When a homeowner, business or farm has a well that they no longer need or use, sometimes we can forget about the well. There can be a tendency to neglect the care and upkeep of that well. If you have a well on your property that no longer has a use, either now or in the future, it should be properly filled and plugged when it is no longer of service – a process called Well Abandonment. But what exactly is Well Abandonment?
Abandonment is a term used to describe the actual filling and plugging of the well so that is can no longer be used. In the process the well is filled and capped making sure that water does not continue to flow or pose a risk to the aquifer or surrounding wells. This also includes any drill holes or exploratory boreholes that may have been drilled as well.
State Mandate
Because of the potential issues that can arise from a well that is no longer in use or is in a state of disrepair, the State of Florida requires that for a well to be properly and legally abandoned, the work must be permitted and completed by a properly licensed water well contractor.
Partridge Well is certified in the State of Florida to perform well abandonment / plugging. We adhere to the State of Florida and the Water Management District’s guidelines regarding abandonment permitting and safe practices.
Importance of Properly Abandoning a Water Well
People understand the importance of properly drilling a well, but they do not think about potential issues that can arise form a well that is no longer in use but has not been properly abandoned.
Abandoned or unused wells pose a great threat to the safety and quality of groundwater drinking water supplies and aquifers.
- Open wells can be a safety hazard for people and animals.
- If you have a free-flowing artesian wells that is no longer of use, it can potentially waste many millions of gallons per day of our precious water resources.
- Wells that are not free flowing can pose a risk as they can provide a direct path for contaminants and pollutants to the underground aquifers that supply working wells.
All wells that are no longer needed need to be properly filled when they are removed from service.
Well Abandonment Procedure
Location, size, and depth and type of a water well will determine the actual procedures and materials used in any well abandonment project, there is no one size fits all approach.
In general terms, the Well Abandonment process involves:
- A site visit to inventory the well.
- Creation of an abandonment plan.
- A permit for the well abandonment is applied for and granted.
- Scheduling a time for a permanent well abandonment by a licensed well driller.
Wells can typically be abandoned in a single day, depending on the depth and size of the well. Our experienced technicians are professionals in determining the proper solution for a safe and environmentally sound water well abandonment.
Well Rehabilitation
There are times that you well may slow or stop producing water altogether. This does not necessarily mean that the well is no longer useful and need to be abandoned. Sometimes we can inspect a well and bring it back to life with a Water Well Rehabilitation. Learn more about our Well Rehabilitation services.
However, if you no longer need the well, either from moving, change of use, etc., it is important to take care of the well properly.
If you are unsure if your well should be abandoned or would like to learn more about our well abandonment techniques that we use, we urge you to contact us. Learn how you can keep yourself, your property and loved ones, and the surrounding area safe and healthy. Call (904) 269-1333 today for a FREE ESTIMATE or contact us using the simple email contact form.