effectively “onboard” the new employees. The comments I hear most are complaints that today’s youth don’t want to work and they’re not like we were. But I for one am pleased they’re not like us. I think they’re smarter, more varied in their interests, and the key attribute for me is they’re impatient. If they aren’t learning, if they don’t feel like they’re getting more walk-around assets (stuff that resides between their ears), they leave. And for that, this generation is being criticized. I think some of us need to look in a mirror on this one and spend more time clearly defining that which is

expected and listen more to how the youth view their job functions and what is expected of them. There seems to be a disconnect here between management and the younger workforce. Many businesses have adapted what it is they do. They have gone to the market and found niches or gaps that they have been able to move into that have supplemented their income streams. They have broadened the scope of what they do, entered new markets, and listened more intently to their customers and learned. This of course should be a constant. Asking customers what it is they need and want. Over time, though, we tend to become complacent and think we know what the customer wants. That isn’t now nor has it ever been true, and is a dangerous trap to fall into as a business. You must constantly be reaching out to your customers and asking how you can better serve their needs.

Nothing New This list is nothing new, is it? This is the type of business climate we have been in for all of my work life to some degree or another. Government getting in the way is a common complaint too, no matter what your political stripe. Talking about business conditions reminds me of the stories around agriculture. I have rarely met a farmer who is happy about his circumstances. There’s too much rain, not enough rain, too hot, too cold, frost didn’t go down deep enough, this, that, and the other. Yet every year farmers continue to farm. We complain about the shortages of people skills? Well, isn’t this a story of life? waterwelljournal.com

Everything we do, every aspect of our lives, is truly within our ability to do something about. I am no different than any of you. I work within the same arena. I am moved in the market just as you are in what I do. I have to make adjustments, adapt, and develop new tools and programs. I too have to work hard to keep up with the changes in technology. My first boss didn’t talk with me for the first several months of my employment. I was hired by the finance group to solve a computer system problem that related to the parts department and the parts department wanted nothing to do with me. He thought I was interfering in his world. I was young and he was old and there was clearly a generation gap there. Perhaps that is why I am sensitive to younger workers. I have also in the 45 years of my professional life seen many changes—new laws and regulations, recessions, economic dislocations, bubbles, and almost anything else that can be imagined. The thing that strikes me is we seem to be okay. We have our health and we have our work. Let’s not complain or make excuses about the world around us, the world we cannot control. Let’s drive the world we can control and make it a good one. One day there will be conversations about the good old days, and guess what? They’ll be talking about today. Good luck. The time is now. WWJ

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Water Well Journal March 2014 39/

By Julie Hansen

Brando’s Secret to Sealing the Deal When it comes to customer interaction, get creative. es, your customer has a need that your product or service can fulfill. But think of your customer also as an audience member, someone who is longing to be amazed, surprised . . . and yes, even entertained. What are you doing to make that happen? Where is the intrigue, the anticipation, the thrill in hearing the same sales pitch in the same way time and time again? As salespeople, we are guilty of programing customers and prospects to know exactly what we’re going to say and when and how we’re going to say it. If people believe they already know everything they need to know about you, your business, and your industry . . . Why do they need to see you? What’s in it for them? You’d better be able to answer that question if you want to get in the door and seal the deal with today’s busy decision-makers. The secret to creating a sense of curiosity that will turn “I don’t have time to talk to you again.” into “I wonder what he has to say?” comes from the great Marlon Brando.

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Do the Routine Thing in a New Way When Brando auditioned for The Godfather, the competition was stiff. In order to set himself apart, he put some thought into what would make his version of Don Corleone memorable. Julie Hansen is a professional sales trainer, speaker, and author. She authored the book ACT Like a Sales Pro in 2011 and has been featured in Selling Power, Entrepreneur, and Sales and Service Excellence magazines. She can be reached at julie@actingforsales.com and www.actingforsales.com.

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Fight the Conventional Take The more unique facets you offer, the more interesting, memorable, and marketable you and your services become. He decided that at some point in his life, this colorful character had been shot in the mouth. At the casting he stuffed his mouth with cotton, creating his legendary mumble. It wasn’t in the script or the direction. It’s something Brando thought up all on his own to make sure he would be remembered and increase his odds of winning the role. It worked. I’m not suggesting you fill your mouth with cotton on your next sales call. (Although if you do, I want to hear about it!) All the same, look for ways you can break up the same old sales routine.

Do the Opposite of What Is Expected Smart actors, like Brando, often make choices that are the opposite of what the script seems to call for—and what nine out of 10 actors will do. In sales, think about what your competitors are doing and how you might take the opposite tack. For example, what if you were to ditch the pitch entirely, and come in and detail the latest issues on water protection? Instead of telling a customer what your company does, why not share a quick story that leads right to the benefits for them. Thinking outside of the box will go a long way towards opening doors that lead to new business.

Comedian T.J. Miller auditioned twice for the movie Yogi Bear with no luck. Refusing to give up, he filmed himself goofing around with a real 600-pound bear! He won the role. Although wrestling a bear to win business is probably going too far, consider taking a step outside of the conventional in small ways. Introduce customers to free resources like the National Ground Water Association Web site, Wellowner.org, where they can calculate their own water use and water footprint. Your efforts alone will set you miles apart from your competition and have the effect both you and your message are remembered long after you’re gone.

Demonstrate Your Range Many actors make safe choices and choose similar roles over and over again so that audiences only get to see one side of them. Few actors have shown the range of Christian Bale. From a disturbing turn in American Psycho to an Oscar-winning performance as Mark Wahlberg’s emaciated, drug-addicted brother in The Fighter and more recently as the comb-over con man in American Hustle, he is always evolving. Show your customers more than one side of you. The more unique facets or expressions you offer, the more interesting, memorable, and marketable you and your services become. I used to keep my acting and sales careers separate. When I became more open about my acting interests and experience, it allowed my customers to become more open with me in turn. It created avenues for conversation and interaction that I couldn’t have imagined. waterwelljournal.com

Suddenly I wasn’t just another salesperson. I was their connection to local theater, their go-to person for insider information on their favorite celebrities, movies, and television shows. What about you? What are you passionate about outside of your business? Think about how you can connect that to a sales conversation. So let your competitors call every other Tuesday with the same old, same old tired pitch. But you, think about Marlon Brando and get creative with your message and how you deliver it. This year, make them an offer they can’t refuse. . . . WWJ

Get Business Tools at the NGWA Bookstore Head to the Online Bookstore at the Web site of the National Ground Water Association when you’re looking for your next business tool to aid your business. Found can be cost calculators, contracts, best suggested practices, and more. The calculators are for water well drilling, pump installation, and geothermal drilling. Users put in their costs and specific scenario so they can find out what is needed to achieve their desired profit. Also available are contracts for water well drilling and pump installation jobs and 17 best suggested practices. The contracts feature samples with blanks so users can fill in their own company and job information. The BSPs have been demonstrated to show superior results. Visit the Online Bookstore at www.NGWA.org when it’s time to find your next business tool.

