February 2012

Get ready for National Groundwater Awareness Week, page 18

JOURNAL

February 2012

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Don’t Get Stuck in the Muck Avoiding geothermal pitfalls are a must, page 21 Also inside: Accident investigations, page 44

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JOURNAL

Vol. 66, No. 2 February 2012 www.waterwelljournal.org

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

FEATURED ARTICLES 21 Do Your Geothermal Homework Don’t Get Stuck in the Muck

By Mike Price

Part 1: Avoiding geothermal pitfalls are a must if you want to successfully diversify into this market.

27 Comfortably Cool

By Jennifer Strawn

A hybrid geothermal system keeps polar bears at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium content year round.

31 Defying Odds

By Mike Price

A slumping economy didn’t stop the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo from attracting a record number of exhibitors, making it the 14th best attended event.

Page 27

DEPARTMENTS

6 Editor’s Note Your Occupational Family

12 ry 20

Februa

NAL JOUR

8 Guest Editorial The Benefits of Membership 10 In This Issue 12 Industry Newsline 18 The Log 19 Web Notes 52 Coming Events 53 Newsmakers 54 Featured Products 57 Classified Marketplace 67 Index of Advertisers 68 Closing Time

IN EVERY ISSUE

ON OF LICATI A PUB

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About the cover Two-hundred-foot boreholes are drilled for a geothermal system by Andrews Construction at a house near Valley Lake in Iowa. Andrews Construction is located in Osceola, Iowa, and used a SIMCO 2800 drill.

Photo submitted by Darren Swolley of SIMCO Drilling Equipment Inc. ®

Member of BPA Worldwide.

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.

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Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Water Well Journal February 2012 3/

JOURNAL A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Advancing the expertise of groundwater professionals and furthering groundwater awareness.

Executive Director Kevin McCray, CAE

kmccray@ngwa.org

NGWA President John Pitz, CPI Director of Publications/Editor Thad Plumley tplumley@ngwa.org Associate Editor Mike Price

mprice@ngwa.org

Copyeditor Wayne Beatty

wbeatty@ngwa.org

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

Page 21

sfleck@ngwa.org vwiles@ngwa.org

Circulation Coordinator Katie McKee kmckee@ngwa.org Contributing Writers Ed Butts, PE, CPI; Donald W. Gregory; David T. Hanson; William J. Lynott; Michelle Nichols; Christine Reimer; Al Rickard, CAE; Jill Ross; Ron Slee; Stuart A. Smith, CGWP; Lana Straub; and Jennifer Strawn 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 2012 by the National Ground Water Association. All rights reserved.

Our circulation is audited, ask for a statement today.

An APEX award winner nine consecutive years with 21 total awards, most in the groundwater industry.

FEATURED COLUMNISTS 34 Engineering Your Business by Ed Butts, PE, CPI Groundwater Treatment Part 4. Regulated Contaminants

44 Safety Matters

by Gary Ganson, CIH, CSP Accident Investigations A root-cause analysis can prevent a reoccurrence of accidents on the job site.

46 The After Market by Ron Slee Curious, Trained, and Motivated Employees This is the battleground of the next 20 years.

48 Savvy Selling by Michelle Nichols Fresh Ideas for Overcoming the Price Objection Suggestions for handling the most common obstacle to a sale: “It costs too much.”

50 Your Money by William J. Lynott Divorce the Bank?

If banking today frustrates you, follow these steps to ensure your finances are fine.

The views expressed in the columns are the authors’ opinions based on their professional experience.

4/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

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EDITOR’S

NOTE

Your Occupational Family

A

s my cousin and I sat together at a restaurant, catching up our recent time away from each other was not evident at all.

Craig lives out of town, but a multi-day job had brought him to my city, so we arranged to meet for dinner.

It had been nearly 16 months since we last saw each other. But that night in the restaurant we resembled the two silly kids who used to run around my grandparents’ yard laughing and having fun for hours and hours.

That’s how it is when you have a strong connection with someone. You pick up where you left off last—even if there is a 16-month gap—and you know that person will be there when you need them.

Coincidently, that day I had spent time at my office on a pair of projects that reinforced the power of good connections.

I reviewed pictures taken at the 2011 Ground Water Expo. There were dozens and dozens of images of people talking and catching up with one another at the event’s different sessions.

Some of the people talking shop in the pictures are from opposite ends of the country. Ask them, though, and they’ll tell you that other person in the frame with them is firmly in their network of trusted colleagues.

I finished the workday by reading an editorial from a National Ground Water Association member who detailed the different aspects of his membership that he makes use of.

The person wrote that his favorite benefit was the friendships he has developed through the years, adding that he knows if he needs anything, assistance is a phone call away.

That’s one powerful tool to have in today’s marketplace. It’s one that can be a difference between closing and not closing a job.

Do you have such colleagues?

Can you pick up the phone and the voice on the other end will listen to the latest task perplexing you? Is there a chance they will have encountered something similar and will be willing to take a few minutes from their busy day to tell you what they did?

Obviously a professional association is a great way to cultivate such connections. Whatever group you belong to, make sure you take advantage of the networking opportunities afforded to you.

Someone once told me she said yes to every extra professional opportunity afforded to her when she was young to build a network of colleagues. She now has a family of people who can aid her in her field—an occupational family of respected confidants.

Make sure you build your occupational family. You may not need them for 16 months, but they’ll be there when you do.

Thad Plumley is the editor of WWJ and director of publications 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 Wiles in the NGWA sales department at (800) 551-7379. ● ● ● ●

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.

Circulation is audited by BPA Worldwide. Ask for a statement.

6/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

Shelby Fleck

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 Sharren Diller. Subscriptions: Water well contractors and other qualified groundwater industry personnel in U.S. and Canada — free; others in U.S. — $105 per year; $15 per copy. Canada – $120 per year; $24 per copy. International: $140 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 Wiles

waterwelljournal.com

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By John W. Pitz, CPI

The Benefits of Membership

I

am like the little kid let loose in the candy store when it comes to describing the benefits of being a National Ground Water Association contractor member. Where do I begin?

In addition to the numerous tangible benefits, I value the reinforcement of my groundwater professionalism. Whether it is interacting with my fellow NGWA members in a committee or task group; attending the Ground Water Expo, the Ground Water Summit, or another conference; or representing the Association as a member of the NGWA Board of Directors, I am in an environment where my professionalism is recognized and

promoted. It is these reprieves from the daily grind that allow me to appreciate that I am a groundwater professional and what I do is important.

Of all the other benefits, the ones that make my administrative life easier are the cost calculators (drilling cost calculator, pump installation calculator, and geothermal cost calculator). The calculators keep me current on my pricing, allow me to produce timely proposals and invoices, and provide me a checklist for preparing for a job.

The benefit that I find the most interesting is The Well, the Association’s online forum. You sign up and discussions from all over the world are at your John W. Pitz, CPI, is president of N.L. Pitz Inc. fingertips. Many of the topics do not in Batavia, Illinois. He is the 2012 NGWA directly impact my work, but they sure president. are interesting.

The Well is followed closely by the Water Well Journal, the Well Log, and the Brown Bag Web seminars. All are We don’t just supply included with the price of membergeothermal products, ship, and all are a we specialize in them. tremendous source of information— information that is Our products are backed pertinent to my by more than 20 years of work just as geothermal installation Ground Water experience.

Monitoring & Remediation and Ground Water are geohydrosupply.com to members in 800-820-1005 Phone the scientists and 330-852-4437 Fax engineers division.

997 State Route 93 NW Sugarcreek, OH 44681 The benefits Non-Pressurized QT Flow Center that provide peace of mind are the free—comes with membership— $50,000 accidental death and dismem-

8/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

Circle card no. 14

berment insurance and the WellGuard insurance program. Hopefully there will never be a need for the $50,000 insurance, but it is good to know that it is there. The WellGuard program is customized for the needs of the groundwater professional.

The NGWA focus is to provide an insurance alternative for members, and the Association endorses the WellGuard program. By endorsing the program, NGWA receives non-dues revenue, which is used to supplement the NGWA safety program. This creates a situation where even those who don’t participate in WellGuard benefit.

Besides all the benefits that come with membership at no extra cost, there are programs, products, and events available at a discount for members.

Discount to the Expo, courses, conferences, Webinars, bookstore items, and certification program are all available to NGWA members.

The amount of a single discount might not seem significant at the time, but over the course of a year one’s total savings can greatly decrease the actual cost of membership. Getting all that good stuff at a reduced rate is great.

The most satisfying benefit for me is being a director on the NGWA Board.

This is the ultimate experience for being involved in the groundwater industry.

I understand that there are a limited number of opportunities, but the reward is so great that I think it warrants all to try.

But the best benefit of being an NGWA member for me is the friendships that are developed. I’m talking solid, lifelong friendships with great people. Maybe we only see each other once a year, but we pick up as if it was yesterday. I know that if I need something, assistance is only a phone call away. Good friends are invaluable.

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IN THIS

ISSUE Price writes about the National Ground Water Association’s voluntary certification designation for geothermal drillers, the Certified Vertical Closed Loop Driller (CVCLD).

Gary Henderson, owner and operator of Premier Geothermal in Ankeny, Iowa, talks about the importance of the certification after becoming the first to earn it.

T

he February 2012 issue of Water Well Journal focuses on geothermal technology as it contains a pair of feature articles on the technology. The issue also contains its regular columns, editorials, departments, and a recap of the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Associate Editor Mike Price begins a two-part series “Do Your Geothermal Homework,” with the first article titled “Don’t Get Stuck in the Muck” on page 21. Price speaks with water well contractors on the importance of avoiding geothermal pitfalls to successfully diversify into this market.

Such topics include: knowing the true cost of doing business, reading the fine print of a contract, and maintaining a sense of professionalism. The drillers share their experiences from past geothermal projects and what their hopes are for the future of geothermal drilling. In the accompanying sidebar article,

Freelance writer Jennifer Strawn also provides a recap of a geothermal heating and cooling project in central Ohio. In “Comfortably Cool” on page 27, she details a project at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium where a hybrid geothermal system was installed at the Zoo’s Polar Frontier exhibit. The system keeps 300,000 gallons of water at a perfect 55° temperature for the two polar bears and heats and cools four buildings. The system is a hybrid because, like an open-loop system, the water is extracted from water wells. On the other hand, it functions like a closed-loop system because the water never leaves the system. It is pumped to an elevated tank, and from there it is run through geothermal heat exchangers to extract the heat in the winter and reject heat in the summer.

After the water is used for heating and cooling, it goes back to the water tank for other uses.

Price also wrote about the NGWA Ground Water Expo, November 29-December 2, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Expo drew 4267 attendees from all sectors of the industry, making it the 14th largest overall attendance ever, an impressive feat in today’s economy. In “Defying Odds” on page 31,

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IN THIS

ISSUE

Price details the event by going over some of the 80 hours of professional development, the keynote address and exhibits, and talks to attendees, exhibitors, and NGWA staff about the event that drew people from all 50 states and 34 nations.

Preventing accidents from reoccurring is the subject of this month’s Safety Matters column. Gary Ganson, CIH, CSP, writes about the importance of performing root-cause analysis investigations that not only assist in preventing an incident from occurring in the future, but helps determine what might have been a factor in causing it. In “Accident Investigations” on page 44, he goes through the key elements of a root-cause analysis and the seven factors that should be determined by a proper analysis. He also highlights the importance of nearmiss reporting, a difficult safety tool to use, but one that can be invaluable to a company.

The Engineering Your Business column by Ed Butts, CPI, PE, continues its series on groundwater treatment this month with “Part 4. Regulated Contaminants” on page 34. Butts mentions that there are 88 regulated contaminants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and defines the five groups those contaminants are commonly divided into. He also details the contaminants commonly associated with groundwater: arsenic, nitrate, and organic contaminants. He concludes the column by going over design considerations with those contaminants in mind for those who will be building groundwater systems.

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Water Well Journal February 2012 11/

INDUSTRY

NEWSLINE

Wyoming Newspaper Says EPA’s Hydraulic Fracturing Water Samples Improperly Tested The Casper Star Tribune in Casper, Wyoming, states a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report on apparent groundwater contamination in Wyoming from the gas drilling method hydraulic fracturing now indicates the agency’s conclusions are partially based on improperly analyzed samples from six private drinking-water wells and two EPA-drilled deep monitoring wells in Pavillion.

The EPA also found contamination in pure water control samples, didn’t purge the test wells properly before gathering samples, and didn’t mention in its report whether it tested water carried by a truck used in well drilling, say officials with the Wyoming Water Development Commission. The commission reviewed the EPA’s publicly available information because of their own expertise on water wells.

“They didn’t follow their own protocol they would’ve required of other

12/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

people doing this same type of work,” says Mike Purcell, director of the water development commission staff, which does water planning and infrastructure development in the state.

EPA officials don’t dispute the samples went past due for testing, but they stand by the report’s overall conclusions which suggest hydraulic fracturing might be responsible for Pavillion’s tainted water.

Two Elected to NGWA Board of Directors; Amendments to Bylaws Made Joseph “Augie” Guardino, general manager of Guardino Well Drilling Inc. in Morgan Hill, California, and Brian Lane, CPI, operations manager of Joe Samples Well Drilling Inc. in White Pine, Tennessee, have been elected to NGWA's Board of Directors.

Guardino was reelected to a second two-year board term at the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo and Annual Meeting in December in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lane was elected to his first term on the board.

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A 12-year veteran of the groundwater industry, Guardino has been a member of NGWA for more than five years and a past president of the California Groundwater Association.

He has chaired NGWA’s Finance and Budget Standing Committee, Investment Subcommittee, and Public Awareness Committee, and worked on NGWA’s Contractors Division Board of Directors, Membership Standing Committee, Policy and Code of Regulations Standing Committee, and Governance Task Force.

Lane has been employed in the groundwater industry for 20 years and a member of NGWA for seven years.

He also has served for four years on the Tennessee Water Well Association Board of Directors, on which he currently serves as vice president.

Also during the course of the general membership meeting, delegates voted to amend NGWA’s bylaws to expand the number of voting directors on the national board from 16 to 19, and to allow directors from any of the four member-

NEWS/continues on page 14

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NEWS/from page 12 ship divisions to be elected by the board of directors to any board officer position. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This action to amend the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bylaws is a manifestation of the NGWA processâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the NGWA Board and members working together to determine the future of NGWA,â&#x20AC;? says John Pitz, CPI, NGWA president. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The outcome of the vote is that the NGWA membership will benefit by having the most qualified directors as officers of the board.â&#x20AC;?

Hours of Service Final Rule for Trucks Issued by DOT The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final rule that would maintain the 11-hour driving time, but change the overall hours that can be worked prior to a rest period. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new hours of service (HOS) final rule reduces by 12 hours the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week. Under the old rule, truck drivers could work on average up to 82 hours within a 7-day period. The new HOS final rule limits a driver's work

week to 70 hours.

In addition, truck drivers cannot drive after working 8 hours without first taking a break of at least 30 minutes.

Drivers can take the 30-minute break whenever they need rest during the 8-hour window.

The final rule retains the current 11hour daily driving limit. FMCSA will continue to conduct data analysis and research to further examine any risks associated with the 11 hours of driving time.

The rule requires truck drivers who maximize their weekly work hours to take at least two nightsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rest when their 24-hour body clock demands sleep the mostâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. This rest requirement is part of the ruleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;34hour restartâ&#x20AC;? provision that allows drivers to restart the clock on their work week by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty. The final rule allows drivers to use the restart provision only once during a 7-day period.

Companies and drivers that commit egregious violations of the rule could face the maximum penalties for each offense. Trucking companies that allow

JOIN US AT THE

drivers to exceed the 11-hour driving limit by three or more hours could be fined $11,000 per offense, and the drivers themselves could face civil penalties of up to $2750 for each offense.

Commercial truck drivers and companies must comply with the HOS final rule by July 1, 2013.

Specific to the groundwater industry and other industriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; statutory or regulatory exemptions, FMCSA stated that the HOS rules are not one-size-fits-all.

There are multiple exemptions and exceptions, some statutory, some regulatory. This final rule does not change existing regulatory exemptions or exceptions, and it cannot change statutory exemptions. On the other hand, the agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unfavorable experience with segment-specific HOS proposals does not encourage further action along those lines.

Of note, the agricultural industry has a bill pending related to statutory hours of service relief. This bill is of interest in that it potentially opens up the discussion of statutory exemptions, which is what the groundwater industry has, in Congress where changes can be made.

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Companies Sign Agreement for Radon and VOC Removal in Municipal Water Membrana-Charlotte, a division of Celgard LLC, has entered into a limited exclusive agreement with Layne Christensen Co. for radon and VOC removal for municipal water applications in the continental United States.

Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactors are leading-edge technology in gas transfer applications and are the accepted norm in many markets. As a market leader, Layne Christensen has strong distribution channels in the municipal market segment.

“We are very excited about this agreement,” says Allen Pittman, vice president for Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactors. “This relationship provides an excellent opportunity to expand our presence in this market segment and to establish Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactors as the technology of choice for radon and VOC removal applications.”

Membrana and Layne Christensen have been working together since 2010 to evaluate the use of Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactors for radon and VOC removal in the municipal market. They offer a modular degassing option that can be put in virtually any area. They are rapidly replacing older deaeration technologies as the product of choice in many industries.

Global Drop in Groundwater Levels Seen UPI reports U.S. researchers say gravity-monitoring satellites have recorded drops in groundwater levels in many places across the globe during the past nine years.

Scientists at the University of California Center for Hydrologic Modeling said water has been disappearing beneath southern Argentina, western Australia, and stretches of the United States, ScienceNews.org reported.

The findings raise concerns that farmers are pumping too much water out of the ground in dry regions, researchers said.

