- Water Committee Links
- Well Water Improvement Subcommittee
Well Water Improvement Subcommittee
Members
- Dee Munroe - Subcommittee Chairperson
- Jill Moskal
- Wendy Dewar
- Paul Fischer
- Thomas Blackburn
- Richard Solberg
- Patrick Driscoll
Private Well Water Testing
Properties not serviced by the city water system operate on private wells. The City of Prospect Heights does not regulate private wells. Residents are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their privately owned wells. Property owners wishing to check the quality of their well water must perform their own research on available water testing resources. Click here for a google search of local well water testing facilities. The City of Prospect Heights does not recommend or endorse any well water testing company or governmental facility.
Sample Well Water Test Results
Well Water Basics
Link to Water Well Info
Understanding Ground Water and Aquifers
Ground WaterIllinois Water Cycle
Shallow and Deep Aquifer Graphic
National Groundwater Association
Informational Website
Our Ground Water - Barrington Area Council of Governments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp40Zx51z9MWell Construction
QUESTION: Since city does not have jurisdiction over the testing of water supplied through private well systems, does Prospect Heights have any codes that must be followed relating to drilling a private well in Prospect Heights. ie (are underground pipes encased in sand, pea gravel or dirt, how deep should the pipes be placed, how deep should the well be, etc). This may affect the water quality as well as pipe life, longevity of well, etc. for new well construction and repairs if possible.ANSWER: (Wendy)Our wells are in consolidated materials so there is a section in the below link that tells how wells must be constructed. Well drillers must be licensed in Illinois and procure all permits from the HEalth Department for any water wells drilled, repaired or abandoned.
TITLE 77: PUBLIC HEALTH
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
SUBCHAPTER r: WATER AND SEWAGE
PART 920 WATER WELL CONSTRUCTION CODE
SECTION 920.130 WATER WELL PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
For a full copy of the entire well water code see ftp://www.ilga.gov/JCAR/AdminCode/077/07700920sections.html
QUESTION: Flushing and hydro-fracturing or hydro-fracking — environmental concerns
ANSWER: (WENDY) This refers to the fracturing or breaking up of the rock in an aquifer to increase the yield of natural gas or oil typically but it can also be done to increase the yield of ground water. I don't think this is a concern for us as our subsurface is not oil or gas bearing and our shallow aquifer is pretty prolific. As far I know there may be some hydrofracking in southern Illinois but it isn't cost effective right now due to lower oil and gas prices.
Well Water Rehabilitation
Restoring Flow - Restoring Flow through Water Well Rehabilitation
The situation is not always bleak when a household water well fails to produce the water it did when it was first installed. Instead of the expense of abandoning the well and installing a new one, a professional contractor can often “rehabilitate” the well and restore flows that provide enough water for a family’s needs.Upon what does a contractor base the decision to rehabilitate a well? Several factors are involved, including the ground formation that the well is drilled in, the construction of the well, and the problem that has caused the decreased flow. Sometimes, the water table in the area has dropped and simply drilling the well deeper is the answer.
The following are more answers to questions concerning well rehabilitation.
How can you tell if water well rehabilitation can work?
A professional contractor can do tests to see if rehabilitating measures will be successful. The well will often be shut off for 24 to 48 hours to see if the static level – the level of the water table in a well when the pump is not operating – returns to or gets near the original level. If so, rehabilitation will usually work.
Before starting the project, contractors will often lower a downhole video camera into the well to make sure no other problems will be encountered.
What are some reasons for drops in water production?
Along with the water table dropping, which has happened in several parts of the country because of droughts, there can be other reasons for reduced productivity.
The most common is the plugging of holes along the well’s casing and encrustations forming on the well screens. The amount of water going through the well system will drop significantly if several holes or portions of the screens are clogged. Calcium carbonate, iron bacteria, silt, clay, and “slime,” a combination of sediment and deposits, are all common well cloggers.
What are some of the methods used to rehabilitate a well?
Two typical methods are (1) using chemicals to dissolve the encrusting materials so they can be pumped from the well and (2) cleaning the well with a brush that can be attached to a drilling rig and then used in the well. Also, high pressure jetting, hydrofracturing, and well surging are procedures in which water is injected into the well at high pressures. Contractors will often use a combination of these methods.
What is the difference between high pressure jetting, hydrofracturing, and well surging?
High-pressure jetting features a tool with an adjustable, multi-head, water-powered jet that lowers into the well and injects water at a high pressure, dislodging debris from the well.
With hydrofracturing, water is sent into the entire well at an high pressure. The water removes debris from the clogged perforations in the casing and can crack the formations underground to create new sources of water.
Well surging is the repeated injecting and flushing out of water in a well system. With repeated flushing, the debris is washed away.
What chemicals are put in the well? Is it safe?
For iron bacteria and slime, a liquid bacteria acid is effective. For clogs with carbonate scale, sulfamic acids are used with inhibitors and modifiers. If the bacteria problem is persistent some of the more aggressive chemicals are muriatic acid and hydroxyacetic acid.
The chemicals are placed in the well and agitated frequently for 24 to 72 hours. The well is then pumped with water before a water test is given to see if the well system is ready to be put back in service.
For more information on rehabilitating a water well system, contact a professional contractor in your area. A list of National Ground Water Association-member and certified contractors is available at the Contractor Lookup section of the www.wellowner.org website.