Help guide the course of groundwater. The National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation has helped guide the course of groundwater — both the resource and the industry — with its educational, research, and other charitable activities, for the past two decades. NGWREF helps support those who are helping to make groundwater available to those in need of potable water both here and abroad . . . advance groundwater science and knowledge . . . and educate future generations of groundwater professionals.

Donate today. www.NGWA.org/NGWREF t Operated by NGWA, NGWREF is a 501(c)(3) public foundation.

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Water Well Journal March 2014 41/

COMING

EVENTS

March 3/ Get Ready for the NGWA Congressional Drive-in (online brown bag session)/ 12 p.m. ET. PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customer service@ngwa.org, Web: www.NGWA.org/ Drive-in March 7/ Vermont Ground Water Association Annual Meeting/ Montpelier, Vermont. PH: (802) 274-4276 March 7/ Washington State Ground Water Association Driller and Pump Installer CEU Seminar/ Tacoma, Washington. E-mail: colleenmastro@hotmail.com, Web: www.wsgwa.org March 8/ Washington State Ground Water Association Driller and Pump Installer CEU Seminar/ Tacoma, Washington. E-mail: colleenmastro@hotmail.com, Web: www.wsgwa.org March 9–11/ 2014 South Dakota Well Drillers Association/North Dakota Well Drillers Association Convention/ Bismarck, North Dakota. Web: www.ndwda.com March 9–15/ National Groundwater Awareness Week/ PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customer service@ngwa.org, Web: www.NGWA.org/ AwarenessWeek March 17–21/ NGWA Congressional Drive-in/ PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customerservice @ngwa.org, Web: www.NGWA.org March 18–21/ WQA Aquatech USA/ Orlando, Florida. Web: http://s36.a2zinc .net/clients/WQA/WQA2014/public/enter .aspx

March 20–22/ Tennessee Water Well Association Annual Meeting and Trade Show/ Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Web: http://tnwaterwellassociation.org March 28–29/ 2014 Pacific Northwest Ground Water Expo/ Portland, Oregon. Web: www.pnwgwa.org April 3–5/ Ontario Ground Water Association 62nd Annual Convention and Trade Show/ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. Web: http://ogwa.ca April 8–9/ West Virginia Water Well Driller’s Association Spring Conference and Trade Show/ Sutton, West Virginia. PH: (304) 636-6025 or (804) 387-8395 April 9–11/ WaterTech 2014/ Banff, Alberta, Canada. Web: www.esaa-events .com/watertech

May 12–16/ 11th International Energy Heat Pump Conference/ Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Web: www.iea-hpc2014.org

April 10/ Ball State University Geothermal Conference—GEOCON II: Design, Drilling and Equipment/ Muncie, Indiana. Web: http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/centersand institutes/cote/sustainability/conclave

June 6–7/ Utah Ground Water Association Professional Education Day and Summer Retreat/ Moab, Utah. Web: www.utahgroundwater.org

April 22/ Earth Day 2014/ Web: www .earthday.org April 24/ Geoprobe® Open House/ Salina, Kansas. Web: www.geoprobe.com April 25–26/ Empire State Water Well Drillers Association Spring Meeting/ Middletown, New York. Web: www.ny welldriller.org May 1–3/ Florida Ground Water Association Annual Convention and Trade Show/ Orlando, Florida. Web: www.fgwa.org/ convention.php

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May 6–7/ Maintaining Water Quality in the Distribution System/ New Brunswick, New Jersey. www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/ current/eo0201ca.html May 8/ NGWA Conference on Characterization of Deep Groundwater/ Denver, Colorado. PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customerservice @ngwa.org, Web: www.NGWA.org/ DeepGW

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May 4–7/ 2014 NGWA Groundwater Summit/ Denver, Colorado. PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customerservice@ngwa.org, Web: www.groundwatersummit.org

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June 8–12/ AWWA ACE14/ Boston, Massachusetts. Web: www.awwa.org/ ACE14 June 9–11/ Field Methods: Groundwater Sampling and Analysis short course/ Westerville, Ohio. PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customer service@ngwa.org, Web: www.NGWA.org June 10–14/ Canwell 2014/ Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Web: www .canwell2014.com July 17–18/ Empire State Water Well Drillers Association Summer Meeting/ Alexandria Bay, New York. Web: www.ny welldriller.org July 26–28/ South Atlantic Jubilee/ Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Web: www.jubileewatershow.com *Dates shown in red are National Ground Water Association events. *Dates shown with are events where the National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation’s McEllhiney Lecture will be presented. Lecture schedules are subject to change. Check www.NGWA.org for the latest information.

For info, call 800-364-2124 for the location of your nearest distributor. For info on other Barrett Pump Stop products, visit www.BarrettPumpStop.com.

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Andy Smith, Senior Engineer Ranney Collector Wells/ Layne NGWA member since 1998 Why did you join NGWA?

I’m NGWA

The need for CEUs — and to be part of the well drilling community. We’re not typical well drillers — we do a lot of different water supply projects. But groundwater is the primary thing we do with collector wells, which is induced filtration, so we wanted to be associated with the groundwater industry.

How does NGWA help you professionally? Networking and knowledge. I go to Expo most years and I’ve learned a great deal beyond just what we do as far as what’s important out of there to the industry and how things get done.

What would you recommend to a student or someone new to this particular field? Get out on a drilling rig. See how the rig works, how the water comes out of the ground, how the sampling is conducted.