“Groundwater is being depleted at a rapid clip in virtually all of the major aquifers in the world’s arid and semiarid regions,” says hydrologist Jay Famiglietti, who will be the keynote speaker at NGWA’s Emerging Issues in GroundTwitter @WaterWellJournl

water Conference, February 27-28 in San Antonio, Texas.

The drop is especially severe in parts of California, India, the Middle East, and China, where expanding agriculture has increased the water demand, the researchers said.

“People are using groundwater faster than it can be naturally recharged,” says Matthew Rodell, a hydrologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Current water use in many areas has become unsustainable, said another researcher.

“There are too many areas in the world where groundwater development far exceeds a sustainable level,” says Leonard Konikow, a hydrogeologist at the U.S. Geological Survey and NGWA member. “Something will have to change.”

Federal Construction to Drop 6% in 2012 Between November 2010 and November 2011, construction employment declined in 146 out of 337 metropolitan

NEWS/continues on page 16

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Water Well Journal February 2012 15/

NEWS/from page 15 areas, increased in 131, and stayed level in 60, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that construction employment is likely to continue declining in many areas because of a planned 6.2% cut in federal investments in construction and infrastructure for the 2012 fiscal year.

“There is no avoiding the pain that comes any time the single largest purchaser of construction services cuts investments by nearly 20 percent in two years,” says Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, noting that the fiscal year 2012 federal construction budget will be 18% smaller than the same budget for 2010. “It will take a lot more private sector growth to offset declining federal demand.”

The largest job losses were in New York City, New York (-4900 jobs, -4%), followed by Atlanta-Sandy SpringsMarietta, Georgia (-4600 jobs, -5%); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (-4500 jobs, -7%); St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois (-4100 jobs, -7%); and the Tampa-St. PetersburgClearwater, Florida area (-3600 jobs, -3%). The Logan, Utah-Idaho area (-25%, -800 jobs) lost the highest percentage.

Other areas experiencing large percentage declines in construction employment included Montgomery, Alabama (-21%, -1400); Wilmington, North

Carolina (-21%, -1900 jobs); and Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut (-17%, -1900 jobs).

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas added more construction jobs (5200 jobs, 3%) than any other metro area during the past year while Lake County-Kenosha County, IllinoisWisconsin added the highest percentage (29%, 3600 jobs). Other areas adding a large number of jobs included Columbus, Ohio (3900 jobs, 14%); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OregonWashington (3800 jobs, 9%); BuffaloNiagara Falls, New York (3500 jobs, 17%); and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, Illinois (3400 jobs, 3%).

View construction employment figures by state at www.agc.org/galleries/ news/Metro.Empl.201111-Alpha.pdf.

View details about the federal government’s fiscal year 2012 construction budget at www.agc.org/galleries/ news/FY2012.FederalConstruction Budget.Numbers_Final.pdf.

Truck Orders Drop 21%; Decline Is First in 13 Months Transport Topics reports Class 8 truck orders in North America dropped 21.2% in November, the first yearover-year decline in 13 months, as the industry recovered from the bruising recession, according to ACT Research Co. Some industry experts said the looming January 1, 2012 expiration of a federal tax break for equipment purchases

may itself have played a key role in the decline.

Manufacturers reported they received 20,700 orders for new heavy-duty vehicles in November, down from 26,268 placed in November 2010, ACT said December 5.

ACT, based in Columbus, Indiana, says the new total, which represented a 26.1% drop from October orders of 28,026 units, was a surprise.

“We believe there was a pull-forward of demand from October, when we think some truckers placed orders to beat anticipated price increases for the new model year,” says Steve Tam, ACT’s vice president for the commercial vehicle sector. “We think the underlying fundamentals of the commercial vehicle manufacturing industry and the trucking carrier industry remain solid."

Under the special federal exemption that expired January 1, buyers of certain new equipment could write off the entire purchase price in 2011, rather than spreading it over three years, Tam says.

Chris Visser, senior analyst of the American Truck Dealers/National Automobile Dealers Association Official Commercial Truck Guide, says that the “bonus” depreciation would drop to 50% in 2012 from 100% in 2011.

Frank Ellett, CEO of Virginia Truck Center in Roanoke, Virginia, a Freightliner dealer that also sells Mack trucks, says that both of his manufacturers were booked through the end of the year, with one sold out through the first quarter.

“At least part of the drop, and perhaps the majority, may be due to the deadlines associated with the bonus depreciation program,” Tam says, adding that he had no proof. “It is not likely that the depreciation scenario is solely responsible for the drop.”

If you have a news brief that you would like considered for this department, send a release to Mike Price, Water Well Journal, 601 Dempsey Rd., Westerville, OH 43081. E-mail: mprice@ngwa.org.

Deadline: 15th of two months preceding publication (February 15 for April issue).

16/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

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LOG

NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Increase Your Knowledge at 2012 Pacific Northwest Ground Water Exposition

To learn more about these conferences and to register, visit NGWA’s Web site at www.NGWA.org.

Join your fellow groundwater industry professionals from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and surrounding areas for the premier biennial industry event in the region.

The Pacific Northwest Ground Water Exposition, February 10-11 in Portland, Oregon, affords you the opportunity to:

Get Involved in 2012 National Groundwater Awareness Week

● ● ●

Increase your knowledge View new equipment and products Network with others in the industry.

Visit www.NGWA.org for more information and to register.

NGWA to Host Conferences on Groundwater Issues in 2012

NGWA is hosting a variety of conferences focused on groundwater issues in the United States in 2012.

Such conferences include the Emerging Issues in Groundwater Conference, February 27-28 in San Antonio, Texas.

This event will address solutions to many groundwater problems that will ultimately depend on how people value groundwater.

The NGWA Focus Conference on Midwestern Groundwater Issues, June 26-27 in Columbus, Ohio, will concentrate on a host of topics—major seasonal flooding events impacting groundwater and wells, issues related to oil and shale gas production, and increased water use for irrigation, biofuels development, and other energy alternatives.

The NGWA Focus Conference on Gulf Coast Groundwater Issues, October 16-17 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, will analyze what technologies, new tools, and technological advancements can be applied to meet this region’s challenges.

18/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

●

● ● ●

In order to advance groundwater knowledge among the public and market NGWA members’ groundwater businesses, NGWA encourages water well system operators, contracting firms, groundwater consultants, academics, manufacturers, and suppliers to participate in National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 11-17.

You can learn more about how to promote National Groundwater Awareness Week by visiting NGWA’s Web site at www.ngwa.org/Events-Education/ awareness/Pages/default.aspx.

Checklist for Professionals Hiring Geothermal Heat Pump Drilling Contractors Developed

by NGWA HVAC contractors, mechanical engineers, architects, developers, and others involved in geothermal heat pump installations should evaluate the qualifications of drilling contractors to protect groundwater and optimize heat pump system operation.

NGWA has developed a list of pertinent questions professionals should ask drilling contractors. The list can be accessed at NGWA’s Wellowner.org Web site under the “Geothermal Heat Pumps” tab.

Estimates by the HVAC industry suggest that as much as 50% of the total geothermal heat pump market involves the use of vertical borehole subsystems.

There are several different configurations of geothermal heat pump system installations involving vertical Earth drilling: ●

Open loop: Single well for water withdrawal, water returned to a surface source

Open loop: Single well for water withdrawal, water returned to a second well Standing column: Single well for water withdrawal and water return Closed loop: Vertical boreholes Direct exchange: Vertical boreholes using concentric pipe systems.

Experienced geothermal heat pump installers confirm that it is critical these systems 1. be installed with a properly constructed borehole 2. be equipped with a properly placed loop tube assembly 3. have properly grouted boreholes, not only for optimal heat transfer but also for groundwater protection.

A motivation for NGWA promoting these questions and the need to HVAC contractors, mechanical engineers, etc., is to direct them to NGWA-member or NGWA-certified contractors to do the drilling for geothermal heat pump installations.

To find drilling contractors, including those who work on geothermal heat pump installations, use the "Contractor Lookup" link on NGWA’s Wellowner .org Web site. Also, check out NGWA’s Guidelines for the Construction of Vertical Closed Loop Heat Pump Systems in the bookstore at www.NGWA.org.

Share Your Knowledge on NGWA’s ‘The Well’ An information exchange forum, NGWA’s “The Well” is designed to improve communication among likeminded members. It offers an online means for exchanging ideas and allows you to benefit from the experience, knowledge, and wisdom of your peers.

The Well is where you can post your latest groundwater industry challenge, problem, question, or experience, and learn from the responses shared by others who have also subscribed to The Well.

Sign up to join The Well today at www.NGWA.org. waterwelljournal.com

WEB

NOTES

FIND IT ON THE NGWA WEB SITE, NGWA.ORG made. At the same time, NGWA Press put together the “Water Well Pump System Installation Agreement and Instructions for Use” product.

Both items are available in NGWA’s Bookstore at www.NGWA.org. They are free for NGWA members and $75 for nonmembers.

NGWA’s First Phone App for iPhone Provides Valuable Information A glossary of groundwater and water well terms is available from NGWA as an iPhone application downloadable online in the App Store at www.apple.com/ iphone/apps-for-iphone.

The application for Apple’s iPhone is $4.99 and educational institutions can receive a discounted rate for multiple purchases.

NGWA Executive Director Kevin McCray, CAE, says the Lexicon of Groundwater and Water Well System Terms contains more than 1900 terms useful to all professionals in the groundwater industry, and other professionals and students in the Earth sciences.

“Here, in one place, the user can find reliable definitions for terms critical to professional work, research, and study dependent upon accuracy and precision,” McCray says. “This glossary represents a comprehensive listing of groundwater and water well terms reviewed exhaustively.”

NGWA’s Lexicon was selected by a task force of industry professionals and contains terms with the most relevancy to the various groundwater professions and to the use, protection, remediation, and management of groundwater. While there are often regional differences in the use of some terms, the document is certainly an ideal collection of the definitions that relate to groundwater and professionals who work with it.

To learn more or to purchase this product, visit the NGWA Online Bookstore at www.NGWA.org, or call (800) 551-7379 or (614) 898-7791.

Journal Web Site Offers Advertising Opportunities Manufacturers and suppliers can supplement their print advertising in the Twitter @WaterWellJournl

leading industry resource, Water Well Journal, with a presence at its online home at www.waterwelljournal.com.

WWJ’s Web site includes all content from the print edition, buyers guides, and news updated daily. It is offering “homepage” banner ad opportunities: ● ● ●

Masthead placement at $850 per month—one only (468 × 60 pixels) Skyscraper placement at $700 per month—one only (125 × 469 pixels) Side placement at $500 per month— limit of five (125 × 125 pixels)

For additional information, contact NGWA’s Shelby Fleck at sfleck@ngwa .org or call (800) 551-7379, ext. 523 or Vickie Wiles at vwiles@ngwa.org who can be reached at ext. 593. If outside the United States, call (614) 898-7791.

Follow the National Ground Water Association on . . .

Twitter www.Twitter.com/NGWAtweets Facebook www.Facebook.com/NGWAFB YouTube www.YouTube.com/user/NGWATUBE /," 1 Ê/ Ê 7

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NGWA Press Releases Contracts NGWA Press has updated one item and released a new one that will aid water well contractors every day—tools for agreements and contracts.

NGWA has made available for years its “Water Well Drilling Agreement and Instructions for Use” product, but recently had it reviewed by the Association’s legal counsel, volunteer members, and staff.

Significant updates and revisions were

Stay Connected with NGWA

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Water Well Journal February 2012 19/

Improve your bottom line and save time with NGWA’s cost calculators.

Free to members, NGWA’s cost calculators on water well drilling, pump installation, and geothermal: s Show you the true cost of conducting business s Help you set the profit level your business needs to succeed s Were developed by water well contractors for water well contractors s Are formatted in easy-to-use Excel® workbooks

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(COVER STORY)

Do Your Geothermal Homework Don’t Get Stuck in the Muck Part 1: Avoiding geothermal pitfalls are a must if you want to successfully diversify into this market.

By Mike Price Photo courtesy Premier Geothermal

D

rilling eight to 10 hours a day, five days a week, William C. McPike’s time is valuable.

That’s why he leans on his attorney to read over contracts for residential or commercial geothermal projects. It’s one of many steps McPike takes to ensure his company doesn’t run into issues.

“Once I take and drop off a contract, she keeps it for about three days,” says McPike, the president of Geothermal Drilling Inc. in Huntsville, Texas, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2011.

“The general contractor may be in a hurry, they may not be in a hurry, but it doesn’t matter. We’re going to take our Mike Price is the associate editor of Water Well Journal.

In addition to his WWJ responsibilities, Price produces NGWA’s newsletters and contributes to the Association’s quarterly scientific publication. He can be reached at mprice@ngwa.org.

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

time with it. We’re not going to just sign it and send it back.”

As the geothermal market continues to offer diversification opportunities for water well contractors, falling prey to hazards becomes a concern. In this first installment of a two-part series on avoiding geothermal pitfalls—specifically bidding in the commercial market— contractors weigh in on the subject.

Knowing the Cost of Doing Business Whether it’s in the commercial or residential market, Gary Henderson, CVCLD, thinks a lot of geothermal drillers don’t understand the true cost of installing a geothermal project.

“They just figure we’re going to go in and drill a hole and tie it into the building and then we’re out of there,” explains Henderson, the first to earn the National Ground Water Association’s Certified Vertical Closed Loop Driller designation and owner of Premier Geothermal in Ankeny, Iowa.

“I don’t think that they look at their cost of handling the pipe, removing the slop, the spoils from the site, what it cost for compaction of the site to put it back to where it is.”

Henderson, who also owns several additional companies involved in the commercial and residential geothermal equipment sales and geothermal wellfield business, has worked in the geothermal industry for more than 10 years.

Outside of the expenses he mentions above, Henderson forewarns about the expenditure of insuring a subcontractor.

“Say a driller has to bring in a subcontractor to do some other work for them,” he says. “Well, yes, that subcontractor charges you X amount of dollars to do that, but you have costs associated with him over and above that like during an insurance audit on your account at the end of the year.

“Even though the subcontractor has insurance, most insurance policies require you to carry over and under on

GEOTHERMAL/continues on page 22 Water Well Journal February 2012 21/

GEOTHERMAL/from page 21 that contractor, so there’s some money that’s kind of an invisible cost, but it’s a true cost because you have to reinsure that guy in case he doesn’t have enough insurance or in case he goes away.”

A trend that Henderson has noticed lately is some drillers are looking for cash flow through their business, but this could create potential financial problems in the future.

“They’re not looking at the potential replacement cost of their rig and support equipment or true maintenance cost of their rig,” Henderson reasons. “I think in our industry those are costs that people aren’t truly accounting for that they need to put that money away for when those expenses come.”

Read the Fine Print Like McPike, many contractors rely on an attorney before signing a contract.

With so many details and information included in a contract, it’s the smart

“Some drillers are coming in just to turn cash flow where myself and other professionals who I’ve talked with say, ‘This is our bid price on bid day, period.’” thing to do. Making sure the bid’s specifications line up with what is in the contract is also key.

“You exempted furnishing the water for flushing or drilling,” Henderson says hypothetically. “Well, in the contract, it’s in there but it’s based on what the spec says that you’re to provide versus what you actually provided for in your bid. People aren’t reading the contracts enough or sending them to their lawyer when they don’t understand what the contracts say.”

McPike reiterates that contractors need to be sure that “if you’re not going

Gary Henderson, CVCLD

to do it, don’t say you’re going to do it” in both the bid and contract.

“Another thing is when someone says that this is the finished grade of the site, you need to go by what the project truly says versus somebody’s word, or get it in writing,” Henderson says.

“Document, document, document everything.”

Takeaway Tips on Avoiding Geothermal Pitfalls Below are some tips to keep in mind when preparing for a geothermal project, provided by Gary Shawver, MGWC, president of Shawver Well Co. Inc. in Fredericksburg, Iowa. Shawver, an NGWA Board Director, installed a heat pump in his home in 1979, one of the first in northeast Iowa. Since that time Shawver Well has been involved in many geothermal water and injection wells.

These tips are primarily for vertical drilled loop fields as opposed to standing column wells or pump and re-inject systems.

More tips will be in next month’s Part 2 look at avoiding geothermal pitfalls.

A. Read the specifications thoroughly, both regarding the portion that you wish to provide a bid for as well as to ensure that you are not missing details that can affect you after you have been awarded the contract.

B. Construction portion: Read specs thoroughly to be sure that you understand what you are expected to complete as part of your bid and work.

1. For example, do the specifications require you to bring the manifolded loops into the mechanical room or is that another part of the contract that may be covered in the mechanical contractors’ portion? If you are unsure and you are bidding to a mechanical contractor, get that clarified from them in writing. If you do it in writing, it eliminates any misunderstandings later on.

2. Who is going to provide the antifreeze and/or flush the system? Cover all of these items before you bid.

22/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

3. What is the geology like? If there is a test wellbore, then how detailed is the log and does it outline how much water the hole produced (especially if you anticipate drilling the bores with air)? How much grout was consumed?

4. Do the specs outline how much grout is expected per hole and/or does it address grout overages? Most likely it doesn’t.

5. Have you drilled the type of formations that are anticipated to be drilled? Do you know what type of bit will give you the fastest penetration at the least cost?

This more than once has “buried a few contractors.”

C. Other specification details to be sure you cover: 1. Check the specs to see if this is a wage and hour law and if so, do you have to increase your wages to your employees to cover this?

2. How often do you have to do payroll to comply with that requirement? It may be more often than you are used to and therefore it may create additional costs administratively.

3. Have you checked the insurance requirements for the job? Can you provide the insurance required without increasing your coverage at additional cost? If not, you need to check and see if you can even get that coverage from your carrier.

