DWR_3604547

• Document Type - Guidance Documents: Policy
• Topic: Board of Examiners
• Title: REVOKED POLICY 2001-2: RENEWAL OF PUMP INSTALLATION LICENSES TO REFLECT PUMP CATEGORIES BASED ON PRODUCTION RATE
• Document Date: 11/7/2016

STATE OF COLORADO
BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF WATER WELL CONSTRUCTION AND PUMP INSTALLATION CONTRACTORS oy cod,.
Division of Water Resources
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1313 Sherman Street, Room 818
Denver. CO 80203 .f' ..
Phone [phone] BOARD POLICY NO. 2001-2
FAX [phone]
http:r/boe.state.co.us Revoked, Scroll for additional info Bill Owens
Governor
Renewal of Pump Installation Licenses Greg E. Walther
to Reflect Pump Categories Based on Production Rate Executive Director, DNR
Hal D. Simpson, P.E.
PROBLEM: Secretary
The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) has revised the examinations it administers to
persons seeking licensure or certification for the installation of pumping equipment. The NGWA has
adopted a general pump installation test for all applicants to be administered with an additional
examination based on pump production rate in gallons per minute (i.e. up to 100 gpm or greater than
100 gpm). Board Policy No. 2000-1 adopted by the Board of Examiners of Water Well Construction
and Pump Installation Contractors ("Board") on April 4, 2000 implemented a policy to reflect the
NWGA pump categories and adopted the categories in the Revised Water Well Construction Rules.
Since that time, the Board has issued new licenses pursuant to its policy and Rules that include the
NWGA categories. However, renewal of licenses issued prior to the NGWA changes and the Board's
subsequent policy and rules revision has continued to use the former pump categories defined in earlier
versions of the Water Well Construction Rules. To achieve consistency with the pump categories
adopted by the NGWA and the current Rules of the Board, it is necessary that renewed licenses reflect
the gallons per minute (gpm) rate of pumps authorized to be installed under the license.
DISCUSSION:
The Board has maintained consistency with the NGWA examinations in the issuance of licenses to
pump installation contractors. Licenses are currently issued in accordance with the types of licenses
stated in Rule 7.3 of the Water Well Construction Rules, but renewal of licenses issued prior to Board
Policy 2000-1 (April 4, 2000) has been pursuant to the previously used pump categories. With the
shift in emphasis to pump production (instead of motor horse -power) that the NGWA implemented in
its examination program and adopted in the Board's Rules, renewed licenses are no longer consistent
with the adopted pump categories defined by rate of production. The shift from using horse -power
(hp) to production rate (gpm) has resulted in both a potential overlap and void regarding pumps that
can be installed by those holding pump installation licenses issued according to the stated categories.
For instance, a contractor licensed to install pumping equipment up to 5 horse -power (corresponding to
100 gpm or less according to policy 2000-1) may find that he is asked to install a I hp pump in a
shallow alluvial well. The theoretical pumping rate for a 1 hp pump lifting water 30 feet is 125 gpm.
A contractor licensed to install pumping equipment that produces up to 100 gpm would not be
authorized to install the same pump. On the other hand, a contractor limited to the installation of
pumps up to 5 hp could not install a pump that would produce 100 gpm if the lift of water exceeds
about 200 feet, but a contractor licensed to install pumps with production rates up to 100 gpm would
be authorized to install a 10 hp pump to lift water 400 feet. To promote equity amongst the contractors
in the pump installation industry, the Board believes it is necessary to institute a policy that brings all
pump licenses under the current categories based on production rate.
BRAD AUSTIN, Denver; JANET BELLIS, Boulder, H. RAY NEWMYER, Mosca; GLENN CLEMENT, Greeley