Find out more about what being a member of NGWA can do for you and your business today! www.NGWA.org/Membership t 800 551.7379 t 614 898.7791

NEWSMAKERS PROMOTIONS/NEW ADDITION Boshart Industries announced the promotions of Debbie Schur and Todd Housley to territory managers and the addition of Jim Pflugrad as a direct sales representative. Brenda Hanna will continue to be responsible for the eastern United States and western Canada. Schur joined Boshart Industries in January 2010 as a sales executive. She has been appointed to the position of territory manager for the central United States. She came to Boshart Industries with many years of experience in the water well market, working as Debbie Schur a sales manager for a competing company. Housley joined Boshart Industries in January 2012 as a direct sales representative for the states of Idaho, Montana, and Utah. Todd Housley He has been appointed to the position of territory manager for the western United States. Previous to Boshart Industries, he worked for a sales representative agency that carried the Boshart Industries product line. Pflugrad joined Boshart Industries in November 2013. Working in sales and

marketing positions for most of his career, Pflugrad brings with him extensive knowledge of the pump and well market. He has held positions as national sales manager for Jacuzzi Brothers, vice president of sales and marketing for Aermotor, and executive director sales and marketing for American Marsh Pumps. He has also been very active in numerous industry associations. He will be responsible for water well accounts in the Jim Pflugrad states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, and Indiana. BUSINESS GROWTH Jet-Lube Inc., a manufacturer of quality environmentally acceptable drilling compounds, lubricants, sealants, and related specialty products, announced that it has acquired Design Water Technologies, a water well rehabilitation chemical and processes company. The purchase will better serve the water well industry with solutions for treating water well casing and pipeline applications where contamination from iron bacteria and coliform are present. Design Water Technology will become an additional product line for the

water well division of Jet-Lube Inc. Houston, Jet-Lube Canada, and JetLube UK. AquaLocate, manufacturer of the GF6 seismoelectric groundwater location technology, announced a software and hardware update. The GF6 seismoelectric technology is used to locate groundwater for well development by detecting aquifer depth and yield before drilling begins. The new design is sensitive to deeper signals with an improved user interface that will allow for easier groundwater data collection and interpretation. Atlas Copco, a provider of sustainable productivity solutions, has closed its acquisition of Edwards Group Ltd., headquartered in the United Kingdom. Edwards is a technology and market provider in sophisticated vacuum products and abatement solutions. The products and services are key to manufacturing processes, such as for semiconductors and flat panel displays, and are used within an increasingly diverse range of industrial applications. ANNIVERSARY Nelsen Corp. is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2014. The company will celebrate with a 60th anniversary sweepstakes—every dealer in good standing will receive one chance to win for each $500 in invoiced merchandise. The grand prize winner will receive a new Ford F-150 pickup truck. According to the release, there is no limit to the number of times an individual dealer may enter the contest, and dealers can earn bonus entries through online sales, commercial orders, or sales increases. NEWS ON THE WEB North American Specialty Products LLC, formerly CertainTeed Pipe and Foundation Group, a provider of specialty PVC pipe and residential and commercial building products, has launched a new Web site offering information on its line of products. The Web site, www.naspecialtyproducts.com, is organized into sections on PVC pipe products and foundations building products, making it easy to quickly find relevant information.

44/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

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JOURNAL

2014

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

is looking . . . . . . for a few good pictures!

Do you have any high-quality color photos that depict water well or pump work? Photos of any step in the design and installation of a water system are welcomed. The selected photos will appear on the covers of upcoming issues of WWJ. Look through your files and mail in your best photos today! Name ____________________________________________________________________________ Company name ____________________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip ______________________________________________________________________ Phone __________________________________________ Fax ______________________________ E-mail ______________________________ Enclosed you’ll find ______ photos for Water Well Journal. I understand that these photos become the property of the Water Well Journal, and will not be returned. If any photo is selected for use on a WWJ cover, I further understand that I will be paid $250 and my photo credit will appear on the issue’s contents page. Signed ______________________________________________________ Date ________________ Instructions: Mail to WWJ Photos, 601 Dempsey Rd., Westerville, OH 43081-8978. Please enclose glossy prints, slides, or send high-resolution digital photos to tplumley@ngwa.org. Please include a description of the activity taking place in the photo.

®

FEATURED

PRODUCTS

Solinst Offers Versatile Tag Line The Solinst Tag Line provides a simple method to measure the depth of a backfill sand or bentonite layer during the completion of a well and to measure depth to the bottom of a well. The Tag Line uses a weight attached to a durable

polyethylene coated stainless steel wire line in lengths up to 1000 feet mounted on a sturdy freestanding reel. Cable markings are accurately laser etched every ¼ feet. The 316 stainless steel tag weight comes in two sizes, standard ¾-inch diameter and narrow ½-inch. The weights can be clipped on and off the cable. This allows the reel-mounted, marked cable to be used as a support to accurately lower bailers, pumps, or other sampling

Nothing gets by us. MANUFACTURING SCREEN WIRE

300 SERIES / TITANIUM / H A S T E L L OY® / I N C O N E L® 55 DEFCO PARK ROAD, NORTH HAVEN, CT / USA EMAIL SCREENWIRE@ULBRICH.COM 800 243-1676 / 203 2 39-4 481 W W W.ULBRICHSHAPEDWIRE.COM

46/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

devices to specific depths in a well. Marking accuracy improves sampling efforts and the wire line provides a safe suspension system that is easy to deploy and retrieve. www.solinst.com

Flomatic Unveils 316 Stainless Steel Wafer Style Check Valve Flomatic Corp. introduces a new all 316 stainless steel wafer style check valve, Model 888S6 and Model 888S6R. This new wafer check valve is available in 2 inches through 8 inches with metal to metal seating (888S6) or with a Buna-N option (888S6R) for a drip-tight sealing. The Model 888 valve is designed for simple flange-supported installation and will operate equally well in any position and is suitable for ANSI 125# or 250# mounting. The double-guided springloaded poppet system maximizes efficiency and minimizes water hammer with an easy field exchangeable internal system. The Model 888 is recommended for booster pump systems, mechanical contractors, general utilities, irrigation systems, and HVAC liquid service. www.flomatic.com

Rockmore International Announces New ROK 250 DTH Hammer

Rockmore International, a global manufacturer of rock drilling tools for DTH and top-hammer drill rigs, has introduced the ROK 250—a new 2-inch class DTH hammer. This new addition to the broad range of Rockmore’s high performance DTH hammer line is a breakthrough for DTH drilling technology. The ROK 250 model is considered to be the first 2inch class DTH hammer ever developed to operate under high air pressure levels waterwelljournal.com