4. Is the job “tax-free” or do you have to pay sales tax on the materials you purchase? This can be a big additional expense if you have bid it with no tax and you then have to pay sales tax. waterwelljournal.com

Besides misunderstanding a contract, some contractors are undercutting others by bidding low on projects. This goes back to understanding the true cost of doing business.

Henderson has seen contractors come to Iowa or other states, traveling five to seven hours to do projects hundreds of thousands of dollars less than someone who lives two miles from the site.

“Some drillers are coming in just to turn cash flow where myself and other professionals who I’ve talked with say, ‘This is our bid price on bid day, period,’” Henderson says.

“Don’t come in and negotiate with us afterwards because we bid this based on making a profit, and I would rather do one job all year and make a good profit than do 10 jobs and make that same profit as I would’ve made on that one job. Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you’re making money.”

The NGWA CVCLD designation may be earned by individuals with a traditional water well supply background, as well as those whose businesses focus around the construction of vertical closed-loop geothermal wells.

Photo courtesy Geothermal Drilling Inc.

Maintaining a Sense of Professionalism The need to flush and test a geothermal system properly is one of the reasons why Henderson designated part of his company specifically for those tasks.

His drilling crews used to complete the flushing following the drilling and tying of the system, but not anymore.

“By the time you get to the flushing, everybody just wants out of there,” Henderson admits, “and you can do the best job of drilling and tying and everything else, but all they need to do is find a handful of debris in their strainers to

GEOTHERMAL/continues on page 24

A Checklist for Professionals Hiring Geothermal Heat Pump Drilling Contractors HVAC contractors, mechanical engineers, architects, developers, and others involved in geothermal heat pump installations should evaluate the qualifications of drilling contractors to protect groundwater and optimize heat pump system operation.

NGWA has developed a list of pertinent questions professionals should ask drilling contractors. The list can be accessed at NGWA’s Wellowner.org Web site under the “Geothermal Heat Pumps” tab.

Estimates by the HVAC industry suggest that as much as 50% of the total Twitter @WaterWellJournl

geothermal heat pump market involves the use of vertical borehole subsystems.

There are several different configurations of geothermal heat pump system installations involving vertical Earth drilling: ●

●

● ●

Open loop: Single well for water withdrawal, water returned to a surface source Open loop: Single well for water withdrawal, water returned to a second well Standing column: Single well for water withdrawal and water return Closed loop: Vertical boreholes

●

Direct exchange: Vertical boreholes using concentric pipe systems.

Experienced geothermal heat pump installers confirm that it is critical these systems (1) be installed with a properly constructed borehole (2) be equipped with a properly placed loop tube assembly (3) have properly grouted boreholes, not only for optimal heat transfer but also for groundwater protection.

Water Well Journal February 2012 23/

Diversify Your Professional Experience, Become a Certified Vertical Closed Loop Driller Today ABILITY sional expertise and your company’s EXPERIENCE marketability over your competition.

KNOWLEDGE Exams for the CVCLD designation can be scheduled by calling PSI national ground water association CERTIFIED VERTICAL LaserGrade at (800) 211-2754.

CLOSED LOOP DRILLER If outside the United States, call (360) 896-9111. The 75-question exam encompasses the skills and competencies reflected on the Geothermal Vertical Closed Loop Drilling Operations DACUM. For more information about the CVCLD certification, visit NGWA’s Web site at www.NGWA.org, scroll to the “Professional Resources” tab and click on “Certifications and exams.”

CV CLD

Advances in ground source heat pump technology have emphasized the need for a voluntary certification designation for ground source heat pump drillers. That’s why NGWA is proud to offer the designation of the Certified Vertical Closed Loop Driller (CVCLD).

“I think the NGWA certification gives you another level of true professionalism,” says Gary Henderson, CVCLD, the first to earn NGWA’s Certified Vertical Closed Loop Driller designation and owner of Premier Geothermal in Ankeny, Iowa.

“It’s a difficult test to take. You have to have lots of experience under a lot of different conditions. The test covers the United States and different drilling conditions across the United States, taking in different regulations. It’s the credibility of a national organization like NGWA that puts together a very solid test that not everybody can pass, and I think it will strengthen the geothermal industry.”

This new designation reflects an individual who has proven knowledge, skills, and experience in the construction of a closed-loop well system for ground source heat pump applications. By becoming a CVCLD, you will increase your profes-

To find drilling contractors, including those who work on geothermal heat pump installations, use the "Contractor Lookup" link on NGWA’s Wellowner.org Web site.

Also, check out NGWA’s Geothermal Cost Calculator and Guidelines for the Construction of Vertical Closed Loop Heat Pump Systems in the bookstore at www.NGWA.org.

“With the flushing requirements of the system and the glycol requirements, there’s never enough time taken to properly flush out a system. I would like to

GEOTHERMAL/from page 23 say, ‘This guy was really a lousy geothermal guy.’

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see a separate flushing certification standard come through.”

In an effort to sustain professionalism within the geothermal industry, education will be vital. As many have stated before, it doesn’t take too many bad geothermal jobs to create an unfavorable name for the industry or a particular company.

“I think there’s so many people—not only drillers but general contractors and homeowners—who have a lack of understanding of what we do,” Henderson says. “When we come into your site, it’s going to look like a bombed-out, mucky mess. When we leave, all of that goes away.

“But it’s the lack of the understanding of how much water we’re going to produce, how much this, how much that.”

When it comes to signing a contract, Henderson feels this is a crucial part of being a professional.

“You need to say no, and you need to know why you say no,” he says. “Saying, ‘No, this is my specification that I’m meeting and I’m not responsible for somebody else’s work outside of my scope.’ If I’m responsible for it, I’m going to get paid for it, and when I get paid, I get paid travel, insurance, etc.

“It’s truly being a professional and saying no if it’s outside your scope of work.” WWJ

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Comfortably Cool A hybrid geothermal system keeps polar bears at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium content year round.

By Jennifer Strawn Photo by G. Jones, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

T

hanks to a unique hybrid geothermal system, twin 5-year-old polar bears Aurora and Anana swim happily year round in a 167,000-gallon pool at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, Ohio.

The geothermal system for the Polar Frontier exhibit keeps 300,000 gallons of water at a perfect 55° temperature for the two polar bears and heats and cools four buildings—including a visitor’s space that allow guests to view the polar bears swimming overhead.

Aurora and Anana’s 1.3-acre yard is specially designed to be the ultimate polar bear habitat with lots of rocks, smell ports, dig pits, and shelters. The exhibit, which also houses two Alaska black bears and two arctic foxes, includes the 167,000-gallon still pool and a surge pool with a tidal effect.

“When we initially designed the polar project we were looking at conventional heating,” says Dave Etzkorn, vice president of facilities and construction at the Columbus Zoo and AquarJennifer 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

Persons offered up a solution: use the water from the treatment plant for a hybrid closed-loop system.

ium. “The director suggested we look into geothermal, and we were all really excited because we have a strong desire to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.”

Their enthusiasm for a new geothermal system fizzled when they realized how much it would cost to install a system for the polar bear exhibit.

“When we got the designs back we realized we couldn’t afford it,” he said.

“Not only was the system costly, but the return on investment was pretty out there, too.”

The original geothermal design called for drilling a series of wells to 305 feet to support a closed-loop system, which is costly to install due to the subsurface conditions underneath the Zoo, says Jeff Persons, a hydrogeologist with Geo Source One in Columbus, Ohio.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium overlies a vast freshwater aquifer from

a geologic formation called the Bass Islands Dolomite. The Bass Islands has very high permeability with lots of voids, making it incredibly difficult to drill.

The formation fractures easily with the weight of the drilling tools. Cuttings and fluids are flushed into the formation only to dislodge and block the borehole once the drilling tools are removed.

This makes inserting geothermal lines through the formation nearly impossible unless special precautions are taken to help maintain an open bore.

It can take up to a week to complete one borehole in similar closed-loop projects that call for drilling through the Bass Islands Dolomite. Because drilling conditions are so difficult, the cost to install geothermal loops can easily exceed two or three times normal rates.

Persons was also fearful the drilling process and grouting materials used to fill the holes would contaminate the Zoo’s freshwater supply. The Zoo already uses groundwater for its non-potable water system, and the production wells were located only about a quarter mile from the site where the engineers planned to install the loops.

The non-potable water is used to change out the water tanks in the exhibits, wash down exhibits, and provide water for water features.

ZOO/continues on page 28 Water Well Journal February 2012 27/

Water is pumped to a 250,000-gallon elevated storage tank. Once the water is done heating and cooling the building, it's returned to the tank for other uses.

ZOO/from page 27 Using geothermal energy was an important aspect of the exhibit, says Barb Revard, program planning director for the Zoo. “The interpretive messaging for the guests is all about reducing your carbon footprint, and so ultimately this was one area we could have fallen down on,” she says.

Conventional heating designs called for air-cooled chillers, gas-fired boilers, and heating units.

Treated water moves from the elevated water tanks through heat exchangers to heat and cool 300,000 gallons of water and four buildings in the Zoo’s Polar Frontier.

“We’ve got 300,000 gallons of water that we’re heating right now and cooling in the summer, so if we had gone with conventional heating and cooling we would have been using a whole lot of fossil fuel.”

But luckily the Zoo also planned to build a new water treatment plant requiring two new wells. That’s when Persons offered up a solution: use the water coming from the treatment plant for a hybrid closed-loop system.

A hybrid system The hybrid geothermal system installed at the Zoo can be considered a hybrid open-loop or a hybrid closedloop, depending on how you look at it.

Like an open-loop system, the water is extracted from water wells. On the other hand, it functions like a closed-loop system because the water never leaves the system.

The system works by drawing groundwater from two wells drilled to about 350 feet deep. A third well, to also

Magnet-Powered Adjustable Speed Drives Cuts Zoo’s Energy Costs With a 100,000-gallon saltwater aquarium in Discovery Reef, a manatee habitat, and a 22.7-acre water park, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, Ohio, spends a lot of energy—and money—moving water. Hundreds of thousands of dollars is paid annually to operate hundreds of motors driving hundreds of water pumps throughout the park.

“The Zoo’s power bill is upwards of about $1.5 million a year. We don’t know what the exact percentage of that is just to move water, but it’s a big number,” says Mike Long, the Zoo’s sustainability consultant.

“The curator of the exhibit has to look at water quality for the animals in the water, they need the right speed, turbidity, etc., and my guess is that they overreact and change the water at a faster rate than they actually need. Right now, they don’t have the ability to fine-tune it to where they actually need it.”

The Zoo currently uses electric motors with variable frequency drives to change the speed of the pumps to achieve the flow control needed in most of the pumps’ applications. But the variable frequency drives can be sensitive to the harsh environments found at the Zoo, introduce noise and vibration that could potentially disrupt fish in the aquarium, and be difficult to maintain.

28/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

A small-scale pilot of mechanical adjustable speed drives, called FluxDrives, is just one of a few sustainability projects at the Zoo that have the potential to help the Zoo cut its energy bills.

The mechanical adjustable speed drives attach a can of magnets on the motor and the pump. If they’re close together, there’s magnetic flux so the magnets act like they’re directly coupled. When they’re moved apart, the magnetic field, or the flux, reduces.

“So you can actually change the speed of the pump by moving these magnets in and out of this can,” Long explains.

“The technology is fairly new—only about a couple years old— and the Zoo is probably the third installation of this technology.”

Long says the drives also reduce harmonics, are straightforward to operate, and 98.5% efficient at full power.

Plus, the return on investment is only about two years, Long says.

“They’re making a modest capital investment on something that will pay for itself quickly in energy cost savings, and we expect the drives to have a life span of 20 years because there’s nothing electronic about them,” he says. “They’re just magnets.” waterwelljournal.com

Dave Etzkorn, vice president of facilities and construction at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, instructs how the Zoo’s hybrid geothermal system works.

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• • • • be drilled to about 350 feet deep, will eventually be added.

From the wells, the water is taken through the water treatment plant where it’s treated and chlorinated. Then, it’s pumped to a 250,000-gallon elevated water tank on the Zoo’s property.

The water in the tank is used for all of the Zoo’s non-potable water—including the geothermal system. From the tank, the water is run through geothermal heat exchangers to extract the heat in the winter and reject heat in the summer. After the water is used for heating and cooling, it goes back to the water tank for other uses.

Combining the two systems not only saved the Zoo money—about $4 million in joint capital—but the return on investment is now just six years on a system with a design life of 50 years.

Persons estimates combining the water treatment project and the polar bear exhibit potentially saved the Zoo up to $800,000 in drilling costs alone and greatly improved its return on investment. The return on investment for the original closed-loop designs could have been 20 to 30 years, he says.

Mike Long, the Zoo’s sustainability consultant, commends the geothermal project because two different departments within the Zoo were able to work together to achieve their goals. Planners working on the exhibit sat down with

ZOO/continues on page 30 Twitter @WaterWellJournl

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Water Well Journal February 2012 29/

ZOO/from page 29 the planners working on the water treatment plant and looked at what the projects had in common. By doing so, they found a way for the wells to serve two purposes.

“The Zoo had one project that wasn’t financially feasible—at least on its own.

But, by looking at them together, they were able to do it,” Long says.

The hybrid system is the best possible outcome, Persons adds.

“We have a gift under our feet and it’s oftentimes overlooked, so why not piggyback and have a second purpose out of that water?” Persons says. “What the Zoo ended up with was symbiotic use of the water and incredible economy of operation.” WWJ

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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 11-17, 2012. 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. To access these resources—and more—visit www.NGWA.org or call NGWA’s public awareness department at 800 551.7379 or 614 898.7791.

March 11-17, 2012 30/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

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Defying Odds A slumping economy didn’t stop the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo from attracting a record number of exhibitors, making it the 14th best attended event.

By Mike Price

S

omething always stood in the way of Mike Wahlfield attending the NGWA Ground Water Expo.

It never ceased to amaze him that whatever it was—finances, time constraints, or business obligations— constantly popped up right before Expo.

He was scheduled to attend in 2010 but Mike Price is the associate editor of Water Well Journal.

In addition to his WWJ responsibilities, Price produces NGWA’s newsletters and contributes to the Association’s quarterly scientific publication. He can be reached at mprice@ngwa.org.

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

“This shows me that in spite of, or perhaps because of, our challenging economy, our members truly value their membership in NGWA.” had to cancel at the last minute because he was called for jury duty.

“2011 was finally the big year for me, and boy was it ever worth the wait,” says Wahlfield, an operating officer with his brother, Jim Jr., of Wahlfield Drilling Co., a family-owned business that has

been in operation since 1890 and located in Comstock Park, Michigan.

A record number of exhibiting companies and organizations (325) turned out for the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo, November 29 to December 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where despite the ongoing recession the Expo posted one of its strongest showings ever.

The 14th largest overall attendance of 4267 from all sectors of the industry took part in NGWA’s 63rd annual meeting, which was in Las Vegas for the second consecutive year. The eighth largest number of water well contractors (1779) was in attendance. All 50 United States

EXPO/continues on page 32 Water Well Journal February 2012 31/

Beverly Herzog, CGWP, receives the 2011 NGWA Robert Storm Award from Art Becker, MGWC, CPG.

EXPO/from page 31 were represented, along with the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico, in addition to 34 other nations.

“The number of attendees and exhibitors this year exceeded our expectations,” says NGWA Executive Director Kevin McCray, CAE. “This shows me that in spite of, or perhaps because of, our challenging economy, our members truly value their membership in NGWA. It also speaks well to optimism about the future of the groundwater industry.”

The Expo offered 80-plus hours of educational programming covering topics ranging from water well design and construction to groundwater sustainability and availability. There were also guest lecturers, a field trip, and work group sessions designed to aid in developing industry best suggested practices.

Wahlfield and his wife, Jean, experienced as much of the Expo as they could, figuring they could catch up on sleep when they returned home. They split their time going to workshops and walking the exhibit hall floor.

“I was very impressed by the folks who were presenting the various seminars and found them to be very knowledgeable about their various fields,” Wahlfield says. “You could tell right away that they like what they do for a living and they’ve actually been out working in the field, not just sitting behind a desk.

“They were very easy to talk to and answered a lot of questions even though they have a lot of letters next to their name—Ph.D., PE, etc.”

32/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

Brian Shul, a retired Air Force pilot and photographer, told an amazing story of perseverance in the Expo’s Keynote Address and signed his book after for attendees.

A Breakdown of Attendance at the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo ● ● ●

● ● ● ● ● ●

4267 Fourteenth largest overall attendance.

1779 Eighth largest number of contractors.

325 Largest ever number of exhibiting companies and organizations, surpassing 320 in 2010.

30 New exhibiting companies.

1286 Eighteenth largest number of manufacturers.

582 Fifth largest number of suppliers.

417 Twelfth largest number of scientists and engineers.

69,000 Square feet of exhibit space. $49,660 Largest amount ever raised at the National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation auction.

To view more photos from the Expo, visit Water Well Journal ’s Web site at www.waterwelljournal.com.

Geothermal technology was a popular topic at the Expo, with more than 50 attending a roundtable discussion by industry leaders titled “What Was I (Not) Thinking—Homework I Should Have Done Before Starting the Geothermal Job.” NGWA past president Scott Fowler, CWD/PI, led the discussion panel that included fellow NGWA past presidents Jack Henrich, MGWC, CVCLD, and Loyd Watson, MGWC, CVCLD, as well as Jeff Williams, CWD/PI, CVCLD. All three shared their industry insights from past geothermal projects. Among the topics discussed was bidding, fuel consumption, preparing for the unexpected, The 2012 NGWA Ground Water Expo will take place December 4-7 in Las Vegas, Nevada, to “Discover.

Connect. Grow.”

logistics for large projects, and partnering with a mechanical engineer.

