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^ K'-^J :P /; 0/ coi Ministry ofthe Ministere de September Environment I'Environnient 2003 Green Facts The protection of water quality in drilled wells. TIk'purposeofthis Green Factssheetisto assist people around theoutside ortopofthe casingisnotwatertight. who relyondrilled wells fortheirwatertoachieve Damagesuchascrackingofold cement groutingor acceptable waterquality. Improperwell constnictionorthe corrosioncanalsoallowsurfacewaterstoentersucha failure tocarryout routine|)reveiiti\e mainten;uue ona well. well can result in contmninated water In 2003, Ontario updated its regulatory requirements for waterwellsiting, Wellsinpitsareparticularly vulnerable becausethe pits construction, maintenanceandabandonmenttobetter canholdsurfacecontaminationdirectly overoraroundthe protectwell usersand groundwaterresources. casingforlongperiods oftime. Forthat reason, the construction ofwell pits fornewwellsisnolonger Ontario's Wells Regulation (lieg. 903, undertheOntiirio permitted inOntarioeffectiveAugust 1, 2003. Water ResourcesAct) requires well contractors ;uid well techjiiciansto be licenced bythe Ministiyofthe Indicatorslliat sealingaround the well casingmaybe Enviromnent. The regulationalsosetsthe minimum inadequateandsurfacecontamination may begaining constructionstandardstowhich all well contractors, accesstothewell include: includingprivatehomeowners, must adhere. Although • presenceofcoliform bacteriain countsexceeding upgradingworkcan bedonebyaprivatewell owner recommendedlimitsset byhealthauthorities; workingon theirown property, employingalicencedwell • changes in the appearanceorphysical quality ofthe contractorisstronglyadvisedtoensure thatproper water, suchasturbidity, colour, tasteorodour, mininmm well construction st;uidards aren\etand especiallyafterarainstormorsnow melt; protectionofthe watersupply isachieved. • rapid or largechangesin thewell waterlevel, especiallyafterarainstormorsnow melt The regulationalsostatesthat "the well ownershall • cascading, seepingorstagnant waterand/orstaining maintainthewell at alltimesafterthe completion date in a insidethecasinginawellpit; mannersufficient to prevent the entry intothewell of • thepresence ofbiological material, suchasanimals, surfacewaterorotherforeign materiiils." insectsorroots, inawellpit; • unsealedorpartedjointsorcracksinthecasingwall or Fkctors contributingto the deterioration of drilledwell cover; waterquality • acracked ordamagedwell cap; • settlementofsoilsaroundthe wellcasingatground Apoorly maintained orconstructed well canresult inthe level oraroundthe old wellpit; bacterial and/orchemical contamination ofitswater One • theciising is noticeablyheavedorloosein itsseal,or ofthe most commoncausesofcontamination is foreign waterisbubbling up around casing; materi;ilsandsurfaie watersinthe immediatevicinity ofa • ;ui absence ofanysanitarywellseal or\ermin-proofor well havingdirect access intothe well. watertight well capo\erthecasingset at an appropriate height abo\e land surface le\el; or In Ontario, drilled wellsare constructedusingavarietyof • changes in the chemic;J qu;Uityofthewell water drilling machines that produce holesofvaryingdi;imeters, detected through laboratory:uiiilysis. andaie usuiJIy lined witliasteel casing. Problemsdueto Preventive maintenance measures surt'ace watercontaminationoccurwlien thesealing Ontario Ministry ofthe Ministere de Environment rEnvironment Wellownersshouldbeawareofthemeasuresthatshould watertightsealthroughthesideofthewellcasing. Tomake betaken forthecare andmaintenanceofawelltoensureit anopeninginthecasingforthepitlessadaptor, alicenced providesgoodqualitywater. WeUTechncian (Class4PumpInstaller) must useahole sawtocutacircularhole inthecasingto accommodatethe Protectagainst contamijiants pitlessadaptorand ensurethatitdoesnotleaksurface waterintothewell casing. Tosafeguardawellsupply, donotdoanythingneartheweU that mightresultincontamination. Donotstore, use or Allwellsthathavebeenrepairedmustbechlorinated. Itis disposeofrefuse, manure,petroleumproducts, salt, recommendedthatthewellwaterbetested forpotability pesticides, paijit oranyotherpotentialcontaminantinthe immediatelyaftertheworkhasbeencompleted. Proper vicinityofthe well. Whenmixingpesticides orpaints, the evacuation ofthechlorinated wateroutofthewellmustbe watersupplyUne fromthepressuresystemshouldbe conducted beforethewellwaterisconsumed orused. equipped withabackflowdevicetopreventwaterfrom flowingbackdownthewell. Donot tamperwithorremove£iny welltags. Watch forsignsofdamage Allabandoned wellsmustbepluggedandsealed in accordance withthe WellsRegulation. The well cap must besecurelyin placeandvermin-proof If the cap isdamaged, cracked ormissing, replaceit Additional information sources immediatelysothatcontaminantswill not havedirect accesstotheweU. The well cap mustbeaminimumof40 YoucanobtainacopyofRegulation903fromthee-Laws centimetresabove landsurfacelevel.Thewellairventmust Website at www.e-laws.gov.on.caorbycalhng PubUcations beshieldedandscreenedtopreventtheentryofamy Ontarioat 1-800-668-9938. The foUowinginformationsheets materialsintothe well. areavailablefromtheMinistryofthe Environment'sWeb siteorbycallingitsPublicInformation Centre (seebelow): Wellownersareencouragedtohirealicencedcontractorto replaceexistingwellpitswithapitlessadaptersothatthe • Theprotection ofwaterqualityinboredanddugwells steel well casingterminatesaboveground leveland notina • Theprotectionofwaterqualityinjetted, ordrivenpoint well pit. Thesanitaryseal overthe casingmust besecurely wells inplace, watertightandproperlyvented. Ifany imsealed • Importantfactsaboutwaterwell construction openingssire foundinthewailloralongthejointsof cement-tilecasinginawellpit, makethemwatertightwith Forfurtherinformationaboutwellscontactyournearest an appropriate durablesealingmaterial. Applyingthisfrom MinistryoftheEnvironmentofficelisted inthebluepages theoutsideofthecasingispreferable. ofyourtelephonedirectory. You canalsocalltheministry's PublicInformation Centre at 1-800-565-4923or(416)325- Theairvent forawellpitmustextend abovethecovering 4000.Theministry'swebsite isatwww.ene.gov.on.ca. ofthewellpitorextendabovethegroundsurfacea sufficientheighttopreventtheentryofflood waters. Anyspaceoutsidethecasingshould befilledwitha suitablesealant, such asabentoniteslurry. Thiswill preventsurface waternmofforshallow groundwater seepingdirectlyintothewellthroughthespacearoimdthe casing. Call alicencedwellcontractorto repairthe damage ifsettlementorerosionofthesealanthasoccurred. Ifthe landsurface around theweUisdepressed or susceptibletoflooding, itshouldbegradedtoprevent pooling, floodinganddirectrunoffawayfrom thewell. The well casingshould be raisedanadditional40centimetres minimum abovetheregradedsoil. Theconnectionatthewellcasingforpumpandelectrical linesmustbewatertightandproperlysealed. Fordrilled wellswherethepump connectionisbelow ground, usea commerciallymanufacturedpitlessadaptorforagood PIBs No. 3961e01