FEATURED up to 350 psi (24 bar) and beyond. With a 2.6-inch wear sleeve diameter, the ROK 250 is designed to drill 3- to 3.5inch-diameter holes at high penetration rates. Traditional 2-inch DTH hammers suited to drilling 3-inch holes are not designed to withstand higher operating air pressures and are often limited to 145 psi (10 bar). The low energy values at such pressure levels result in poor hammer performance and low penetration rates, thus increasing overall drilling costs and adversely affecting hole diameter selection. www.rockmore-intl.com

Xylem Debuts Efficient Line of Pumps for HVAC and Plumbing Systems

Xylem Inc.’s Bell & Gossett brand Series e-1510 single stage end suction centrifugal pumps launched in January. Xylem, a global water technology company focused on addressing the world’s most challenging water issues, redesigned the complete line of its bestin-class 1510 pump—now called the e-1510—to provide the highest overall efficiency in the end-suction market for HVAC and plumbing applications. With the largest efficiency island compared to other similar pumps, the e-1510 reduces electricity consumption, improves overall system performance, and lowers life cycle costs. This new and extensive efficiency profile enables users to maintain significantly higher levels of efficiency over a much wider range of operating conditions. The Series e-1510’s dramatic improvement in efficiency is the result of cutting edge computational fluid dynamics design technology, deep hydraulic engineering expertise, and

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Xylem’s comprehensive knowledge of HVAC and plumbing applications. www.xyleminc.com

North American Specialty Products Introduces Larger Restrained-Joint PVC Pipe North American Specialty Products LLC, a provider of innovative PVC pipe for potable and reclaimed water, and gravity and force main sewer systems, introduced new, larger sizes of its Certa-Lok C905/RJ restrained-joint pipe. The Certa-Lok C905/RJ PVC pipe is the industry original non-metallic mechanically restrained joint system designed for use in potable and reclaimed water, fire protection, and force main sewer systems. Certa-Lok C905/RJ PVC pipe, which is also available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, is made in cast iron outside diameters and meets all performance requirements of AWWA C905. Certa-Lok pipe provides a restrained joint by using precision-machined grooves on the pipe and in the coupling/integral bell that, when aligned, allow a spline to be inserted, resulting in a fully circumferential restrained joint that locks the pipes together. A flexible elastomeric seal (O-ring) in the coupling and/or integral bell provides a hydraulic seal. The pipe incorporates the company’s time- and field-proven Certa-Lok restrained-joint system into a uniquely designed, metal free, patented coupling specifically engineered to stand up to the demands of trenchless installation for large diameter pipe. www.naspecialtyproducts.com

PRODUCTS

tial site investigations and for long- or short-term applications. Installation is easy using NPT carbon steel extensions and any direct push or drilling technology, including a convenient manual slide hammer. The piezometer tip and screen are stainless steel, and a barbed fitting allows a sample tube to be attached to obtain representative samples. A tubing bypass is used so that the tubing is not damaged while the piezometer is installed to depth. Where an airtight connection is most desirable, a compression fitting option is available. The 615N, designed without a tubing barb, is to be used for water level measurements. To ensure that the screen does not clog or smear, shielded versions are available for sites with high silt or clay content. www.solinst.com

Ergodyne Announces New Thermal Knit Dipped Glove Ergodyne has announced the expansion of their ProFlex Glove Line to include the ProFlex 921 thermal rubber-dipped dorsal impactreducing glove. The new 921 rubber-dipped glove offers the same patent pending dorsal protection, grip, flexibility, and dexterity as the popular 920 nitrile-dipped glove. The glove uses a thermal acrylic fleece seamless knit construction to provide exceptional warmth in cold conditions. www.ergodyne.com

Shallow Groundwater Monitor Well Solution from Solinst Designed for Many Applications

Thomas & Betts Introduces New Mobile 2.0 iPad App

Solinst drive-point piezometers are excellent permanent or temporary wells used to monitor shallow groundwater, soil, and gas up to 25 feet below surface. These well points are ideal for ini-

The recent 2.0 upgrade to the T&B Mobile iPad application from Thomas & Betts features a new tools button to retrieve literature, view videos, and scan barcodes on T&B product packaging. Water Well Journal March 2014 47/

FEATURED

PRODUCTS

T&B Mobile 2.0 is an upgrade to the application that was launched in April 2013. In addition to the new tools button for literature and video, the upgrade features an expanded favorites’ folder that holds up to 30 documents, all of which can be sent via e-mail or saved for future reference. The upgraded app also features a new PDF reader for more efficient navigation. Thomas & Betts, a member of the ABB Group, is a global leader in the design, manufacture, and marketing of essential components used to manage the connection, distribution, transmission, and reliability of electrical power in utility, industrial, commercial, and residential applications. www-public.tnb.com/pub

Krohne Variable Area Flowmeter Is Approved for North America Hazardous Areas

well as for dust-ignition or explosionproof installations. http://us.krohne.com

Krohne Inc., a global technology provider in the development, manufacture, and distribution of accurate and reliable level and flow measurement products for the process industries, announces the company has received North American approval for use of the H250 M40 variable area flowmeter in hazardous areas. Since its introduction in 2011, the H250 M40 has achieved more than 30 approvals worldwide for hazardous gas and dust areas. The H250 M40 combines the major explosion protection types in one device. It can be used in any suitable application that requires intrinsically safe or non-incendive wiring strategies as

Hammond Provides Stainless Wallmount Enclosures with Superior Locking The new HWSSHK 304 and 316L stainless steel wallmount enclosures from Hammond Manufacturing are available in a market-leading 30 sizes, ranging from 24 inches × 20 inches × 6 inches to 60 inches × 36 inches × 16 inches. They offer excellent corrosion resistance that does not degrade after scratching or other surface damage with high resistance to chemical attack. Sealed to NEMA 4X (IP66), the units are UV resistant and are stronger and more vandal-proof than GRP alternatives. They are designed for installation in harsh industrial environments such as the water industry, oil and gas plants, utilities, mining conveyor belt controls, and process control applications. www.hammfg.com

Spotlight the best in the groundwater industry! Submit your NGWA award nomination today. NGWA® awards, presented annually, spotlight those whose contributions through service, innovation, research, safety, and projects of scientific and technological importance advance the growth and well-being of the groundwater industry. Submit your nomination today to recognize those in the groundwater industry who deserve to be spotlighted in 2014! Nominations are due June 1, 2014.

www.NGWA.org/Awards 48/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

waterwelljournal.com

Classified Advertising/Marketplace 15 Bits Bits, subs, stabilizers, hole openers, etc. Over 10,000 bits in stock.