“The seminars that I attended were kind of a mix between drilling/technology and also financial planning for success, how to run your business, read financial statements, etc.,” Wahlfield says. “All of which were excellent and worth the time.”

Jonathan Miller, president of Miller Well Drilling in Hayesville, North Carolina, also benefited from attending both Profit Mastery sessions—“Break-Even 360: The Absolute Best Tool to Measure and Manage Profitability” and “Using a Unique Financial Road Map and Scorecard to Achieve Guaranteed Financial Performance Improvement.”

“It got me all pumped up to dig into our finances,” says Miller, who has attended the Expo three out of the past eight years. “The business analysis tools I learned are going to change the way waterwelljournal.com

There were more than 80 hours of professional development workshops at the Expo, including this one on geothermal technology.

I run my business, from cash flow to beginning to operate with a profit in mind.”

Inside the exhibit hall, nearly 70,000 square feet of exhibit space were occupied by a record number of exhibitors, 325 surpassing the record of 320 set in 2010.

“We want to thank all of the exhibitors for making this an outstanding Expo and look forward to making the 2012 Expo even better,” says Vickie Wiles, NGWA director of advertising and exhibit sales.

Wilo USA LLC exhibited and sponsored the NGWA Bookstore, stationing one of its green Wilo Street Fleet trucks just outside the entrance of the exhibit hall inside the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“We even had interest from other exhibitors with the truck,” says Mark D’Agostino, vice president of sales and marketing for Wilo USA, a subsidiary of Wilo SE, a manufacturer of pumps and pump systems for heating, cooling, and air conditioning technology, as well as water supply, sewage, and drainage that is located in Melrose Park, Illinois.

“When the show opened, we were buried. The great location had a crowd around it most of the day. The excitement continued inside as our booth had a line as well. The launch of our new WILO TWU-3 high-speed 3-inch submersible well pump was off the charts.

This innovative product kept us hopping throughout the week.”

During the Expo’s Keynote Address and Awards Ceremony, a standing ovation was given to past president Watson of Watson Co. Inc. in Lascassas, Twitter @WaterWellJournl

The Exhibit Hall was packed with a record 325 exhibitors.

Tennessee, who received the 2011 Ross L. Oliver Award.

Established in Oliver’s honor by his family, the award is presented to an NGWA member who has made outstanding contributions to the groundwater industry. Watson served the Tennessee Water Well Association for eight years and recalled how he fell in love with water well drilling when he was a junior in high school in 1959.

Watson spoke of the need to change the industry’s image and reminded drillers to strive for professionalism, stating they should “let their word be their bond.” NGWA past president Art Becker, MGWC, CPG, called Watson a “mountain of a man.”

Following the Awards Ceremony, Bruce Moss, president and CEO of Moss Well Drilling Inc. in Galveston, Indiana, introduced Keynote Address presenter Brian Shul, retired Air Force pilot, author, and photographer.

Shul told his story of perseverance and triumph over tragedy. His comeback included lying near dead in the jungle of Southeast Asia to later flying the world’s fastest, highest flying jet, the SR-71 spy plane. Shul came to realize that “life is short and uncertain,” and making him realize that every day is a “bucket list.” He encouraged everyone to pursue their passion and not let fear stop them.

“It was a great group of folks to work with altogether and an event attended by consummate professionals,” Shul says.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time.”

Attending its second Expo, Action Machining Inc. received good foot traffic at its exhibit booth with the launch

During the Expo’s Keynote Address and Awards Ceremony, a standing ovation was given to NGWA past president Loyd Watson, MGWC, CVCLD, of Watson Co. Inc. in Lascassas, Tennessee, who received the 2011 Ross L. Oliver Award. of its new sand separator. The company manufactures filters and manifold systems for commercial, industrial, residential, agricultural, and turf markets from its plant in West Bountiful, Utah.

Dee Zesiger, who is in his 16th year as general manager, came away with three potential leads for manufacturer representatives.

“The tough part now is following up when I’m back in the office,” Zesiger says. “It was a good show in 2008 and it was a good show this year. We’ll be back next year.” WWJ Water Well Journal February 2012 33/

By Ed Butts, PE, CPI

Groundwater Treatment Part 4. Regulated Contaminants

A

s we move through the long, diverse list of potential groundwater contaminants and the treatment methods for the various constituents, we now detail what are called “regulated contaminants.”

These are contaminants that have been defined and proven to be a risk to human health and with maximum allowable levels in public drinking water supplies. While we will provide a listing of all EPA-regulated contaminants, we will concentrate on discussing those most common to groundwater.

Definition of a Public Water System By definition and according to the Environmental Protection Agency, a public water system is a privately or publicly owned water system that provides potable water for human consumption to at least 15 service connections or regularly serves at least 25 individuals daily for at least 60 days per year.

Obviously, this definition purposely excludes many of the entities that operate seasonal facilities or the numerous very small water systems. However, there are states and even counties that have expanded this definition to include water systems that serve as low as three or four service connections. Therefore, 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.

34/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

It is important to verify the level of regulation that applies in your specific local, county, or state region. it is important to verify the level of regulation that applies in your specific local, county, or state region.

Drinking water standards apply to water systems in differing ways, dependent on their classification and size.

So it is critical to know which classification applies to the water system you are working with as different water quality standards may apply to each type of system. There are two basic classifications of water systems. ● Community Water Systems A public water system that serves the same population base during the entire year is classified as a community water system. This definition encompasses most cities, municipalities, water districts and associations, small towns, mobile home parks, apartment buildings, condominiums, and other water purveyors that provide, treat, or supply potable water to residences, commercial and industrial entities, and other similar consumers. ● Non-Community Water Systems A non-community water system is one that also serves the public, but does not provide water to the same group of people year-round. Breaking it down further, there are two subtypes of noncommunity water systems: 1. A non-transient, non-community water system serves the same group

of people for a period of more than six months, but less than a year. Examples of this type of water system are most schools and colleges.

2. A transient, non-community water system also serves the public but not the same individuals for more than six months. Examples of this type of water system would include rest areas, campgrounds, restaurants, hotels and motels, and RV (recreational vehicle) parks.

Water Quality Regulations Within the United States, the creation and implementation of standards and regulations for water quality is vested in and performed by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA receives its statutory authority for regulation of drinking water from the Safe Drinking Water Act. The SDWA was originally passed by the U.S. Congress in 1974 and was adopted to protect public health by regulating the nation’s drinking water supply.

Many states then regulate individual water systems in their particular state through a process called “primacy.”

This allows each state to enforce the SDWA and other regulations within their own jurisdictions, some with minor or additional changes and amendments that apply to their unique conditions and apply to all public water systems in one form or another.

New amendments to the SDWA were passed in 1986 by Congress that at that time provided the most stringent drinking water quality regulations and standards in U.S. history. All public water systems were impacted in some form. waterwelljournal.com

Under those amendments, the number of individual contaminants regulated increased to 111 by 1995—with 25 new contaminants planned for regulation every three years. In addition, new regulations were enacted that provided for the mandatory filtration of surface water, disinfection requirements, and lead and copper testing.

The SDWA underwent considerable revisions once again in 1996 that affected virtually every public water system in the country. The 1996 amendments, as opposed to previous SDWA laws, were prepared with assistance and input from the regulated community.

This law was passed by Congress and then signed into law by President Bill Clinton on August 6, 1996. As expected, the SDWA revisions included relaxation in some areas and increased enforcement in others, such as the protection of groundwater. A summary of the current SDWA follows.

Current Status of Drinking Water Quality Standards Drinking water contaminants are defined as “any substance present in drinking water that could have an adverse impact on human health if present in sufficient concentrations.” Although water systems are required to routinely monitor water quality, the simple presence or detection of a single or even several contaminants does not necessarily mean the water presents a health risk.

There are currently 88 different regulated contaminants established by the EPA. They are typically divided into five groups. The number of contaminants in each following group is shown in parentheses.

Microbial contaminants (8) This group includes viruses, bacteria, and parasites which usually result from sewage or septic system activity, agricultural and livestock operations, or wildlife. Turbidity is also included in this group.

Disinfectants and disinfectant byproducts (7) This group includes chemicals used in water disinfection and the byproducts that are formed as a result from the reaction between the chemicals and natural substances in the water.

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Inorganic chemicals (16) This group includes such chemicals as heavy metals and salts which can be naturally occurring or can result from stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharge, and other types of industrial and commercial activity.

Synthetic and volatile organic chemicals (53) This group includes the 21 volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) and the 32 synthetic organic contaminants (SOCs), such as pesticides and herbicides. These originate from a variety of sources such as agricultural runoff or urban stormwater runoff, and industrial, commercial, or even residential uses.

Frequently, the organic chemicals detected in groundwater come from industrial processes or petroleum production, distribution, or storage. This class of contaminants often has a high affinity of “sticking” to water molecules in transit to groundwater settings and then traveling many miles downgradient to a pumping well where they are ultimately detected. Due to that characteristic, many organic contaminants “age” and degrade into different forms, such as “daughter” products when ultimately discovered. Facilities such as gasoline stations, dry cleaning, and agricultural operations are often the originating source of organic contaminants.

Radiological contaminants (4) This group includes naturally occurring radioactive contaminants or those that form from oil and gas production or mining operations. This class includes radon, a radioactive gas that is often present in older and deeper hard rock groundwater formations such as granite.

The name and classification of each regulated contaminant is shown in Table 1.

Contaminants Common to Groundwater Although any of the contaminants listed in Table 1 can potentially impact groundwater sources and end up in a potable water well, there are a few specific contaminants that are more commonly found in groundwater than others.

Arsenic Arsenic is an inorganic (heavy metal) contaminant historically known from the numerous TV and movie references

as a deadly element to humans when consumed in adequate quantities.

Because it is an element that is found and commonly exists in nature as well as in runoff and percolation from agricultural chemicals, arsenic has a definite potential of introduction into a groundwater source.

For many years, the maximum contaminant level of arsenic in drinking water supplies was set at .050 mg/L. However, more recent research determined that arsenic was actually potentially injurious to human health below that level, resulting in the lowering of the MCL to the current level of .010 mg/L, an 80% reduction from the previous level.

As would be expected, many water systems that had operated for years with arsenic levels either on the bubble or at levels between the former and the revised MCL found themselves required to seek a way of providing water with an arsenic level in compliance with this new standard.

Although methods for the removal of arsenic exist, often the best treatment choice when feasible is abandonment of the existing well and aquifer and redrilling to a deeper or different aquifer. Obviously, this option is not always feasible. In those situations where treatment is the only choice, various removal options—ion exchange, reverse osmosis, or chemical addition/precipitation/filtration—offer viable solutions.

Nitrate Another contaminant common to groundwater sources is nitrate. Nitrate is also classified as an inorganic contaminant and its primary risk is to infants and young children through the formation of nitrogen bubbles in the blood, resulting in the potentially fatal condition called “blue baby syndrome.”

Nitrates are a common contaminant in groundwater supplies due to their relationship to septic tanks, drain or leach fields, fertilizers, and other forms of nitrogen-based compounds applied to or within the soil structure.

Typically, an aquifer or well’s exposure potential to nitrates is based on many factors: ●

Type of soil or formation structure in the vicinity of the well and within the aquifer

YOUR BUSINESS/continues on page 36 Water Well Journal February 2012 35/

YOUR BUSINESS/from page 35 Table 1. EPA National Primary Drinking Water Standards Contaminant Acrylamide OC OC

MCL or TT1 (mg/L)2 TT8

Potential health effects from exposure above the MCL Nervous system or blood problems;

0.002

Eye, liver, kidney or spleen problems; anemia; increased risk of cancer Increased risk of cancer

Alachlor Alpha particles

R

15 picocuries per Liter (pCi/L)

Antimony

0.006

IOC Arsenic

0.010 as of 1/23/06

Asbestos (fibers >10 micrometers) Atrazine

7 million fibers per Liter (MFL) 0.003

Barium

2

IOC IOC OC

Increase in blood cholesterol; decrease in blood sugar Skin damage or problems with circulatory systems, and may have increased risk of getting cancer Increased risk of developing benign intestinal polyps Cardiovascular system or reproductive problems Increase in blood pressure

IOC Benzene

0.005

Anemia; decrease in blood platelets; increased risk of cancer

Benzo(a)pyrene (PAHs)

0.0002

Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer

Beryllium

0.004

Intestinal lesions

OC OC

IOC Beta particles and photon emitters

4 millirems per year

Increased risk of cancer

Bromate

0.010

Increased risk of cancer

Cadmium

0.005

Kidney damage

Carbofuran

0.04

Carbon tetrachloride

0.005

Problems with blood, nervous system, or reproductive system Liver problems; increased risk of cancer

Chloramines (as Cl2)

MRDL=4.01

R

DBP

IOC

OC OC D

Eye/nose irritation; stomach discomfort, anemia

Common sources of contaminant in drinking water Added to water during sewage/wastewater increased risk of cancer treatment Runoff from herbicide used on row crops Erosion of natural deposits of certain minerals that are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation Discharge from petroleum refineries; fire retardants; ceramics; electronics; solder Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards, runoff from glass & electronics production wastes Decay of asbestos cement in water mains; erosion of natural deposits Runoff from herbicide used on row crops Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits Discharge from factories; leaching from gas storage tanks and landfills Leaching from linings of water storage tanks and distribution lines Discharge from metal refineries and coal-burning factories; discharge from electrical, aerospace, and defense industries Decay of natural and man-made deposits of certain minerals that are radioactive and may emit forms of radiation known as photons and beta radiation Byproduct of drinking water disinfection Corrosion of galvanized pipes; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from metal refineries; runoff from waste batteries and paints Leaching of soil fumigant used on rice and alfalfa Discharge from chemical plants and other industrial activities Water additive used to control microbes

Public Health Goal zero zero zero

0.006 0 7 MFL 0.003 2 zero zero 0.004

zero

zero 0.005

0.04 zero MRDLG=41

LEGEND D DBP

Dinsinfectant Disinfection Byproduct

36/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

IOC M

Inorganic Chemical Microorganism

OC R

Organic Chemical Radionuclides

1

waterwelljournal.com

Table 1. (continued)

Chlordane

MCL or TT1 (mg/L)2 0.002

D

Chlorine (as Cl2)

MRDL=4.01

D

Chlorine dioxide (as ClO2)

MRDL=0.81

Contaminant OC

DBP OC IOC

Chlorite

1.0

Chlorobenzene

0.1

Anemia; infants & young children: nervous system effects Anemia; infants & young children: nervous system effects Liver or kidney problems

Chromium (total)

0.1

Allergic dermatitis

Copper

TT7; Action Level = 1.3

Cryptosporidium

TT3

Cyanide (as free cyanide)

0.2

Short term exposure: Gastrointestinal distress. Long term exposure: Liver or kidney damage. People with Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disease should consult their personal doctor if the amount of copper in their water exceeds the action level Gastrointestinal illness (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, cramps) Nerve damage or thyroid problems

2,4-D

0.07

Kidney, liver, or adrenal gland problems

Dalapon

0.2

Minor kidney changes

IOC

M

Potential health effects from exposure above the MCL Liver or nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer Eye/nose irritation; stomach discomfort

IOC OC OC OC OC OC OC OC OC OC OC OC OC OC OC

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropa ne (DBCP)

0.0002

o-Dichlorobenzene

0.6

p-Dichlorobenzene

0.075

1,2-Dichloroethane

0.005

Anemia; liver, kidney or spleen damage; changes in blood Increased risk of cancer

1,1-Dichloroethylene

0.007

Liver problems

cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene

0.07

Liver problems

trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

0.1

Liver problems

Liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems

Dichloromethane

0.005

Liver problems; increased risk of cancer

1,2-Dichloropropane

0.005

Increased risk of cancer

Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate

0.4

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

0.006

Dinoseb

0.007

Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD)

0.00000003

OC OC OC

Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer

Diquat Endothall

0.02 0.1

Weight loss, live problems, or possible reproductive difficulties Reproductive difficulties; liver problems; increased risk of cancer Reproductive difficulties Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer Cataracts Stomach and intestinal problems

Common sources of contaminant in drinking water Residue of banned termiticide

Public Health Goal zero

Water additive used to control microbes Water additive used to control microbes Byproduct of drinking water disinfection Discharge from chemical and agricultural chemical factories Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion of natural deposits Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits

MRDLG=41 MRDLG=0.81 0.8 0.1 0.1 1.3

Human and animal fecal waste

zero

Discharge from steel/metal factories; discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories Runoff from herbicide used on row crops Runoff from herbicide used on rights of way Runoff/leaching from soil fumigant used on soybeans, cotton, pineapples, and orchards Discharge from industrial chemical factories Discharge from industrial chemical factories Discharge from industrial chemical factories Discharge from industrial chemical factories Discharge from industrial chemical factories Discharge from industrial chemical factories Discharge from drug and chemical factories Discharge from industrial chemical factories Discharge from chemical factories Discharge from rubber and chemical factories Runoff from herbicide used on soybeans and vegetables Emissions from waste incineration and other combustion; discharge from chemical factories Runoff from herbicide use Runoff from herbicide use

0.2 0.07 0.2 zero 0.6 0.075 zero 0.007 0.07 0.1 zero zero 0.4 zero 0.007 zero

0.02 0.1

LEGEND D DBP

Dinsinfectant Disinfection Byproduct

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

IOC M

Inorganic Chemical Microorganism

OC R

Organic Chemical Radionuclides

YOUR BUSINESS/continues on page 38

2

Water Well Journal February 2012 37/

YOUR BUSINESS/from page 37 Table 1. (continued) Contaminant OC

Endrin Epichlorohydrin

OC OC OC

MCL or TT1 (mg/L)2 0.002 TT8

Ethylbenzene Ethylene dibromide

0.7 0.00005

Fluoride

4.0

Giardia lamblia

TT3

IOC M OC DBP OC OC

Glyphosate Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

0.7 0.060

Heptachlor Heptachlor epoxide Heterotrophic plate count (HPC)

0.0004 0.0002 TT3

Hexachlorobenzene

0.001

Hexachlorocyclopentadien e Lead

0.05

M

OC OC

IOC

M OC

Legionella

TT7; Action Level = 0.015 TT3

Potential health effects from exposure above the MCL Liver problems Increased cancer risk, and over a long period of time, stomach problems Liver or kidneys problems Problems with liver, stomach, reproductive system, or kidneys; increased risk of cancer Bone disease (pain and tenderness of the bones); Children may get mottled teeth Gastrointestinal illness (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, cramps) Kidney problems; reproductive difficulties Increased risk of cancer Liver damage; increased risk of cancer Liver damage; increased risk of cancer HPC has no health effects; it is an analytic method used to measure the variety of bacteria that are common in water. The lower the concentration of bacteria in drinking water, the better maintained the water system is.

