Laserfiche WebLink
BOARD BULLETIN 2000 -2 <br />December 5, 2000 <br />POOR QUALITY WATER FROM COAL ZONES <br />The purpose of Bulletin 2000 -2 is to focus on water produced from zones containing coal deposits, distinguish <br />"poor quality" ground water from "contaminated" ground water, and to encourage contractors and well owners to <br />consult and reach agreement on an option of having the coal bearing zones sealed out of the production interval. Such <br />zones should always be sealed out of the well when they do not occur within the aquifer that is permitted for <br />production. <br />Bulletin 2000 -2 addresses the issue of "poor quality" water often found in coal bearing intervals of some <br />aquifers and the suitability of the use of that water from the well. Naturally occurring poor quality water is not, in and <br />of itself, necessarily "contaminated" ground water. However, when such water is introduced into or mixed with water <br />of better quality in other zones, the poor quality water may degrade the quality of water in the aquifer as a whole. The <br />Board of Examiners of Water Well Construction and Pump Installation Contractors encourages contractors to offer the <br />owner of a well that may penetrate coal zones an opportunity to consult and reach agreement with the well <br />construction contractor to have those zones excluded from the producing interval of the well. <br />A contractor should advise the well owner of the possibility of penetrating coal zones containing poor quality <br />water and provide the well owner the option of having such water sealed out of the well. The contractor should know <br />and explain potential problems the well owner may experience if poor quality water from a coal zone is not sealed out <br />of the well, i.e. higher sulfur content (corrosive to pipes, fittings and fixtures as H2SO4), dissolved hydrogen sulfide gas <br />(HzS "rotten eggs ") and possibly methane gas (explosive) and to suggest possible methods of treating the water and <br />venting the gases as an alternative to the cost for sealing the water out of the well. However, it should ultimately be <br />the well owners decision as to which remedy is needed for his particular water uses. Upon consideration of the cost of <br />buying, installing and maintaining water treatment equipment, and the continuous attention and periodic replacement <br />required for filters, many well owners having a well constructed for their household use may elect to incur the "one <br />time" expense of eliminating a poor quality water problem at the time the well is constructed. In some instances, the <br />well owner may anticipate a water use that doesn't require water treatment (stock water, industrial uses, etc.) and <br />therefore, may elect to include water from the coal zone in the production from the well. Municipal well owners may <br />already have treatment units incorporated into their water system and may not need to have the water from coal zones <br />sealed out. In any event, it is the well owner's decision to make upon being advised of the possibility of encountering <br />the water, being informed of the potential problems of its use, and being provided some alternatives to remedy the <br />problem. <br />In conjunction with Rules 10.1.1, 10.1.2, and 10.4.10.1 of the Water Well Construction Rules(2000), it is the <br />opinion of the Board of Examiners of Water Well Construction and Pump Installation Contractors that, prior to or during <br />construction, the drilling contractor should advise the well owner that coal intervals containing poor quality water may be <br />or have been penetrated by the borehole in the production zone of the aquifer. Consultation with the well owner is <br />necessary to determine if such intervals need to be sealed off during construction of the well. <br />Janet Bellis, Chair <br />Board of Examiners of Water Well Construction <br />and Pump Installation Contractors <br />