R L C Bit Service Inc. 8643 Bennett Rd. P.O. Box 714 Benton, IL 62812 www.rlcbit.com

ƨȯȺȻȳɀΎƚȷɂΎƛȽȻȾȯȼɇΎȽˎȳɀɁΎ ȶȷȵȶΎȿɃȯȺȷɂɇΎȲɀȷȺȺȷȼȵΎȰȷɂɁΎȴȽɀΎȯΎ ɄȯɀȷȳɂɇΎȽȴΎȯȾȾȺȷȱȯɂȷȽȼɁΎ˱Ύ ȲɀȷȺȺȷȼȵΎȱȽȼȲȷɂȷȽȼɁ˷Ύ ͻ ƠȷȵȶΎƩɃȯȺȷɂɇΎ ͻ ƫɃȾȳɀȷȽɀΎƨȳɀȴȽɀȻȯȼȱȳ ͻ ƜɃɀȯȰȷȺȷɂɇ ͻ ƮȯɀȷȳɂɇΎȽȴΎƙȾȾȺȷȱȯɂȷȽȼɁ ͻ ƚȷɂΎƪȳɅȽɀȹΎƫȳɀɄȷȱȳɁΎ

Ph: (618) 435-5000 Cell: (618) 927-2676 Cell: (618) 927-5586 Fax: (618) 438-0026

Jason Corn E-mail: rlcbit373@frontier.com Rick Corn E-mail: rlcbit77@frontier.com

19 Bucket Drill Rigs

22 Business Opportunities

FOR SALE: Gus Pech H-48 bucket rig. 120 kelly, factory rebuilt table motor and Kelly hoist; new main pump. Mounted on 1997 Ford twinscrew. Cat diesel deck engine, big block Detroit in truck. Call (605) 670-9567.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Complete drilling and service company for sale. 48 years of established customers and still growing in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming. 2 drilling rigs with all support equipment. Shop and house also available. List of equipment is available upon request. Serious inquiries only. Call (308) 436-2584 or (308) 631-0092.

Call us Today! www.palmerbit.com sales@palmerbit.com

JOURNAL

1-800-421-2487 A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Look for the April Issue of WWJ

18 Breakout Tools BREAKOUT TOOLS SEMCO Inc. All Hydraulic Hydrorench S110H In Stock 1-10 Four Rollers Breaks Pipe Make Pipe to Torque Specs 800-541-1562 Twitter @WaterWellJournl

The next issue of Water Well Journal is an important one as it focuses on rules and regulations affecting the groundwater industry. There will be a feature story on the newest rules and regulations for drivers under the FMCSA as well as one on the right to know rules on working safely with chemicals. The April WWJ will also feature its columns authored by industry experts, monthly departments, and more. Look for the issue soon!

3 Appraisals Equipment Appraisals Nationally recognized and accredited equipment appraisals for water well drill rigs and well drilling equipment for banks, lenders, mergers, accountants, estate planning, IRS, and auctions. Experienced, knowledgeable, and recognized worldwide in the water well drilling industry. Accurate and confidential appraisal reports.

SALVADORE AUCTIONS & APPRAISALS 401.792.4300 www.siaai.com Water Well Journal March 2014 49/

57 Direct Push Supplies

60 Down Hole Inspection Water Well Inspection Systems

New Product Announcement

SCHUMAPROBE

75 Electric Motors EQUIPMENT WANTED: Electric motors wanted. Vertical hollow shaft pump motors. 20 to 500 hp good or bad, will pick up. PH: (800) 541-1562.

Porous Polyethylene Sparge Screens

Portable, truck or trailermounted Retrofit your existing vehicle New Zoom feature for 2013 360° side wall viewing color cameras Inspection depths up to 5,000 feet

Pipe Size: 1� ID and 2� ID Pore Size: 20 Micron and 40 Micron Available Length: 24� Standard Length: Available Up to 60� Ends: Male X Female ASTM Flush Threads NPT and Sch80 Adapters Available

Pre-Packed Well Screens 1/2� up to 4� ID Available Custom Injection Pre-Packs Annular Bentonite Seals All Stainless Steel Pre-Packs *GeoprobeŽ Compatible Supplies & Tooling* *Johnson ScreensŽ Distributor* *Proactive PumpsŽ Master Distributor*

Toll Free 1-888-240-4328 Phone: 1-609-631-8939

Fax: 1-609-631-0993

ectmfg.com proactivepumps.com torquerplug.com

Contact us at: Toll Free: (800) 671-0383 (559) 291-0383 ext.111 Fax: (559) 291-0463 Email: jim.lozano@ariesindustries.com Or visit us at: www.ariesindustries.com

105 Injection Pumps

/ 8 7 , / 0 1 . 0 1 ,, 2 #"" 1 " 3 4

, 5 1 6 . , /% 1% / . 7

, 1 ,. . 7 * , 9, * 8 , : * , , * ,

80 Employment

!!"#$ %&'!!"( #) #! * +&'!!"( #) !$)# *, -* ,.

Driller/Drilling Crew

For temporary hire With or without drill rig Willing to travel 30+ years experience 484-225-8729 610-791-9500

106 Installation Accessories See what you’re missing . . .

Heat Shrink from B&B Wholesale

Rig transportation also available.

71 Drilling Equipment

Didn’t find what you were looking for? Try NGWA’s Career Center at www.careers.ngwa.org for more opportunities. Whether you are looking for the right job or the right employee, the NGWA Career Center can provide you with an industry-specific listing to hone your search. Questions? Call Rachel at 800 551.7379, ext 504, or e-mail rgeddes@ngwa.org.

"We are the heat shrink people" - Heat shrink kits for #14 to 4/0 wire - Volume pricing - Custom kits made to order - Private labeling available - Quick shipping - Four types of heat shrink tubing in stock - Large selection of installation accessories including pressure gauges, tapes, valves and tank ďŹ ttings packages Supplying "Made in USA" heat shrink tubing to pump and well installers since 1994. 800-593-9403

50/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

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76 Elevators J & K To o l C o m p a n y I n c .