Liver or kidney problems; reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer Kidney or stomach problems Infants and children: Delays in physical or mental development; children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities; Adults: Kidney problems; high blood pressure Legionnaireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disease, a type of pneumonia

Lindane

0.0002

Liver or kidney problems

Mercury (inorganic)

0.002

Kidney damage

Methoxychlor

0.04

Reproductive difficulties

IOC

OC Nitrate (measured as Nitrogen)

10

Nitrite (measured as Nitrogen)

1

IOC

IOC

Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.

Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrite in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.

Common sources of contaminant in drinking water Residue of banned insecticide Discharge from industrial chemical factories; an impurity of some water treatment chemicals Discharge from petroleum refineries Discharge from petroleum refineries Water additive which promotes strong teeth; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories Human and animal fecal waste

Public Health Goal 0.002 zero

Runoff from herbicide use Byproduct of drinking water disinfection Residue of banned termiticide Breakdown of heptachlor HPC measures a range of bacteria that are naturally present in the environment

0.7 n/a6

0.7 zero 4.0

zero

zero zero n/a

Discharge from metal refineries and agricultural chemical factories Discharge from chemical factories Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits

zero

Found naturally in water; multiplies in heating systems Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cattle, lumber, gardens Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from refineries and factories; runoff from landfills and croplands Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on fruits, vegetables, alfalfa, livestock Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits

zero

Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits

0.05 zero

0.0002 0.002

0.04 10

1

LEGEND D DBP

Dinsinfectant Disinfection Byproduct

38/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

IOC M

Inorganic Chemical Microorganism

OC R

Organic Chemical Radionuclides

3 waterwelljournal.com

Table 1. (continued) Contaminant Oxamyl (Vydate)

MCL or TT1 (mg/L)2 0.2

Potential health effects from exposure above the MCL Slight nervous system effects

OC OC OC OC R

Pentachlorophenol

0.001

Picloram Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

0.5 0.0005

Radium 226 and Radium 228 (combined) Selenium

5 pCi/L 0.05

Hair or fingernail loss; numbness in fingers or toes; circulatory problems

Simazine Styrene

0.004 0.1

Problems with blood Liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems

Tetrachloroethylene

0.005

Liver problems; increased risk of cancer

Thallium

0.002

Hair loss; changes in blood; kidney, intestine, or liver problems

Toluene

1

Nervous system, kidney, or liver problems

5.0%4

Not a health threat in itself; it is used to indicate whether other potentially harmful bacteria may be present5

IOC OC OC OC IOC OC

Total Coliforms (including fecal coliform and E. coli) M

DBP OC OC OC OC OC OC

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Toxaphene

0.10 0.080 after 12/31/03 0.003

Liver or kidney problems; increased cancer risk Liver problems Skin changes; thymus gland problems; immune deficiencies; reproductive or nervous system difficulties; increased risk of cancer Increased risk of cancer

Liver, kidney or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer Kidney, liver, or thyroid problems; increased risk of cancer Liver problems Changes in adrenal glands

2,4,5-TP (Silvex) 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene

0.05 0.07

1,1,1-Trichloroethane

0.2

1,1,2-Trichloroethane

0.005

Liver, nervous system, or circulatory problems Liver, kidney, or immune system problems

Trichloroethylene

0.005

Liver problems; increased risk of cancer

Turbidity

TT3

Uranium

30 ug/L as of 12/08/03

Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of water. It is used to indicate water quality and filtration effectiveness (e.g., whether disease-causing organisms are present).

Higher turbidity levels are often associated with higher levels of disease-causing micro-organisms such as viruses, parasites and some bacteria. These organisms can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.

Increased risk of cancer, kidney toxicity

M

R

Common sources of contaminant in drinking water Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on apples, potatoes, and tomatoes Discharge from wood preserving factories Herbicide runoff Runoff from landfills; discharge of waste chemicals

Public Health Goal 0.2 zero 0.5 zero

Erosion of natural deposits

zero

Discharge from petroleum refineries; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from mines Herbicide runoff Discharge from rubber and plastic factories; leaching from landfills Discharge from factories and dry cleaners Leaching from ore-processing sites; discharge from electronics, glass, and drug factories Discharge from petroleum factories Coliforms are naturally present in the environment as well as feces; fecal coliforms and E. coli only come from human and animal fecal waste.

Byproduct of drinking water disinfection

0.05

Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cotton and cattle Residue of banned herbicide Discharge from textile finishing factories Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other factories Discharge from industrial chemical factories Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other factories Soil runoff

Erosion of natural deposits

0.004 0.1 zero 0.0005 1 zero

n/a6

zero 0.05 0.07 0.20 0.003 zero n/a

zero

LEGEND D DBP

Dinsinfectant Disinfection Byproduct

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

IOC M

Inorganic Chemical Microorganism

OC R

Organic Chemical Radionuclides

YOUR BUSINESS/continues on page 40

4

Water Well Journal February 2012 39/

YOUR BUSINESS/from page 39 Table 1. (continued) MCL or TT1 (mg/L)2 0.002

Potential health effects from exposure above the MCL Increased risk of cancer

Viruses (enteric)

TT3

Xylenes (total)

10

Gastrointestinal illness (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, cramps) Nervous system damage

Contaminant Vinyl chloride

OC M OC

Common sources of contaminant in drinking water Leaching from PVC pipes; discharge from plastic factories Human and animal fecal waste Discharge from petroleum factories; discharge from chemical factories

Public Health Goal zero zero 10

NOTES 1 Definitions •

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG)—The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety and are non-enforceable public health goals.

•

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)—The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology and taking cost into consideration. MCLs are enforceable standards.

•

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG)—The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

•

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL)—The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

•

Treatment Technique (TT)—A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

2 Units are in milligrams per liter (mg/L) unless otherwise noted. Milligrams per liter are equivalent to parts per million (ppm).

3 EPA’s surface water treatment rules require systems using surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water to (1) disinfect their water, and (2) filter their water or meet criteria for avoiding filtration so that the following contaminants are controlled at the following levels: •

Cryptosporidium (as of 1/1/02 for systems serving >10,000 and 1/14/05 for systems serving <10,000) 99% removal.

•

Giardia lamblia: 99.9% removal/inactivation

•

Viruses: 99.99% removal/inactivation

•

Legionella: No limit, but EPA believes that if Giardia and viruses are removed/inactivated, Legionella will also be controlled.

•

Turbidity: At no time can turbidity (cloudiness of water) go above 5 nephelolometric turbidity units (NTU); systems that filter must ensure that the turbidity go no higher than 1 NTU (0.5 NTU for conventional or direct filtration) in at least 95% of the daily samples in any month. As of January 1, 2002, for systems servicing >10,000, and January 14, 2005, for systems servicing <10,000, turbidity may never exceed 1 NTU, and must not exceed 0.3 NTU in 95% of daily samples in any month.

•

HPC: No more than 500 bacterial colonies per milliliter

•

Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment (Effective Date: January 14, 2005); Surface water systems or (GWUDI) systems serving fewer than 10,000 people must comply with the applicable Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule provisions (e.g. turbidity standards, individual filter monitoring, Cryptosporidium removal requirements, updated watershed control requirements for unfiltered systems).

•

Filter Backwash Recycling: The Filter Backwash Recycling Rule requires systems that recycle to return specific recycle flows through all processes of the system’s existing conventional or direct filtration system or at an alternate location approved by the state.

4 No more than 5.0% samples total coliform-positive in a month. (For water systems that collect fewer than 40 routine samples per month, no more than one sample can be total coliform-positive per month.) Every sample that has total coliform must be analyzed for either fecal coliforms or E. coli if two consecutive TC-positive samples, and one is also positive for E. coli fecal coliforms, system has an acute MCL violation.

5 Fecal coliform and E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Disease-causing microbes (pathogens) in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. These pathogens may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, and people with severely compromised immune systems.

6 Although there is no collective MCLG for this contaminant group, there are individual MCLGs for some of the individual contaminants: •

Haloacetic acids: dichloroacetic acid (zero); trichloroacetic acid (0.3 mg/L)

•

Trihalomethanes: bromodichloromethane (zero); bromoform (zero); dibromochloromethane (0.06 mg/L)

7 Lead and copper are regulated by a Treatment Technique that requires systems to control the corrosiveness of their water. If more than 10% of tap water samples exceed the action level, water systems must take additional steps.

For copper, the action level is 1.3 mg/L, and for lead is 0.015 mg/L. 8 Each water system must certify, in writing, to the state (using third-party or manufacturers certification) that when it uses acrylamide and/or epichlorohydrin to treat water, the combination (or product) of dose and monomer level does not exceed the levels specified, as follows: Acrylamide = 0.05% dosed at 1 mg/L (or equivalent); Epichlorohydrin = 0.01% dosed at 20 mg/L (or equivalent).

LEGEND D DBP

Dinsinfectant Disinfection Byproduct

40/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

IOC M

Inorganic Chemical Microorganism

OC R

Organic Chemical Radionuclides

5 waterwelljournal.com

● ●

●

Percolation rate through the soil Concentration and rate of nitrogen compounds applied to the soil as opposed to the nitrogen uptake rate of the crop Excess level of nitrates originating from a malfunctioning drain field or septic tank and the gradient of groundwater or surface water towards the well (when fertilizers are the source of the nitrogen).

The current MCL for nitrates is 10 mg/L. As with arsenic, nitrates can be removed through anion exchange, reverse osmosis, or chemical addition/ precipitation/filtration.

Organic contaminants As numerous and exotic chemicals have continued to be interjected into the water cycle and into groundwater sources through runoff and percolation in recent years, newer types of associated regulated contaminants have also been introduced into groundwater sources. These are organic contaminants. These chemicals, as the term implies, are carbon based and are classified as either synthetic or volatile organic contaminants.

Unfortunately, as the exposure of these contaminants to aquifers, particularly those that are shallow and permeable, continue to increase, detection of these chemicals in levels above the MCL will also increase in many regions of the country.

Although various methods exist to effectively remove organics, generally the two best methods involve the use of carbon adsorption or air stripping. In either case, various and critical technical factors must be considered before embarking on a specific treatment method.

General Design Considerations Obviously, I’ve only touched upon the types of contaminants found in groundwater sources and the treatment methods available for removing them.

However, there are some general guidelines I can suggest for those of you planning to go to battle against any of these potential troublemakers.

As with a good many water treatment processes, the pH level is often a critical parameter to provide effective removal.

In many instances, a low pH level (<7.0) will retard or even negate an othTwitter @WaterWellJournl

erwise effective method. In other cases, a high pH level (>8.0) can result in problems with maintaining disinfection standards or excessive deposition of material in the distribution system. Verify the pH level and water alkalinity and their impact on the proposed treatment method.

It is always important to remember that the presence of one contaminant in a water source may easily be accompanied by the coexistence of other, and sometimes even more harmful, contaminants. This is often a critical factor since the treatment method used to remove one contaminant can actually add to the level of the other contaminant in the finished water. Or in some cases, the presence of one contaminant can even interfere with the effective removal of another, depending on the method of treatment selected.

For this reason, it is vital that a complete scan and analysis of the chemistry of the entire water source is obtained before embarking on a specific treatment course of action. In addition, consider the impact from possible seasonal changes. Although this is usually more of an important factor for surface water sources, subtle changes in groundwater quality from seasonal differences can also impact treatment processes.

Some vendors or designers of water treatment equipment have such high confidence in their line of equipment from past experience that they may feel there is no need for conducting a pilot study. I believe in most cases this is a risky and dangerous plan. There is no question that a properly conducted pilot study raises the cost as well as results in a delay in implementing the full-scale plant. However, I have personally seen too many examples of the so-called perfect application of a certain treatment process or train that was implemented without the benefit of a pilot study end up scrapped, heavily modified, or take years of adjustment and changes in order to become fully functional, while losing its potential revenue to the utility along the way. Although determining the proposed effect of the treatment plan is the primary goal of a pilot study, one often overlooked factor that is usually gained is an estimate of the operating cost.

Beyond the initial capital investment, water treatment plants generally operate using four factors with a direct cost impact.

1. Personnel costs: Although water treatment facilities may operate automatically, they nonetheless require some measure of periodic maintenance and adjustment. Excessive downtime or attention by water personnel, especially in numbers well beyond the budgeted values, can rapidly drive up the projected operation and maintenance (O&M) costs for the plant, resulting in a severe cost overrun.

2. Power costs: Most treatment methods require some type of additional power consumption to function.

This can be in the high demand for booster pumps for air strippers or as low for injection pumps for chemicals. Regardless, a pilot study can assist in estimating these costs for a full-scale plant.

3. Chemical costs: As important and vital as the previous two factors are, the potential cost or misapplication of treatment chemicals can be the most severe—not only in operational costs but in personnel time, treatment effectiveness, and finished water quality. If for no other reason, the potential impact on the selection, dosage, and results from the proper choice of treatment chemicals warrants a pilot study.

4. Waste disposal costs: Although this factor can be low or negligible, it can also be quite expensive, particularly if the waste product is high in volume or contaminants. In either case, the use of a pilot study will generally provide the data necessary to extrapolate to a full-scale plant.

Finally, with the current technology available to treat virtually any negative water condition, system designers can become overwhelmed with the choices they have and end up falling victim to a slick sales pitch over using the proper design judgment.

I actually feel that I partially fell for this ploy early in my career. Although the client did not suffer any ill conse quences in the end, I still feel to this day

YOUR BUSINESS/continues on page 42 Water Well Journal February 2012 41/

YOUR BUSINESS/from page 41 that I didn’t perform my full responsibility to my client by fully researching and investigating all possible options before selecting the ultimate choice.

This experience results in my final set of suggestions: ● ●

● ● ● ● ●

Verify the actual water condition needed for treatment.

Use the resources available from potential suppliers and manufacturers to compare the viable methods.

Use references and case studies to verify claims.

Implement a pilot study of adequate duration and scale.

Review carefully all options before finalizing the selection decision.

Include all O&M cost factors as an element of the overall investment.

Verify that the selected and final process and equipment is in total compliance with the pilot equipment.

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Contact us for details 800-671-0383 • 559-291-0383 Fax: 559-291-0463 E-mail: jim.lozano@ariesccv.com On the web at www.ariesccv.com

CCV Engineering & Manufacturing An Aries Industries Company 5748 E. Shields Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727

Circle card no. 5

waterwelljournal.com

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Circle card no. 36

See Our Classified Ads on Pages 57, 61, and 63.

By Gary Ganson, CIH, CSP

Accident Investigations A root-cause analysis can prevent a reoccurrence of accidents on the job site.

W

hy is it important to investigate an accident?

An accident is an unplanned event that results in personal injury, illness, or damage to property and equipment. The goal of an accident investigation is to learn from the events that occurred with the goal of preventing them from occurring again.

The investigation is used to try to drill down to the different components that contributed to or caused the accident. For example, a result of an investigation can be learning about your employees’ knowledge or awareness deficiencies and improving training to prevent others from possibly exposing themselves to a potential injury.

There are different methods that can be used to carry out the investigation.

However, I think you can achieve the best results by conducting a root-cause analysis. At my company, we use rootcause analysis and also track near-miss events. These tools provide information that assists us in preventing an incident from occurring in the future, as well as determining what might have been a factor in causing it.

Key Elements Key elements include conducting a site investigation, taking photographs, hearing testimony from the injured party and witnesses, reviewing documents, and a final evaluation.

An accident investigation should be initiated quickly to identify the facts about the events. But always keep in mind this is not a fault-finding exercise.

Gary Ganson, a certified industrial hygienist and certified safety professional, is a senior consultant for Terracon in Lenexa, Kansas.

44/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

Employers should try to instill that reporting a near miss should be done in a spirit of cooperation.

This is important to stress to employees, otherwise you may not get truthful and reliable information. Regardless of the severity of the incident—whether it is a car accident or a bruise on the arm— an investigation should be conducted.

When undertaking a root-cause analysis, the person responsible for conducting the incident investigation should be the direct supervisor. Unlike someone from the outside, the supervisor has quick access to employees and responsibility for them, which will allow them to convey findings more easily.

Once the supervisor has identified the parties involved, he or she needs to bring them together to discuss what they observed, heard, or believed may have occurred. In the capacity of interviewer, the supervisor needs to keep in mind that nothing at all is insignificant at the outset.

The investigation follows the basic five W’s of who, what, where, why, and when in order to determine what happened, what the outcomes were, and what equipment was damaged. It’s also important to take lots of pictures as soon as possible and add them to the ongoing investigation.

What the incident investigation is trying to achieve is to comprehend the contributing factors to the event—such as what machinery was implicated, if a human error occurred, or what other fac-

tors were involved without pointing any fingers.

A root-cause analysis should determine the following factors: ●

●

●

●

●

Was a supervisor or management involved? Are they conducting safety talks, promoting safety, involved with their employees?

The identity and background of the victims. There are some employee characteristics—training level, age of the victim, whether they were a new hire—that can help establish trends or classify a group that might be more vulnerable to accidents. For instance, maybe most of the accidents are happening to older workers as a result of physiological changes and unintended stresses to the body contributing to ergonomic injuries.

Or new hires might not be getting adequate training if most of the accidents happen in the first year of employment.

A detailed description of the event based on testimony or observation.

This is a narrative of what happened and what personnel were doing. If any equipment was involved, the analysis should contain a description of the equipment, what the equipment was doing, condition of the equipment, how frequently it was maintained, and whether it had been modified in any way.

Characteristics of the different tasks that were being performed at the time of the accident. For example, was the drill rig operator already drilling, or was he cleaning augers?

Time factors—what time of day did the accident occur? Attention spans lag at certain times of the day and waterwelljournal.com

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certain days of the week. Be especially aware of long work week activities, such as working 60-plus hours or seven days straight.

Was personal protective equipment or other safety equipment involved?

Determine if PPE was missing, or required but not being used. Were other tools that should have been provided not provided and why? Look for details such as whether safety glasses were not being worn or loose clothing was worn close to a rotating auger.

Nature of the injury. What body part was injured and what was the severity of the injury?

Determining Causation Factors After collecting all the information, the investigator has to sort through it and determine a causation factor. This factor may be very obvious in some incidents, and in others it might not be quite as easy to figure out what might have occurred. This requires re-creating the sequence of events, grouping all causation factors together, and finding the root cause or causes that contributed to the accident.

Once causation factors have been recognized, corrective actions must be identified to prevent the incident from happening again. Corrective actions might include training, additional maintenance on equipment, use of PPE, or stressing general safety to the employees. The corrective actions become part of a prevention strategy along with an implementation schedule to prevent the incident from happening again.

Near Misses As I noted earlier, at my company we also track near-miss events as part of our incident investigation. It is worth noting the near-miss reporting process is one of the most difficult tools to use.

There is an underlying fear on the part of many employees that reporting near misses is tattling on themselves or their co-workers. Employers should try to instill in their workers an understanding that reporting a near miss should be done in a spirit of cooperation. The desired outcome of reporting near misses is that no one gets hurt and nothing gets damaged.

Using a near-miss reporting tool allows employers to track whether incidents are happening with reoccurring frequency, indicating that there is obviously a problem. Sooner or later, the law of averages catches up and an accident occurs. Near-miss reporting just might prevent that from happening.

In order for the near-miss reporting tool to work, employees must be encouraged to be observant and always aware of everything around them. The reporting process shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be something labor intensive and hopefully will result in being able to reduce the severity of the accident or prevent the accident from occurring at all.

Those are the outcomes we hope to instill in workersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to increase their own awareness. This is especially important for drillers working on remote sites where they might get a little bored drilling during a long day. My philosophy is itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a dull day if nothingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;no accidentsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;happen, and dull days are my favorite.

There are lots of tools to help with incident investigations, such as online forms available through OSHA that will walk an employer through the process.

If a company is truly interested in preventing an accident from occurring again, it is well worth the time and money spent to conduct an accident investigation. If in doubt, check with your compensation carrier on actual costs versus lost or down time.

The benefits of doing an incident investigation are many. The best one is that no one gets hurt. WWJ

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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/ Professional-Resources/safety/pages.

Also while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at the Web site, go to the Bookstore and check out NGWA Pressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 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.

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Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Water Well Journal February 2012 45/

By Ron Slee

Curious, Trained, and Motivated Employees This is the battleground of the next 20 years.

I

really struggle with a comment I hear all too often.

“I can’t afford to provide training to my employees. Once they are trained they will leave and go work for someone else and all I did was pay for the training.”

Does that mean it is better to keep people on the payroll who are not trained and don’t know how to do things?

I always think of a quote when I hear such a comment. It goes: “In the long run, the race belongs not merely to the swift, but to the farseeing, to those who anticipate change.”

It is a quotation that has given me hope for a long time. You see, I take from it that you don’t have to be the smartest, the best looking, the best connected, or the strongest—but you do have to be curious.

It really gives me a lot of hope. I am extremely curious and always have been. Most of you are as well. That is why I included curiosity in the list of attributes in the column title above.

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.

46/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

I feel when you leave school is the exact time when your learning truly starts.

It’s Not Money Imagine not wanting to train employees to be good at their jobs? I hope such an attitude no longer exists in business leaders. If it does in some, I’m afraid their companies will not have a happy future. They might get by in the short term but they will not prevail in this difficult, rapidly changing world we live in today.

Employees rarely leave their employers because of a lack of money. Money doesn’t motivate people to work harder or stay longer, although it can demotivate people when they aren’t being paid properly.

The Gallup Organization from their surveys says the top reason people leave a job is dissatisfaction with their boss or supervisor. This dissatisfaction comes from the boss being a domineering or rude communicator, taking people for granted, using people for their own gain, or withholding opportunities.

We should all know it’s better to involve people in their work by asking questions like “What do you think?” or

“How should we approach that?” People want to be a part of a team, not the oxen on the yoke.

Continue the Learning One of the most common difficulties I see in many companies is that employees feel they have completed their education. They think they did so when they left school. I beg to differ and feel when you leave school is the exact time when your learning truly starts.

Many of you know I taught education courses at a university a long time ago. The mission was to “teach” students to “learn” a particular subject matter. My common thrust to everyone in those classes was that while it was important they be able to teach the curriculum to a high level, it was actually more important they be able to teach the students to be able to teach themselves.

Learning in a business setting, especially one as demanding and technical as the groundwater industry, is even more critical. There are dramatic changes in processes, regulations, technology, and methods. That is why ongoing employee training is so critical to your success. It is not just about their skills improving. It is about your company succeeding.

Online Breakthroughs One of the nice advantages technology has brought us in the past 20 years waterwelljournal.com

is new ways to learn. I have had a management training company that provides training in a classroom setting to parts and service management firms from many industries since the 1990s. It has been an extremely rewarding aspect of my work to be able to exchange ideas and approaches to people in many cultures from many levels of skill and technology. The classroom training is still to me one of the most effective “learning venues” we have in society.

Recently, however, we started doing Webinars. This is a product that takes a specific subject and provides through a software tool a one-hour or 90-minute intense training session through the use of online slideshows and oral instruction.

Registrants are provided an invitation with the necessary phone numbers and passwords and simply show up at the appropriate date and time. It is very simple. We began offering Webinars in 2010 and will be offering eight on parts and eight on service in 2012. (You can see more details on these at my Web site at www.rjslee.com under the “Learning” tab.)

We’re also putting the final touches on our first Internet self-study program. This will be a series of four courses on parts and four on service. Each will be a program containing five to six hours of learning.

There will be additional study materials available that will take additional time. We plan to have these courses qualify for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) so they would qualify for use in undergraduate degree programs around the country.

This is an even easier and less intrusive form of learning.

People will register online and receive a password for their course. They will then have 30 days to learn online before the

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Circle card no. 6

program’s license expires.

Each course will have four chapters with each chapter having four sections. At the end of each section there is a skills test that must be passed before proceeding through the course.

Although I believe the classroom is the best venue for teaching (it must be the professor in me), Webinars and selfstudy programs are becoming more and more complete as a learning tool. They are also considerably less expensive, so I think we can all benefit from this new technology.

With training, your employees become more skilled and happier in their work. Your customers appreciate the service value they receive from your skilled employees. Your company succeeds with more business at lower costs. And you make more money.

One last note. We aren’t in business to make money. If that is your goal, you will fail. You make money as a byproduct of being in business and conducting business in a manner that your customers obtain value. That value is provided by those employees of yours. They are the real heroes.

Let’s recognize them more by providing the kind of training on the subjects they need to continue to grow as people.

WWJ

Get your business basics Build a business tools library by getting what you need in NGWA’s Online Bookstore. You’ll find cost calculators for drilling, pump installation, and geothermal; best suggested practices; and more.

Simply go to www.NGWA.org and check out the Business Management section of the bookstore today!

Circle card no. 35

Water Well Journal February 2012 47/

By Michelle Nichols

Fresh Ideas for Overcoming the Price Objection Suggestions for handling the most common obstacle to a sale: “It costs too much.”

“Y

our price is too high.” How many times have you heard that? Let me count the ways. Better yet, let me count the ways to overcome this perennial challenge!

Let’s face it—there isn’t a single, surefire, works-every-time answer to the price objection. If there was, I would bottle the magic formula and make a fortune. Fact is, there’s just too much variety in the people we encounter, their business and personal situations, and the hot buttons that prompt their purchasing decisions.

Fruits of Experience A professional salesperson is like an archer. When objections arise, you don’t want to have just one arrow in your quiver to shoot them down. Ideally, you would like to have six—or six dozen.

Just knowing you have a variety of responses to this pivotal challenge will pump up your confidence level. Even better, that knowledge also produces the ultimate payoff by increasing the size of individual sales as well as their overall numbers.

What follows are ideas that several of my readers have used successfully and then shared with me over the years.

Michelle Nichols is a professional sales speaker, trainer, and consultant based in Reno, Nevada. Her Savvy Selling Success Pack is available through NGWA. She can be reached at (775) 303-8201 or at michelle.nichols@savvyselling.com.

48/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

Us vs. Them

You don’t have to stay stuck at your present level of competency in how you handle this hurdle to business success.

If it were put to a vote, the hands-down favorite would be “Sell value, not price.” This answer comes in two flavors—building up the value of your product or service, and being able to provide a competitive comparison.

To maximize the perceived value, make sure your customers understand it’s not just a well or service contract they are buying. They must also consider your years of experience, the ongoing support you will provide, the certainty of on-time delivery and installation, your company’s history and reputation, and its market knowledge. Taken together, these factors are worth a lot— but only if you take the time to educate the customer.

One example of extra value came from a reader who stresses the many and costly certifications his company has obtained. Smaller competitors often can’t afford them, but those certifications are vital to his sales strategy because they provide implicit guarantees of the quality control that customers can expect.

Comparing the total cost of what you offer with those of competitors is a strong strategy, but it requires a cool head and thorough preparation. The comparison can be based on your product’s features or its return on investment. Either way, it establishes common ground between you and your customer, as you both try to see which total package best suits both your needs and overall situation.

A word of advice here. Don’t try building a comparative, competitive matrix on the fly. Instead, practice with your manager or a colleague prior to unveiling it before a customer. Although this is an excellent way to qualify a customer and then close a sale, chances are you’ll only get to that point if you are in full command of all the facts before deciding to go down this particular road.

Don’t overlook your customer personally weighing the various points of comparison. Not everyone puts the same value on different components of a total package.

Another popular strategy to overcome the price objection is selling a solution. Using this strategy, the first call or calls are just for gathering information. As one reader wrote to me, “If you can discover what the underlying need is, and the product/service fits like a hand in glove, then price becomes a secondary or even less of a priority.”

waterwelljournal.com

Service, Not Price You can also use one of several variations on customer service. For example, one reader tells his customer that while any joker can compete on price, he competes on service.

Another reader takes this idea one step further. “The price includes my personal service to you. No one in the world can provide my personal service but me.”

Yet another reader stresses the quality of the long-term relationship. How can a company put a price on a key strategic relationship, he will ask potential customers, when that counsel and guidance may save their business or home from disaster or raise its value?

One time-tested strategy is getting the customers to convince themselves. One reader asks his customers which brand name products they buy for their personal use, and then says the same concept applies to his line. They’re buying quality and should expect to pay a premium.

Likewise, a reader named Joe told me about a conversation with a customer who was a home remodeler who said he could get Joe’s job done by another company for half the price. Joe’s immediate response: “And I can get a few high school kids to remodel my kitchen for $10 an hour.” That message sure sank in. After a long pause, the customer said, “When would you like to meet?”

Go Sell Yourself One reader had a particularly interesting tactic for handling the price objection. He parrots it back as a question, “So, you

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think the price is too high?” Then he remains silent while the buyers grapple with the price issue. Often, he says, customers talk themselves into buying—at the same price they first said was too high.

Amazingly, one reader told me that even folks who sell parachutes run into the price objection. Here’s a product that stops people from falling from the sky like a stone—and customers are still worried about saving a few bucks! This just goes to show how widespread the price objection is.

There’s no doubt about it—the price objection is here to stay. However, you don’t have to stay stuck at your present level of competency in how you handle this hurdle to business success.

Just remember, information itself is practically worthless.

It’s how you apply that information that can make your sales soar. Study these responses and practice the ones that suit your business, your personality, and your type of customer.

Then get out there and use them on real customers.

Happy selling! WWJ

Get more sales information online!

Go to waterwelljournal.com and see other complete Water Well Journal articles that will help you with your sales skills.

WWJ ’s online home features current and past articles, daily news posts, buyers guides, and links to other valuable information. Bookmark the page because it is updated every day!

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Circle card no. 13

Water Well Journal February 2012 49/

By William J. Lynott

Divorce the Bank?

If banking today frustrates you, follow these steps to ensure your finances are fine.

I

s it time for you to divorce your bank?

Has the relationship been strained by your bank’s ingenuity in creating hidden fees designed to bolster their bottom lines at your expense? Were you troubled by the most recent attempt of some banks to impose new and oppressive debit card fees?

If so, you may be thinking it’s time for you to change banks. Granted, the public’s furious reaction to the new debit card fees may have caused some banks to reconsider that ill-advised move, but it’s unlikely those same banks will abandon their crafty attempts to separate you from your money.

Not So Easy The problem is that changing banks these days is no walk in the park, especially for those of us who do our banking and bill paying online.

The thought of learning a new system and reentering all that payee information is enough to put a damper on the whole idea. The task is compounded further for consumers who have automatic deposits to their accounts such as pensions or Social Security payments, or automatic deductions for such things as utility bills.

Bill Lynott is a management consultant, author, and lecturer who writes on business and financial topics for a number of publications. His book, Money: How to Make the Most of What You’ve Got, is available through any bookstore. You can reach him at wlynott@ cs.com or through his Web site: www.blynott. com.

50/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

You need to make sure you’re not being hit with incorrect charges, especially in this age of new and often “hidden” charges.

And don’t think the banks aren’t well aware of the quandary facing customers who want to make a change. Despite increasing dissatisfaction with the banking industry, only a small percentage of customers switch banks each year.

It is somewhat because of the nagging thought that the whole process may simply be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Win the Game If you’ve come to the conclusion that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know, here are a few steps you can take to help beat your bank at its own game.

Monitor your bank statement closely.

Monthly bank statements may not make for exciting reading, but they could make for profitable reading. You need to make sure you’re not being hit with incorrect charges, especially in this age of new and often “hidden” charges.

It will only take you a few minutes to examine each entry on your monthly statement. ● Don’t opt out of paper statements.

You’ve probably noticed those inviting suggestions from your bank that you opt out of receiving paper statements each month. It’s a great idea for the bank because it saves them time and ●

money, but it may not be a good idea for you.

It’s much easier to spot irregularities when you examine your paper statement each month than it would be on a Web page. Failing to carefully examine paper statements each month is one of the most common and potentially costly banking mistakes. ● Ditch that ATM card.

Make no mistake, the banks sold the ATM idea as a “convenience” for customers, but the whole purpose was to boost profits. By getting you to bypass the teller’s cage, the industry is saving billions of dollars.

If you’re paying anything at all for using an ATM card, stop using it! Simply resume that old-fashioned practice of stepping inside the bank to transact your business.

Is this an unthinkable step backwards? Not at all. Dumping your ATM card can be a liberating experience.

Once you arrange your schedule to visit your bank only during banking hours, you’ve won the battle. With the extended banking hours offered by most banks these days, the whole process is a nonevent. In fact, you may find the line waiting to use the ATM machine is often longer than the line inside the bank.

And, of course, using an ATM, especially at night, greatly increases the chances of you being assaulted or robbed. ● Never allow a CD to roll over automatically.

Don’t think your bank will give you the best available rate when you allow a CD to roll over automatically. It almost surely won’t. You should always call or waterwelljournal.com

visit the bank and ask to review all current interest rates for CDs, including any promotional rates that might be available.

Banks often run special promotions offering interest rates higher than their regular rates. They are often not advertised and you can be dead certain that an automatic renewal won’t get that rate unless you ask.

It’s likely your bank will do a dependable job of sending you a reminder when each CD approaches its maturity date.

The notice will dutifully explain that you don’t have to do anything at maturity if you don’t want to. If the bank doesn’t hear from you, they’ll just roll it over. That is, they’ll renew it for the same period as the original and pay you their current interest rate.

That sounds fair enough, so millions of today’s busy consumers take that easy road. The banks love people like that, but those people are making a mistake that you should avoid. ● Always shop around for the best interest rate if you need a loan.

When you need a loan, it’s only natural to look first to your own bank, but you shouldn’t stop there. The banking industry has become very competitive in these difficult times. The result is a wide variance in such things as interest rates on loans.

There are many places, especially online, that offer attractive deals whether you are saving or borrowing.

Your bank may not be the scoundrel that current events would portray, but it’s not your kind old uncle either. That’s why it’s best to keep a sharp eye peeled for these or any other shenanigans if you decide to stick with it. WWJ

GeoVISION Borehole Cameras TM

By Marks Products Inc. www.geovision.org For a free DVD, call (800) 255-1353 or e-mail jeff@geovision.org

●

●

Some features of the GeoVISIONTM Deluxe System: ● Excellent video from places that no other systems will work. ● Five cable lengths for video inspection to 2000 feet underwater. ● Six interchangeable camera heads for use in bores from 1 inch to many feet in diameter. ● Motorized pan-tilt for use in mines and wells over 4 inches in diameter.

Dual Scan micro camera for easy switching between down and side views All GeoVISIONTM systems come with excellent support, practical advice, and repair service.