Kwik Klamps 1 & 2 (adjustable 1 –2 or 21⁄2 – 4 ) NEW – Kwik Klamp 3 (for 6 PVC) Elevators for PVC well casing (sizes 1 –16 ) Heavy Duty PVC Elevators (sizes 4 –8 ) Flush Joint PVC Pipe Clamps (sizes 4 –24 ) www.jktool.com sales@jktool.com Tel 320-563-4967 Fax 320-563-8051

1 – 16 Elevators All steel with safety latch. SEMCO of Lamar 800-541-1562 Fax 719-336-2402

Credit Cards Accepted

Standard Manufacturing

Largest water well pipe elevator manufacturing company in the United States.

Phone:

(936) 336-6200 (800) 337-0163 Fax: (936) 336-6212 E-Mail: StandardManufacturing @yahoo.com Web site: www.standardmfg.com

Dealers Wanted

SkyRex Water Well Elevators 1 thru 36 for casing, column pipe, tubing, and drill pipe

PVC Lightweight Elevators Stock Sizes: 3 ⁄4 thru 16

* Same Day Shipping * Complete Reverse Circulation Drill Strings

806-791-3731

JOURNAL

REX MCFADDEN CO.

Put your company’s message here!

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Get More Details with WWJ Buyers Guides Get more product information with Water Well Journal ’s buyers guides online. The complete guide with the ability to search by company name, product type, and location is available at http://info.ngwa.org/wwjbg/. You can also view the annual rigs and pumps buyers guides at WWJ’s online home at www.WaterWellJournal.com. Check them out today!

Classified advertising is a great way to reach the water well industry. Call Shelby to make arrangements at 1-800-551-7379 ext 523.

Did you know? Water Well Journal classified advertisements

80 Employment HELP WANTED: Sonic/HSA/direct push drilling skills a plus. Please forward resume to dbond@cascadedrilling.com. Cascade Drilling L.P., 6215 Lehman Drive, Flint, MI 48507.

112 Miscellaneous

appear online (at no additional cost) each month at www.waterwelljournal.com.

Water, Wells, and Life

Check it out!

Small book, mostly true. Written from experience. $20 each, prepaid.

Add a color to your display classified ad for only $49. Please call Shelby to make arrangements 1-800-551-7379 ext. 523

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Send payment and address to: Jim Lacey 47582 240th St. Dell Rapids, SD 57022

Water Well Journal March 2014 51/

115 Mud Pumps

128 Pump Pullers

Hydraulic drive mud pumps —small and lightweight—

71/2 10 duplex pump • Fits in the place of a 5 6 • Pumps 300 GPM at up to 800 PSI • Weighs 1000 lbs. less than a 5 6 • Single and three cylinder models also available

TRACTION MOBILITY PERFORMANCE AND PREFERRED

PUL-A-PUMP DO THE WORK

LET

973-697-2008

Centerline Manufacturing U.S Pat. #6,769,884 and others pending

P.O. Box 155, Stockholm, NJ 07460 www.pulapump.com

903-725-6978

www.centerlinemanufacturing.com

PUL-A-PUMP CORPORATION

90 Equipment New Low Prices

Low yield well? Get more water without overpumping. www.wellmanager.com ✔ Use on wells yielding as little as 0.10 gpm. ✔ Turn-key collection and delivery system. ✔ Fits through 24” doors. ✔ Good money from bad wells. For more information, log-on or call 800-211-8070. © Reid Plumbing Products, LLC

Well Manager Ad ad for only $49. Add a color to yourClassified displayDisplay classified “Overpumping” Please call Shelby to make arrangements Water Well Journal 1-800-551-7379 B&W 2 col 4.25”ext. x 2” 523 1-2-12 1570 WM 52/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

waterwelljournal.com

125 Pump Hoists 2013 Ford Trucks Available

S4,000 Pump Hoist, 8,000# cap., 35 telescoping mast, 30 gal. oil tank, hydro pump, 5T safety hook, hydro controls and variable speed engine control . . . . . . . . . . . . $15,665

S6,000 Pump Hoist, 16,000# 3L cap., 35 telescoping mast, 30 gal. oil tank, hydro pump, 5T safety hook, hydro controls and variable speed engine control . . . . . $17,950

S8,000 Pump Hoist, 22,000# 3L cap., 36 telescoping mast, 30 gal. oil tank, hydro pump, 7T safety hook, hydro controls and variable speed engine control . . . . . $22,950

S10,000 Pump Hoist, 30,000# 3L cap., 40 telescoping mast, 30 gal. oil tank, hydro pump, 9T safety hook, hydro controls and variable speed engine control . . . . . $32,500 S12,000 Pump Hoist, 48,000# 4L cap., 44 telescoping mast, 6000# tail out line, 72 gal. oil tank, hydro pump, 11T safety hook, hydro controls and variable speed engine control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,250

S15,000 Pump Hoist, 60,000# 4L cap., 48 telescoping mast, 6000# tail out line, 72 gal. oil tank, hydro pump, 13T safety hook, hydro controls and variable speed engine control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $44,895

S20,000 Pump Hoist, 80,000# 4L cap., 40 telescoping mast, 6000# tail out line, 72 gal. oil tank, hydro pump, 13T safety hook, hydro controls and variable speed engine control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,230 S25,000 Pump Hoist, 100,000# 4L cap., 40 telescoping mast, 6000# tail out line, 100 gal. oil tank, hydro pump, 15T safety hook, hydro

controls and variable speed engine control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $82,545 S30,000 Pump Hoist, 120,000# 4L cap., 40 telescoping mast, 6000# tail out line, 100 gal. oil tank, hydro pump, 15T safety hook, hydro controls and variable speed engine control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $96,945

Equipment in Stock

5T Smeal, PR, bed, toolboxes, 2004 Ford F-650, Cummins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,950

S6,000 SEMCO, 35 derrick, 2 speed, winch, remote control, 25 hp Honda deck engine, 2-96 toolboxes, painted blue and white, 2-pipe racks w/straps, 11 steel flatbed, 2011Ford F-350 gas, automatic, 4 4, white . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$53,035

2008 Ford F-450 XLT diesel 4WD 6 speed manual with 76,000 miles. 2000 9 Omaha tiptop service body with a 2000 Smeal 6T derrick. For more information please call 636-234-4170.

S6,000 SEMCO, 44 derrick, triple line option, 2 speed, PTO, RC, PR oil cooler, 2-aux. valves, sandreel, light kit, bumper w/receiver hitch, 11 bed, toolboxes, 2014 Dodge 5500, 6.7 diesel, 6 spd. manual, 4 4, white . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$85,040

137 Services

S8,000H SEMCO, 36 , 2 spd., RC, 2-PR, aux., SB w/platform, w/1998 International 4700 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $48,950

SEMCO Inc.

P.O. Box 1216 7595 U.S. Highway 50 Lamar, CO 81052 (719) 336-9006 / (800) 541-1562 Fax (719) 336-2402 semcopumphoist@yahoo.com www.SEMCOoflamar.com See our ad on page 7.

REPAIRS: Eastman deviation survey clocks (mechanical drift indicators) repaired. We also have three, six, and twelve degree angle units, charts, and other accessories in stock. Call Downhole Clock Repair, (325) 660-2184. ABCC Drilling LLC is ready and willing to help our drilling industry brothers. Crews available for hire with or w/o drill rig. Call (610) 791-9500 or visit our web site: www.abccdrilling.com

129 Pumps Stop dry start problems with

Vesconite Hilube

bushingsG Can run dry

G G G G G

G Increase MTBR Low friction No swell G Avoid shaft Increase MTBR seizures Reduce electricity Quick supply

Tollfree 1-866-635-7596 vesconite@vesconite.com www.vesconite.com

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

139 Slotting Machines DEPENDABLE WATER...WHEREVER YOU ARE

Reliant Solar/Electric Water Pump™

Rugged, Simple, Affordable

www.artisanpumpco.com

J & K To o l C o m p a n y

PVC Screen Slotting Machines

PVC Threading Machines

Perforating Machines Affordable, easy to operate automated machines with touch screen programming.

www.jktool.com sales@jktool.com Tel 320-563-4967 Fax 320-563-8051

Water Well Journal March 2014 53/

135 Rigs

DRILLING EQUIPMENT

3$576 6$/(6 6(59,&( 1(: 86(' 5(%8,/7 ‡ 5RWDU\ +HDGV ‡ $LU &RPSUHVVRUV ‡ *HDUER[HV ‡ 6ZLYHOV

New condition, completely restored and rebuilt 1974 Super George SG-48 mounted on a 1975 International Harvester truck, Tandem axle with 35,000 original miles. Brand new. $112,000 O.B.O. Call Rick. 1-305-910-4758 Cell. Or rickbluewater @gmail.com. Miami, Florida. U.S.A.

‡ QRODQGGULOOLQJ FRP ‡ QRODQGGULOO#QRODQG FRP

Award-Winning Patented Technology

www.sonic-drill.com

SONIC DRILL CORPORATION Suite 190#120, 119 N. Commercial St. Bellingham, WA 98225 1-604-588-6081

Did you know? Water Well Journal classified advertisements appear online (at no additional cost) each month at www.waterwelljournal.com.

Check it out! FOR SALE: Reverse circulation/bucket rig. 2007 Gus Pech on Freightliner. 300 new 8 reverse tools 30 bit, 20 rods, air lift circ. 100 , 4 scope with 30 bucket. Diesel up and down, Hi torque, 4 jacks, hose winder, derrick push out, good machine 400K. More tools available, will seperate. Call Gary Sisk (816) 517-4531. ABCC Drilling LLC is ready and willing to help our drilling industry brothers. Crews available for hire with or w/o drill rig. Call (610) 791-9500 or visit our web site: www.abccdrilling.com FOR SALE: BE 22W Series 2 - Cont. 6 cyl. deck eng. Ser#132185 mtd. on 1970 Ford LN700 truck. $16,000 OGO. Call (217) 246-2762. h2owell@consolidated.net for photos.

54/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

133 Rig Parts Enid Drill Systems Inc www.eniddrill.com Enid Drill Systems Inc 580-234-5971 www.eniddrill.com Fax 580-234-5980 580-234-5971 Fax 580-234-5980

4510 E Market, Enid, OK 4510 E Market, 73701 Enid, OK USA 73701 USA

x New rigs—custom designs x x New rigs—custom designs Quality rig repair service x x Quality rigused repair service needs New and equipment x x New and used equipment needs “Transfer of Technology� - the x “Transfer Technology� - the must haveofbook for all drillers! must have book for all drillers!

waterwelljournal.com

176 Water Level Measurement

Ground Water Monitoring Instrumentation Geokon, Inc. manufactures high quality hydrological instrumentation suitable for a variety of ground water monitoring applications.

Phone: 760-384-1085

Fax: 760-384-0044

Geokon instruments utilize vibrating wire technology providing measurable advantages and proven long-term stability. The World Leader in Vibrating Wire Technology Geokon, Incorporated 48 Spencer Street Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766 | USA

Only $995

Place probe in well Turn unit ON

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• • • •

Measures to 2000 ft Built-in data logger Nothing to lower in the well NO Contamination!

For more information, ask your local distributor or contact us at: Phone: (910) 778-2660 Toll Free (888) 803-3796

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Waterline Envirotech Water level indicators made in the USA for over 30 years.

360-676-9635 www.waterlineusa.com

160 Trucks 30-Freightliner Trucks 6 6, 60 Series Detroit, HT740, Allison Trans., Rockwell Axle, 68KGVW, 315/80 R22.5 Michelin, Low Miles SEMCO, Inc. Phone (800) 541-1562

Add a color to your display classified ad for only $49. Please call Shelby to make arrangements 1-800-551-7379 ext. 523

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Water Well Journal March 2014 55/

180 Water Trucks

178 Water Treatment

Specializing in quality custom built epoxy coated Flattanks any gallon or tank length sizes with or without material handling IMT cranes. All tanks are sandblasted and painted with polyurethane paint. Many options available. Engineered for convenience and durability, allows the user to operate at any type of drilling operation. Our drill site Flattanks support trucks are built with simplicity and functionality. Call us for our used truck – new tank inventory list.