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Thank you for making a difference at the 2011 NGWREF Fundraising Auction!

Thanks to those who donated items, made cash contributions, attended, and made purchases, nearly $50,000 was raised at the NGWREF Fundraising Auction that took place during the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo!

A special thank you goes out to auction cosponsors CETCO and Wyo-Ben Inc., and to Platinum Level donors Baroid Industrial Drilling Products, GEFCO, and Gregg Drilling and Testing, each of which made donations valued at $2,500 or more.

The proceeds raised at the auction will go to benefit the Developing Nations and Len Assante Scholarship funds of NGWREF, helping to make a positive impact on folks the world-around as well as here at home.

For more information about NGWREF and the many ways you can make a difference to the groundwater industry, visit www.NGWA.org or call customer service at 800 551.7379 (614 898.7791).

Operated by NGWA, NGWREF is a 501(c)(3) public foundation focused on conducting educational, research, and other charitable activities related to a broader public understanding of groundwater.

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Water Well Journal February 2012 51/

COMING

EVENTS

January 30–February 1/ Idaho Ground Water Association Annual Convention/ Boise, Idaho. PH: (208) 888-0988 February 1–3/ 2012 Montana Water Well Drillers Association Annual Convention/ Billings, Montana. PH: (406) 2495109, Web: www.mwwda.org February 3/ South Carolina Winter Meeting and Trade Show/ Columbia, South Carolina. PH: (803) 356-6809, Fax: (803) 356-6826, E-mail: scgwa@sc.rr.com, Web: www.scgwa.org February 7–8/ 2012 Michigan Ground Water Association Fundamentals Course/ Lansing, Michigan. Web: www.michigan groundwater.com February 9–10/ Illinois Association of Groundwater Professionals 2012 Annual Meeting & Expo/ East Peoria, Illinois.

Web: iagp.org/?page_id=27 February 9–10/ Maryland-Delaware Water Well Association Convention/ Baltimore, Maryland. Web: www.mdwwa .org/newsandevents.html February 9–11/ Mountain States Ground Water Association Expo/ Laughlin, Nevada. Web: www.mountain statesgroundwater.com

February 10–11/ 2012 Pacific Northwest Ground Water Expo/ Portland, Oregon. PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customerservice @ngwa.org, Web: www.NGWA.org February 15–16/ Nebraska Well Drillers Association Annual Convention/ Lincoln, Nebraska. Web: www.nebraskawell drillers.org February 15–16/ Oklahoma Ground Water Association Conference and Tradeshow/ Norman, Oklahoma.

Web: www.okgroundwater.org February 15–17/ Virginia Water Well Association Winter Conference & Trade Show/ Richmond, Virginia. PH: (540) 740-3329, Web: www.vawaterwell association.org

February 27–28/ 15th Groundwater Industry Legislative Conference: NGWA Washington Fly-in/ Washington, D.C. PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customerservice@ngwa.org, Web: www.NGWA.org February 27–28/ Emerging Issues in Groundwater Conference/ San Antonio, Texas. PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customer service@ngwa.org, Web:www.NGWA.org March 4–6/ North Dakota Well Drillers Association Convention/ Bismarck, North Dakota. E-mail: kemmet@bektel.com

February 15–18/ 4th International Conference on Grouting and Deep Mixing/ New Orleans, Louisiana. Web: www.grout2012.org

March 7/ West Virginia Well Drillers Association Conference & Trade Show/ Sutton, West Virginia. PH: (540) 7403329, E-mail: jcain@well-drillers.com

February 20–23/ Missouri Water Well Association 2012 Convention/ Lake Ozark, Missouri. Web: missouriwater wellassociation.com/Home_Page.php

March 9/ Vermont Ground Water Association Annual Meeting/ Rutland, Vermont.

PH: (800) 248-4082, E-mail: chevalier drilling@comcast.net March 11–17/ National Groundwater Awareness Week/ PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customer service@ngwa.org, Web: www.NGWA .org

New England

March 12–13/ Michigan Ground Water Association 84th Annual Convention/ Battle Creek, Michigan. Web: www .michigangroundwater.com

Water Well Association

Spring Expo March 30–31, 2012 Central Massachusetts Expo Center Marriott Courtyard 多 Fitchburg, MA

REGISTER ONLINE! www.NEWWASSOCIATION.org

March 16–17/ Oregon Ground Water Association Spring Technical Seminar/ Wilsonville, Oregon. PH: (503) 390-7080, Fax: (503) 390-7088, E-mail: nancy@ ogwa.org March 22/ World Water Day/ Web: www .unwater.org/worldwaterday March 26–28/ Geohazards and the Role of Groundwater and Surface Water Short Course/ Columbus, Ohio. PH: (800) 551-7379, Fax: (614) 898-7786, E-mail: customerservice@ngwa.org, Web: www.NGWA.org March 30–31/ New England Water Well Association Expo/ Fitchburg, Massachusetts. PH: (978) 342-7100

New England Water Well Association

*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.

c/o CC Meeting & Event Management Services 7 Bailey Lane, Brewster, NY 10509 Phone: 845-278-0437 Fax: 845-278-1899

NEWWEXPO@gmail.com 52/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

February 25/ Mississippi Well Drillers Continuing Education Seminar/ Summit, Mississippi. Web: www.smcc.edu/ workforce/pdf/mswd.pdf

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NEWSMAKERS NEW ADDITION SJE-Rhombus, a control solutions provider for more than 35 years and located in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, announced the appointment of David Thomas as president/director of standard products.

Thomas will direct SJE’s Sump Effluent David Thomas and Sewage Standard Products Controls Group focusing on operations, continuous improvement, and growth. Thomas joins SJERhombus with more than 15 years of experience building manufacturing companies in a variety of industries globally.

BUSINESS GROWTH Water quality engineering firm Panton McLeod Americas has announced the first partnership distribution deal for its Pantonite cleaning products in the United States. The Denver, Coloradobased firm has signed an agreement with Massachusetts-headquartered water services company Maher Services, which will see its Pantonite products used to clean water storage facilities, stripping towers, and wells across the New England states and New York.

age of shipping accuracy. George Simas, president, and Gerry Duggan, vice president of sales, were on hand to accept the award.

RETIREMENT Richard “Cagey” Dameron has retired from Drillers Service Inc. after 47 years. He joined Drillers Service in July 1964 where he worked in inventory control and soon after as a purchasing agent at the main office in Hickory, North Carolina.

Through the years Dameron was named Richard “Cagey” Dameron employee of the year (1966), promoted to salesman, and then sales and marketing manager in 1983. In 1986, Dameron and five other employees purchased the controlling interest in Drillers Service and he became executive vice president as well as sales and marketing manager.

Under his co-leadership the company grew from 10 branch offices to 20, extending from Florida to Illinois.

MEMORIAM/

Carl Edward Mason, 83, of Bedford, Pennsylvania, passed away on December 24, 2011. Mason worked in the water well drilling industry for more than 40 years, working at Sanderson Cyclone Drilling Co. in Orrville, Ohio, and Baroid IDP in Houston, Texas. He was an expert in the field, travelling throughout the world to help resolve issues on water well drilling sites. Mason developed techniques and equipment to improve the success rate for drillers and taught seminars and conducted field demonstrations across the United States, Canada, and Africa. Mason was a life member of the National Ground Water Association, Pennsylvania Ground Water Association, and numerous groundwater organizations in the northeast United States. He received NGWA’s Manufacturers Division Special Recognition Award in 1995 and Life Member Award in 2002.

BOREHOLE GEOPHYSICAL LOGGING SYSTEMS

AWARDS During Merrill Manufacturing Co.’s annual 2011 sales meeting, several awards were presented to the company’s sales representatives by Stephen Anderson, president of Merrill Manufacturing, and Dennis Jacobson, Merrill Manufacturing national sales manager. The 2011 President’s Award was awarded to Jim Ward of Forward Marketing. Merrill Manufacturing’s top excellence award, the President’s Award is presented to the sales representative who ranks the highest in six essential aspects of quality performance.

2M Co. Inc., a wholesale distributor of water well and irrigation supplies, honored Flexcon Industries, a manufacturer of diaphragm well tanks in both steel and composite, with its “Circle of Achievement” award for 2011. The award is given annually at 2M’s dealer meeting to the manufacturer/supplier with the highest quality products, best customer service, and highest percentTwitter @WaterWellJournl

IN

For Ground Water Applications *Aquifer Properties* *Screen Location*

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MATRIX PORTABLE GROUND WATER LOGGER

st

Mount Sopris Instruments, 4975 E. 41 Ave., Denver, CO 80216 ph: 303.279.3211 fx: 303.279.2730 www.mountsopris.com Circle card no. 26

Water Well Journal February 2012 53/

FEATURED

PRODUCTS

Solinst Provides Shallow Groundwater Monitoring Well Solution

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 615 N, designed without a tubing barb, is 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.

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Solinst Drive-Point Piezometers are permanent or temporary wells used to monitor shallow groundwater, soil, and gas up to 25 feet below surface. These well points are ideal for initial site investigations and for long-term or shortterm applications. Installation is made 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

Rockmore International Announces New Drill Bit Design for Drilling and Blasting Rockmore International announces a new drill bit designed for hard rock drilling and blasting operations in tunneling, intended to increase drilling efficiency and to reduce operating costs.

The B6 design prolongs bit life and increases drilling penetration rates.

Designed to reduce operating costs in drilling blasthole patterns in tunneling operations, the B6 increases overall

drilling productivity by incorporating enhancements in the bit face design and improvements in the configuration of cutting geometry.

Offered in 1ž-inch head diameter, the most popular tunneling blasthole dimension, the B6 is a button bit with six large tungsten carbide inserts on the periphery row for enhanced rock breaking. The carbide inserts are about 1 mm larger in diameter compared to previous models, leading to longer bit life. The B6 also incorporates many changes in flushing design, such as placement of grooves and flutes designed to effectively carry the rock cuttings away from the bit face.

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Innovate and Integrate: Succeeding as a Groundwater Professional in a Water-Short World (#5095) Join your fellow groundwater professionals at this must-attend event!

The 2012 Summit is focused on helping you prepare for, and thrive in, a world with such formidable challenges as increasing global population, multiple demands for water, changing climate, and unsustainable use of groundwater supplies.

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BY MAR R CH TO SAVE 18 !

Confronting these challenges will require new scientific understanding, new technologies and innovative application of existing methods, multidisciplinary approaches, and policies founded in sound science, all of which will be discussed in 20-plus sessions ranging from monitoring well networks to water rights.

For all of the detailsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and to registerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;visit www.GroundWaterSummit.com today.

www.GroundWaterSummit.com s 800 551.7379 s 614 898.7791 54/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

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waterwelljournal.com

FEATURED Carlon PVC Conduit Repair System Fixes Broken PVC Conduit in Minutes

Repairing broken PVC conduit can save time with the Carlon PVC conduit repair system from Thomas & Betts.

The patent-protected design allows contractors to maintain the inside diameter of the conduit, reducing repair time from approximately 20 minutes to less than 2 minutes. The system includes couplings, adapters, reamers, and plugs designed to repair broken PVC conduit, or “stub-ups,” quickly and easily. The Carlon PVC conduit repair system elim-

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

inates the task of chipping away and repouring concrete around the conduit.

To repair PVC conduit with the system, cut off the broken conduit, ream the inner diameter, and insert a coupling or adapter. The system is available in sizes from one-half inch through 2 inches.

The system’s nonmetallic couplings, adapters, and plugs will not rust or corrode. The Carlon PVC conduit repair system is UL and c-UL listed. Its PVC fittings are in accordance with the NEC and Section 352.6.

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Atlas Copco Introduces Water Well Rig at NGWA Ground Water Expo Atlas Copco introduced the new Series III of its T2W water well drill rig at the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo.

The T2W-III is Atlas Copco’s singleengine rig for rotary and down-the-hole drilling in the 30,000-pound class. It is designed for both air and mud applications, and ships with an onboard

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PRODUCTS

900/350 air compressor. The Series III provides a 12-rod capacity in the carousel at 3½ inches, with swing in/ swing out backload capability—designed to allow single-person operation under appropriate conditions. A rod box, mounted to the rig, carries an additional 12 rods at 3½ inches. Total depth capacity is 480 feet. Another new feature is an optional 15,000-pound winch with twopart line, matching the pullback of the rig. This allows the operator to trip out of the hole with the winch or the head.

Additional new features include an optional hydraulic front drive assist that delivers a functional 6 × 6 drive.

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Water Well Journal February 2012 55/

257 Caroline St. 257 Caroline St.

Circle card card no.

Circle no.7546 Circle card card no.

Circle no.7546

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Classified Advertising/Marketplace 15 Bits

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

3 Appraisals

18 Breakout Tools

Equipment Appraisals

BREAKOUT TOOLS

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

19 Bucket Drill Rigs E Q U I P M E N T WA N T E D Gus Pech bucket/boring rigs, any condition. Support equipment, buckets, etc. Other brand considered.

(816) 517-4532 / Jared Sisk

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

SEMCO Inc. All Hydraulic Hydrorench S110H In Stock 1-10 Four Rollers Breaks Pipe Make Pipe to Torque Specs 800-541-1562

22 Business Opportunities BUSINESS FOR SALE: Water well drilling and pump service in southern New Mexico. Two commercial acres, 2700 sq. ft. building, all drilling and pumping equipment. Annual sales average one million dollars. Price negotiable. Call (575) 649-2019.

Palmer Bit Company has been recognized worldwide for providing the highest quality bits to the drilling industry for over 50 years. We manufacture bits for drilling everything from clays to limestone. With our experience we can help lower your bit cost, with the proper bit selection for your drilling conditions.

We are available 24/7 to assist you with any questions you may have.

Call 800-421-2487 Satisfaction Guaranteed www.palmerbit.com MC/VISA accepted

FOR SALE: Trident cable tool 8 “PermaA-Gauge” expandable carbide bit complete with full button teeth. Brand new. 31⁄4 -7 API pin joint. Model #P-8032-FB. $690. Call (715) 848-1234.

FOR SALE: 30 to 40 roller bits (mostly new), 55⁄8 to 57⁄8 , air to bearing. Call (603) 942-5581.

JOURNAL

Bits, subs, stabilizers, hole openers, etc.

Over 10,000 bits in stock.

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Coming Soon Don’t miss the March issue of Water Well Journal as it will have a variety of feature articles on key industry topics.

It will contain the conclusion of the two-part series on avoiding geothermal pitfalls titled “Do Your Geothermal Homework.” Also included will be a feature article on how new tax laws can affect your business and part two of a four-part series on appraisals.

This installment will focus on various valuation models.

January marked the two-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, so WWJ also interviewed Loyd Duplantis, of Haiti Mission Inc. in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Duplantis was given a 2011 Honorary Member Award from the National Ground Water Association for his work in Haiti.

Along with its columns from industry experts and monthly departments, the next issue of WWJ is definitely one you don’t want to miss.

Water Well Journal February 2012 57/

45 Compressors

57 Direct Push Supplies

60 Down Hole Inspection Waterwell Camera Inspection Systems

Manufacturer of Pre-Pack Screens DRILLING EQUIPMENT Portable Air Compressors

♦ 4" ID Pre-Pack NOW AVAILABLE ♦ Standard Pre-Pack When You Would Set A Traditional Well ♦ Economy Pre-Pack When Cost Is A Factor

♦ 20% Open Area High Yield Pre-Pack For Use In Low Yield Wells

♦ All Stainless Steel Pre-Pack For Aggressive Groundwater Environments

♦ Non-Metal Pre-Pack When Metal Components Are Not Compatible

♦ Annular Seals Foam Bridges, Bentonite & Quick-Sleeves

Phone: (540) 982-8001 Fax: (540) 342-0546 nolanddrill@noland.com ¾ ¾ ¾

NEW, USED, RENTALS High Pressure Automatic Shutdowns Central Fluid Drains

♦ CUSTOM Pre-Packs and

Bentonite Packs *** A Johnson Screens Distributor*** **We Stock Geoprobe® Compatible Supplies & Tooling** *Proactive® Pumps Master Distributor*

• Portable, Truck or Trailer mounted.

• Retrofit compatible with Laval and most geophysical logging winches.

• Full repair service and spare parts for CCV, Boretech, Wellcam and Laval cameras and controllers.

• Forward and 360 degree side wall viewing color cameras.

• Depths to 5,000 feet.

CCV Engineering & Manufacturing An Aries Industries Company

800-671-0383 • 559-291-0383 Fax: 559-291-0463 E-mail: jim.lozano@ariesccv.com On the web at www.ariesccv.com

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

♦

Fax: 1-609-631-0993

ectmfg.com ♦ proactivepumps.com ♦ torquerplug.com

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71 Drilling Equipment

Put your company’s message here!

Classified advertising is a great way to reach the water well industry.

817-927-8486 www.watsonusa.com Sales@watsonusa.com

Call Shelby to make arrangements at 1-800-551-7379 ext 523.

MD 510 Geothermal Drill

58/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

waterwelljournal.com

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

SkyRex Water Well Elevators

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 )

2 thru 36 Also lightweight PVC elevators Now Available!

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

1 – 16 Elevators All steel with safety latch.

Standard Manufacturing

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

Phone:

SEMCO of Lamar 800-541-1562 Fax 719-336-2402 Credit Cards Accepted

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

“Complete Reverse Circulation Drill Strings”

Rex McFadden 7931 19th Lubbock, TX 70407

Ph (806) 791-3731 Fax (806) 791-3755

Dealers Wanted

www.rexmcfadden.com

80 Employment

Established western Nebraska based company seeking experienced driller. Successful candidate should have 5+ years experience with mud rotary and air rotary drilling. Geothermal drilling, pump installation, and repair experience a plus. Valid Class A CDL and clean driving record required.

Pay based on experience.

Newer equipment. Resume to: (308) 262-9989 (fax) or scottspump@gmail.com (e-mail).

New Low Prices

The perfect solution for poor well yield is only a click way. 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

JOURNAL

EXPERIENCED WATER WELL DRILLER WANTED

90 Equipment

Classified Advertising Rates

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

Display Classified Ads

Line Classified Ads

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.

(21⁄4 column—approx. 39 letters and spaces per line): $8 per line, $32 minimum (4 lines)

Single column 21⁄4 inches wide OR Double column 411⁄16 inches wide (per column inch – min. depth 2 column inches): There is no discount for multiple 1 month: $60 per inch runs.

3 months: $58 per inch No new equipment advertising 6 months: $55 per inch accepted in line advertisements.

Well Manager 12 months: $49 per inch

Classified Display Ad

To place a classified advertisement in“Solution” Water Well Journal, please send ad text to Water Well Journal Shelby Fleck by e-mail at sfleck@ngwa.org or fax to 614 898.7786. Upon receipt, B&W 2 col 4.25” x 2” you will be contacted and provided a 5-15-09 quote. Thank you!

1345 WM Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Water Well Journal February 2012 59/

101 Grouters

82 Engines

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106 Installation Accessories

115 Mud Pumps

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Please call Shelby to make arrangements 1-800-551-7379 ext. 523 60/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

waterwelljournal.com

116 Mud Systems DESANDER

Mini-Desander

MUD MIXER CM Consulting & Equipment Jerry Mason Specialist in your drilling and grouting problems.

1640 Oppenheimer Rd., Bedford, PA 15522

(814) 623-1675

(814) 623-7285 FAX

132 Rig Equipment

125 Pump Hoists 2012 Models

New Equipment in Stock

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,245

S6,000 SEMCO, 35 , PTO, RC, PR, 2 spd., aux., 11 bed, toolboxes, 2011 Dodge 5500, 6.7L diesel, 6 spd., automatic, 4 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $77,598

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 . . . . . $16,445

S6,000 SEMCO, 44 , PTO, 2 spd., 16,000# cap., RC, PR, aux., light kit, service body, mini bed, 2012 Dodge 5500, 6.7L D, stand. transmission, 4 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $81,580

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 . . . . . $20,845

Used Equipment in Stock

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 . . . . . $28,545

M34 Jessen/Monitor, RC, PR, SB w/1992 GMC Top Kick, 3116 Cat, 5 spd. . . $19,500

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,945

Walker-Neer 20T rated, double cathead, sandreel, 3rd leg, 1976 Chevy . . . . $19,500

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40,645

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M33 Jessen/Monitor, 1-PR, SB, 1995 Ford F-350, gas, 5 spd., 4 2 . . . . . . . . . $17,900

5T Smeal, PR, bed, toolboxes, 2004 Ford F650, Cummins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$34,950

S6,000 SEMCO, 44 , HS PTO, 2 spd., RC, oil cooler, sandreel, 2-PR, light kit, 11 bed, 2008 Dodge 5500, 6.7L diesel, 6 spd. auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$62,070 S12,000H SEMCO, 44 , HS PTO, SR, oil cooler, 2 spd., 2-aux., PR, BC outriggers, light kit, 16 bed, toolbox, 2006 Intl. 4300, DT466, auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $87,039

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$53,845

S25,000 SEMCO, 50 , BO cylinder, BC outrigger, 2 spd., SR, PT hookup, aux., oil cooler, light kit, power arm, 18 bed, toolbox, 2007 FRT M2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $127,207

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 control and variable speed engine control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$61,545

SEMCO Inc.

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 control and variable speed engine control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$76,945

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 43.

128 Pump Pullers

137 Services 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.

&*

8 8

+ 45+ &6+ .

+ 067+

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Twitter @WaterWellJournl

860-651-3141

fax 860-658-4288

Water Well Journal February 2012 61/

135 Rigs BUCKEYE DRILL COMPANY

Weber Group LC

Successor to Bucyrus Erie Well Drill Division

Contact Kelly 480-229-0748

Cable Tools Well Drills Parts + Service New * Remanufactured * Used

PH. 800-767-3745 www.buckeyedrill.com 1998 Ford F-800 diesel. 88,333 miles.

Bucyrus Erie 20W cable tool rig with a 353 Detroit Diesel deck engine. Truck and rig in excellent working order.

The unit was rebuilt including the main shafts and clutches. Asking $30,000.

Tooling available at extra cost.

'5,//7(&+ 7 . RQ )25' / PLOHV 8VHG 'ULOO 5RG +RXUV KWWS ZZZ DTXDVFLHQFH QHW ULJ $TXD6FLHQFH

MHUU\#DTXDVFLHQFH QHW

FOR SALE: 2000 T25 DRILTECH, serial no. 732476, CAT C15, 526 HP, 1000 CFM air, 10,000 hours. 420 4½ drill rod, 3½ regular. Mounted on Sterling 9501, powered by CAT C12 400 HP, Miller Bobcat 225 AMP welder, Meyers Fracturing Pump. $195,000. Call (603) 942-5581.

1985 Ford F-800 diesel. 193,000 miles. Bucyrus Erie 22W cable tool rig with 353 Detroit Diesel deck engine.

Truck and rig in working order.

Rig rebuilt including main clutches and shafts. $30,000.

2002 Schramm T300M mud rotary rig mounted on a 2002 International 4900 6 6. 3 4 mud pump and 400/200 air. 47,000 miles and 7,700 hours. Nice unit and everything works great. Asking $210,000. For more information please call Mark (765) 459-4125.

Failing Jed-A. Detroit 3-53 engine on the draw works and rotary table. 5.9L Cummins engine on the mud pump. 380 of 8 flanged drill pipe. 260 of 5 flanged drill pipe. 24 , 30 , and 36 drag and roller bits. Also rock trap, stabilizers, heavy drill collar, and kelley hose.

Asking $150,000 for rig, spare parts, extra tooling. Call (765) 459-4125. Ask Mark for more information if interested.

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

4510 E Market, Enid, OK 73701 USA

x

New rigsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;custom designs

x

Quality rig repair service

x

New and used equipment needs

x

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Transfer of Technologyâ&#x20AC;? - the must have book for all drillers!

Add a color to your display classified ad for only $49.

Please call Shelby to make arrangements 1-800-551-7379 ext. 523

62/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

waterwelljournal.com

139 Slotting Machines

160 Trucks

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

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

PVC Screen Slotting Machines

PVC Threading Machines

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

Put your company’s message here!

Classified advertising is a great way to reach the water well industry.

Call Shelby to make arrangements at 1-800-551-7379 ext 523.

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

176 Water Level Measurement

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

Geokon instruments utilize vibrating wire technology providing measurable advantages and proven long-term stability.

The World Leader in Vibrating Wire Technology

Phone: 760-384-1085

Fax: 760-384-0044

TM

1 • 603 • 448 • 1562 1 • 603 • 448 • 3216 info@geokon.com www.geokon.com

Geokon, Incorporated 48 Spencer Street Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766 | USA

www.wellprobe.com Sonic Water Level Meters Since 1978 Time Tested & Customer Approved 303-443-9609

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

360-676-9635 www.waterlineusa.com

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Water Well Journal February 2012 63/

186 Well Screens

ENVIRONMENTAL SERIES

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

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

Well screen manufacturer: stainless steel, galvanized and carbon steel.

Sizes: 0.75" to 24.0" OD. Rod base, pre-pack and pipe base screens. Environmental flush joint monitor pipe, T&C stainless drop pipe, drive points, etc.

Contact: Jan or Steve 18102 E. Hardy Rd., Houston, TX 77073 Ph: (281) 233-0214; Fax: (281) 233-0487 Toll free: (800) 577-5068 www.alloyscreenworks.com

178 Water Treatment

AER-MAXsystems for sulfur and iron problems

4”,5”

6””

For more information visit: www.welldeveloper.com 850.727.4427

EASY AS 1, 2,3!

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Naturally Clean Water

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Maximizes Air Injection

appear online (at no additional cost)

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No Caustic Chemicals

each month at www.waterwelljournal.com/

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Call for a FREE Catalog

Did you know?

FIBERGLASS REINFORCED EPOXY MONITOR WELL CASING AND SCREENS x x x x

2” 3” 4” 6” Flush Joint Casing and Screens High temperature material available Low cost 100% inert Sensitive PPB Monitor wells

Water Well Journal classified advertisements

category/ineveryissue/classifieds

Check it out!

Fiberglasswellsystems.com (512) 358-7388 Austin, TX

Air Pump Water Solutions, Inc. 10983-E Guilford Road • Annapolis Junction, MD 20701

e-mail: sales@air-pump.com

1-877-4-AER-MAX 1-877-423-7629

®

64/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

waterwelljournal.com

185 Well Rehab

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/ Professional-Resources/safety/ pages.

get rid of

Iron bacteria!

One time treatment!

Works every time!

When others fail, we don"t!

Real technical services.

Also while you are 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.

Who else?

get rid of

Coliform too!

The new chlorine

180 Water Trucks 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.

• 200 times more effective than regular chlorine for coliform.

• no pre-blending to control pH • competitive price to regular chlorine • NSF approved • free technical service, if 3 failures • distributor map is on the web site

Now for De-chlorinating Sterilene

Chlor

“Oust” ppm

Engineered for convenience and durability, allows the user to operate at any type of drilling operation. Our drill site rig tenders 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

Check out our new Web site

Who else?

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

Toll free 888-437-6426 Email info@designwater.com web site: designwater.com

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Water Well Journal February 2012 65/

184 Well Packers

195 Wire Rope BUCKEYE DRILL COMPANY

Applications Include: +\GURORJLFDO 7HVWLQJ Â&#x2021; ,QMHFWLRQ :LWKGUDZDO Â&#x2021; 6WDQGDUG &XVWRP 6L]HV 0DWHULDOV :DWHU 0LQLQJ (QYLURQPHQWDO Â&#x2021; *URXWLQJ 6DPSOLQJ *HRWHFKQLFDO +\GURIUDFWXULQJ Â&#x2021; 5HFLUFXODWLRQ :HOOV Â&#x2021; 6WHDP ,QMHFWLRQ Â&#x2021; 5HOLQH &DVLQJ To discuss your questions and applications, call

Same Day Shipping

1-866-314-9139

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BETHLEHEM WIRE ROPE FOR ALL YOUR DRILLING NEEDS MADE IN THE USA

PH. 800-767-3745 Same Day Shipping

www.buckeyedrill.com

Didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find what you were looking for?

Ph. 303 789-1200 or 800 552-2754 Fx. 303 789-0900

Serving Your Complete Packer Needs i INFLATABLE PACKERS - Pressure Grout, Wireline, Water Well,

Try NGWAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 at rjones@ngwa.org.

Environmental, Bridge Plugs. Custom Sizes and Fabrication available i MECHANICAL PACKERS - Freeze Plugs, Custom Applications Call or email us with all your Packer questions!!

Toll-Free: 1-888-572-2537 Email: info@QSPPackers.com Fax #: 253-770-0327 Web: www.QSPPackers.com Prompt Shipping in the US & Internationallyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Usually in just One Day!!

â&#x20AC;˘ CUSTOM BUILT PACKERS

FOR ANY APPLICATION

PRODUCTS

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INFLATABLE WELL PACKERS

Put your companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s message here!

Classified advertising is a great way to reach the water well industry.

Call Shelby to make arrangements at 1-800-551-7379 ext 523.

1-800-452-4902 â&#x20AC;˘ www.lansas.com Manufactured by Vanderlans & Sons 1320 S. Sacramento St. â&#x20AC;˘ Lodi, CA 95240 â&#x20AC;˘ 209-334-4115 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax 209-339-8260

66/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

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INDEX OF Card No./ Page A.Y. McDonald Mfg. 1 (800) 292-2737 www.aymcdonald.com AMISTCO 2 (281) 331-5956 www.amistco.com Baker Mfg., Water Systems Division 3 (800) 523-0224 www.bakermfg.com Baroid 4 (877) 379-7412 www.baroididp.com CCV Engineering & Mfg. 5 (800) 671-0383 www.ariesccv.com Carmeuse Industrial Sands 6 (800) 947-7263 www.carmeusena.com Centennial Plastics 7 (402) 462-2227 www.centennialplastics.com Central Mine Equipment 8 (800) 325-8827 www.cmeco.com Cotey Chemical 9 (806) 747-2096 www.coteychemical.com Eno Scientific 10 (910) 778- 2660 www.enoscientific.com Foremost Industries 11 (800) 661-9190 (403) 295-5834 (fax) Franklin Electric 12 (260) 824-2900 www.franklin-electric.com

5

2

30

9

42

47

19

13

16

29

26

10

Card No./ Page GEFCO/King Oil Tools (800) 759-7441 www.gefco.com Geo-Hydro Supply (800) 820-1005 www.geohydrosupply.com GeoPro (877) 580-9348 www.geoproinc.com Geoprobe ® Systems (800) 436-7762 www.geoprobe.com Geothermal Supply (270) 786-3010 www.geothermalsupply.com Grundfos Pumps (913) 227-3400 www.us.grundfos.com Gus Pech Mfg. (800) 383-7324 www.guspech.com kwik-ZIP USA (866) 629-7020 www.kwikzip.com Laibe/Versa-Drill (317) 231-2250 www.laibecorp.com Lorentz Solar Water Pumps (888) 535-4788 (866) 593-0777 www.lorentz.de Marks Products/ Allegheny Instruments (800) 255-1353 www.geovision.org

13

49

14

8

15

11

16

7

17

42

18

IFC

19

24

20

42

21

17

22 OBC

23

51

ADVERTISERS

Card No./ Page MARL Technologies (800) 404-4463 www.marltechnologies.com Merrill Mfg. (712) 732-2760 www.merrillmfg.com Mount Sopris Instruments (303) 279-3211 www.mountsopris.com NGWA/Bookstore (800) 551-7379 www.ngwa.org NGWA/ConsensusDOCS (800) 551-7379 www.ngwa.org NGWA/Ground Water Summit (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 NGWA/Pacific Northwest Ground Water Expo (800) 551-7379 www.ngwa.org New England Water Well Exposition (860) 286-4238 (401) 364-6285 (fax)

24

11

25

45

26

53

27

67

28

12

29

54

30

31

30

20

32

51

33

14

34

52

Card No./ Page North Houston Machine (800) 364-6973 nhmi2@earthlink.net SEMCO (719) 336-9006 www.semcooflamar.com Solinst Canada (800) 661-2023 www.solinst.com Southwire (770) 832-4590 www.southwire.com Star Iron Works (814) 427-2555 www.starironworks.com Tibban Mfg. (760) 954-5655 www.tibban.com US Exploration (317) 780-0117 www.useeco.net Woodfors Mfg. (719) 574-1101 www.woodfordmfg.com Wyo-Ben (800) 548-7055 www.wyoben.com

35

47

36

43

37

15

38

25

39

56

40

1

41

29

42

IBC

43

55

Working in geothermal?

Then you need the latest edition of Guidelines for the Construction of Loop Wells for Vertical Closed Loop Ground Source Heat Pump Systems. A stand-alone document not intended to supersede regulations and standards, it was created to provide updated information about issues encountered in this technology, as well as insights to practical resolutions.

To order your copy, visit the NGWA bookstore at www.NGWA.org or call 800 551.7379 (614 898.7791).

Guidelines for the Construction of Loop Wells for Vertical Closed Loop Ground Source Heat Pump Systems Catalog #T1074

NGWA member price $25 Nonmember price $175

NGWA Press

Twitter @WaterWellJournl

Circle card no. 27

Water Well Journal February 2012 67/

CLOSING

TIME

“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

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.

The Ground Water Expo Bookstore sponsored by WILO USA was a popular stop for attendees looking for the latest text on the industry.

New at the Expo this year was The Gun Store Sharpshooter Competition sponsored by Western Rubber & Mfg. where attendees got to fire off a variety of guns.

The Attendee Welcome Party sponsored by Franklin Electric provided a fun atmosphere for attendees to catch up and network.

The Exhibit Hall was busy for two days with attendees checking out the latest wares from the industry’s manufacturers and suppliers.

2011 NGWREF Assante scholarship winners Erik Cadaret (left) and Thomas Palmieri (center) and Expo auctioneer Charlie Waller, CPI, announce the winner of the raffle for an iPad at the NGWREF Scholarship Auction. The auction raised a record $49,660.

68/ February 2012 Water Well Journal

waterwelljournal.com

Back in 1959, a Woodford Model Y34 Freezeless Yard Hydrant left the factory with a shiny new coat of paint, and found a home on a farm in Iowa. Fifty years later, after countless hailstorms, sleet, rain, snow, and subzero temperatures, it’s not very shiny. But it’s still working fine.

In fact, we’ve seen some that date back to the 1920s, still doing their job every day.

Should a Woodford hydrant ever need repair, even if it

was made decades ago, all parts are replaceable on site without removing the hydrant itself. And we’ll have those parts available.

We can’t guarantee that every Woodford hydrant will last for 50 years. But, we can guarantee that when you specify Woodford, you’ll be drastically reducing the chance of callbacks, problems, and unhappy customers.

We build everything possible into a Woodford hydrant.

Except obsolescence.

IF ONLY WE ALL LOOKED THIS GOOD AFTER 50 YEARS.

WOODFORD MANUFACTURING COMPANY 2121 Waynoka Road Colorado Springs, CO 80915 800.621.6032 www.woodfordmfg.com

The Woodford Model Y34, part of the American landscape for decades. Immediate flow even in cold temperatures.

Rod guide eliminates side pull, reducing wear on packing nut and stem. Cam can be set to obtain the same flow each time.

Circle card no. 42

Circle card no. 22