NORTHWEST FLATTANKS Steve Wipf (406) 466-2146 E-mail: steve@northwestflattanks.com

Cell (406) 544-5914 www.northwestflattanks.com

182 Well Location Services

184 Well Packers

56/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

waterwelljournal.com

184 Well Packers

185 Well Rehab • CUSTOM BUILT PACKERS

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Water Well Journal March 2014 57/

185 Well Rehab

186 Well Screens Stainless Steel Carbon Steel Galvanized Steel Wedge-Wire

Well Screens ENVIRONMENTAL SERIES

3/4-inch 1-inch 1.25-inch 1.5-inch 2-inch

Slotted Pipe

18102 East Hardy Road Houston, Texas 77073 USA Phone: 281.233.0214; Fax: 281.233.0487

Toll-free: 800.577.5068 info@alloyscreenworks.com www.alloyscreenworks.com

Advantages of Surge Block Method Most effective way to develop any well Produces more water, less color and turbidity Only the surge block method “back washes” the well screen, removing clay bridge, sands and silts Flexible wiper creates suction and pulls water into the screen (not available with other methods) Constructed of inert long-lasting materials Capable of lifting water over 50 feet Removable ball valve prevents water from flowing back into well and will not clog with sediments Fast, effective and saves time and money

PRODUCTION SERIES

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For more information visit: www.welldeveloper.com 850.727.4427

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Classified Advertising Deadlines: First day of the preceding publication of magazine (December 1 for March issue). No guarantees after that date. This applies to renewals, cancellations, and any revisions. All classified ads must be prepaid by check or credit card. Commission rates do not apply to classified ads. Current month’s classified ads are posted on our Web site at www.ngwa.org/pdf/classify.pdf for no extra charge. 58/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

Get Safety Resources Online You can never be too safe, so take advantage of safety resources online. Go to the Web site of the National Ground Water Association and check out the resources it has available at www.NGWA.org/ProfessionalResources/safety/pages. Also while you’re at the Web site, make sure to check out NGWA Press’ newest safety item, Safety Meetings for the Groundwater Industry, a set of 52 sheets that provide information so companies can hold weekly safety meetings on topics specific to their industry. waterwelljournal.com

INDEX OF Page

Page

A.Y. McDonald Mfg. 1 (800) 292-2737 www.aymcdonald.com Allegheny Instruments 9 (800) 255-1353 www.alleghenyinstuments.com Baker Mfg., Water Systems Division 10 (800) 523-0224 www.bakermfg.com Barrett Supply 42 (800) 364-2124 www.barrettpumpstop.com Better Water Industries 26 (507) 247-5929 www.betterwaterind.com Cotey Chemical 29 (806) 747-2096 www.coteychemical.com Foremost Industries 2 (800) 661-9190 (403) 295-5834 (fax) Franklin Electric 16 (260) 824-2900 www.franklin-electric.com GEFCO/King Oil Tools 12 (800) 759-7441 www.gefco.com Geoprobe ÂŽ Systems 20 (800) 436-7762 www.geoprobe.com

Geothermal Supply 31 (270) 786-3010 www.geothermalsupply.com Gicon Pumps & Equipment OBC www.gpeltd.com Gus Pech Mfg. 26 (800) 383-7324 www.guspech.com Hoeptner Perfected Products 41 (408) 847-7615 www.freezeflow.com In-Situ 23 (800) 446-7488 www.in-situ.com Laibe/Versa-Drill IFC (317) 231-2250 www.laibecorp.com Merrill Mfg. 13 (712) 732-2760 www.merrillmfg.com Mount Sopris Instruments 27 (303) 279-3211 www.mountsopris.com NGWA/Awards 48 (800) 551-7379 www.ngwa.org

ADVERTISERS

Page

NGWA/Buyers Guide (800) 551-7379 www.ngwa.org NGWA/Certification (800) 551-7379 www.ngwa.org NGWA/Groundwater Awareness Week (800) 551-7379 www.ngwa.org NGWA/Membership (800) 551-7379 www.ngwa.org NGWA/NGWREF (800) 551-7379 www.ngwa.org/ngwref NGWA/Pacific Northwest Ground Water Expo (800) 551-7379 www.pnwgwa.org North Houston Machine (800) 364-6973 nhmi2@earthlink.net Premier Silica (800) 947-7263 www.premiersilica.com Robbco Pumps (806) 749-7475 www.robbcopumps.com

Page

SEMCO 7 (719) 336-9006 www.semcooflamar.com Sonic Drill 15 (604) 888-1388 www.sonic-drill.com Southwire IBC (770) 832-4590 www.southwire.com Star Iron Works 24 (814) 427-2555 www.starironworks.com Sumoto 11 0444/490515 www.sumoto.com Ulbrich Stainless Steel 46 (800) 243-1676 www.ulbrichshapedwire.com Water-Right 5 (920) 739-9401 www.water-right.com Well-Vu Camera 44 (800) WELLVU1 www.wellvu.com WorldWide Electric 8 (800) 808-2131 www.worldwideelectric.net Wyo-Ben 37 (800) 548-7055 www.wyoben.com

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Water Well Journal March 2014 59/

CLOSING

TIME

A rig from Terracon Consultants sits on a cofferdam on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The rig had to get transported to the cofferdam via a crane. The dam, built in the 1940s, has locks that are extremely small for the barges that regularly travel on the river. The construction project will significantly increase the size of the locks.

The Terracon rig was drilling boreholes for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers job that will expand the locks on the Chickamauga Dam.

The drilling, which was part of phase one of the project, went through limestone. The deepest holes were drilled to 95 feet. There is not a known date for completion of the project at this time. All photos submitted by Darren Swolley of SIMCO Drilling Equipment Inc.

Terracon, which is located in Birchwood, Tennessee, drilled on the cofferdam, which is a temporary dam, so instrumentation could be set up to measure water levels and gather other data during the construction project.

“Closing Time” is the page of Water Well Journal that showcases—you! It will always feature a few pictures of people at work at job sites around the world. Please send in photos and brief descriptions and you just

60/ March 2014 Water Well Journal

may be the subject on the last page of an issue of WWJ. And remember, if your photo is selected as the cover image of WWJ, you receive $250. If your photos are selected, you will be

asked to fill out a photo disclaimer form that grants the National Ground Water Association the royalty-free right to display the photos. Please send high-resolution digital photos to tplumley@ngwa.org.

waterwelljournal.com

Without quality wire, it’s just another hole in the ground. How fast a hole becomes a well sometimes depends on a shipment of quality water pump cable. With distribution centers conveniently located across the US, Southwire is committed to providing quicker shipments and better customer service. Call 1-877-OEM-Wire/1-877-636-9473 or visit www.southwire.com for ordering info.

© 2014 Southwire Company. All Rights Reserved. ®Registered Trademark and TMTrademark of Southwire Company.

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