State Well Codes

Dry bentonite pellets, chips, or granules shall be placed in increments not greater than 2 ft thick, shall be hydrated prior to continued placement, shall not be used if chlorides in groundwater exceed 1,000 (ppm).

Shall be constructed using concrete-collar or buried-slab method. Buried slab method: Borehole diameter shall be minimum 4 inches greater than O.D. well casing or pre-cast concrete tiles used below buried-slab or concrete-collar method. Buried slab minimum of 10 ft below ground surface, shall consist of reinforced concrete without joints, top must slope away from center and watertight where meets casing, and must have diameter sufficient to extend to edge of casing or tiles. Bentonite seal installed above buried slab covering entire diameter of borehole, and shall be minimum 12 inches thick. Upper annulus fill shall consist of sealing materials or clean, inert earth materials. Concrete-collar method: Upper 10 ft of borehole diameter shall be minimum 6 inches greater than O.D. of casing. Casing shall extend minimum 8 inches above ground surface, and cover slab minimum 4 inches thick. Pipe sleeve cast in place in the slab to accommodate the type of pump of pump piping used. Watertight joint shall be made where slab rests on well casing. Dry-driven grout method: Dry bentonite granules not smaller than 50 mesh and not larger than 8 mesh shall be poured into pilot hole prior to driving casing. Continue to pour bentonite into pilot hole as casing is driven and bentonite is drawn into annulus. Radial collector wells: must submit plans to the cabinet and receive approval prior to construction.

Steel or PVC well casing and liners shall have a minimum inside diameter of four (4) inches, except for driven point wells and jetted wells which are addressed in Section 8(3) of this administrative regulation. Steel well casing and liners shall meet or exceed minimum standards in Table A of administrative legislation Section 2(e)1. Plastic well casing & liners should be SDR 26 rated at minimum, see Table B Section 2(f)1.a for specifications. Must have minimum Impact Classification of IC-1, ASTM D1784-07 or F480-066. ASTM F480-06b, SDR, SCH 40 and SCH 80. Must meet or exceed NSF 14 and NSF 61. Joints and couplings shall be welded, cemented or threaded, and shall be watertight.

If unconsolidated materials 30 ft thick or less, casing shall extend minimum 10 ft into bedrock. If unconsolidated materials greater than 30 ft thick, casing shall extend minimum of 2 ft into bedrock. Driller shall case off undesirable geologic formations, leaving at minimum 2 ft below bottom of production zone.

Seal minimum bottom 2 ft of annulus between borehole and permanent casing and then seal remainder with impervious drill cuttings. May use clay, shale, or limestone drill cuttings if cuttings are allowed to seal portions of the annulus. Sandstone cuttings shall not be used. Methods approved for single- and multiple-cased wells see section 6 401 KAR 6:310.

25ft.

50ft.

50ft.

If contains gravel pack, casing removed to dept of 4 ft. below ground level, remove all gravel pack, other materials, and fluid within the first 6ft below casing. Grout to be placed from 6 ft. below to 1 ft below top of well casing. If no grout of gravel pack in annular space and free of debris, grout from 3 ft. below to 20 ft. below ground level, or pitless well adapter connection point to minimum of 20 ft. below pitless adapter.

75 ft.

50 ft. but may be located to within 10 feet of a sewer provided that the sewer consists of cast iron pipe with watertight mechanical joints or rubber gasket sealed joints that meet ASTM Standard C564-11, SDR 26 PVC pipe or schedule 40 PVC pipe or heavier with solvent welded watertight joints or elastomeric seals (gaskets) used for push-on joints that meet ASTM Standard F477-10.

Water used in the drilling process shall be obtained from a source that will not result in contamination of the well. All of the water shall be treated so as to maintain a free chlorine residual as an extra precaution.

Approval of plans for the well shall be obtained from the Department before construction. Factors that will be considered for approval of a radial collector well will include depth of well, types of soil formations, location of well and sources of potential contamination in the surrounding area.

Drift/Cover <30 ft. thickness - Casing shall extend to depth of at least 40 ft below finished ground surface. Drill hole diameter shall be minimum of 3 in. greater than O.D. of casing or coupling, whichever is greater. If drilled to obtain water below upper bedrock formation, shall comply with subsection (a)(1) and casing shall be seated firmly in rock. Drift/Cover >30 ft. thickness - If tremie pipe used to grout annular space, drill hole shall be 3 in. greater than O.D. casing or coupling. If grout fills annular space through the inside of the casing, drill hole diameter shall be min. 2 in. greater than O.D. of casing or coupling. Where casing is mechanically driven, oversized hole shall be constructed to depth of at least 10 but not more than 20 ft. to allow drive nipple removal and installation of joint and casing. Bottom of the oversized hole shall be filled with granulated bentonite or natural clay mixture. The entire length of casing shall be grouted as provided in Section 920.90(h). If plastic well casing is installed, it shall be installed as required in Section 920.90(g).

Casing shall be terminated at depth of 10 ft. or more below ground surface. Casing shall be firmly imbedded in hole formed in slab that tapers from 1/2 in. greater to 1/2 in. smaller than O.D. riser pipe or connected to pipe cast in reinforced buried concrete slab in accordance with Section 920.90(c). Casing shall be min. 4 in. diameter and extend from concrete slab to at least 8 in. above finished ground surface. Bentonite seal with min. 12 in. thickness shall be installed over buried slab entire diameter of well. Annular opening filled with clean earth thoroughly tamped to minimize settling, and mounded to drain away from well. If pitless adaptor to be installed w/in 7 calendar days, backfill may terminate one ft. below frost level. Diameter of wellbore below buried slab shall be min. 4 in. greater than O.D. well casing and shall be filled with washed pea gravel to well bottom.

Min. wall thickness shall be 2 in. Min. strength of concrete shall be 4,000 lbs/sq in (psi). Before pouring concrete, #10 gage reinforcement wire mesh with grid size 6 in. x 6 in. shall be installed in concrete casing form. Concrete tile shall be formed to have overlapping joints on top and bottom.

Shall be grouted to protect the artesian aquifer, prevent erosion of overlying geologic materials, and confine the flow to within the casing. Initial drilling operations shall extend into but not through the formation confining the water. The casing shall be installed and the annular opening between drill hole and casing shall be pressure grouted in accordance with Section 920.90(h). If plastic casing is installed, it shall be installed in accordance with Section 920.90(g). The hole shall then be extended into the artesian formation. Flow control from the well shall be provided by valved pipe connections, watertight pump connections, or receiving reservoirs set at an altitude corresponding to the artesian head. The flowing well discharge control shall be provided to conserve groundwater and to prevent the loss of artesian head by preventing or reducing continuous discharges. A flow discharge pipe, where installed, shall not be directly connected to a sewer or other source of contamination.

When a well must be located adjacent to a building, it shall be located so that the center line of the well extended vertically will clear any projection from the building by not less than 2 ft.

10 ft.

New well pits not allowed. Existing pits accepted if structurally sound and watertight, if casing extends at least 12 in. above the pit or basement floor and have a well seal to prevent contaminants from entering the well, and has watertight manhole and cover to prevent contaminants from entering well. No existing well pit shall be modified to comply with subsection (b)(2) above. Existing pits which are not in compliance with subsection (b)(2) shall be eliminated. The floor or one wall of the pit shall be broken or removed and the pit filled with compacted earth.

After casing installed, shall be grouted from within 10 ft from top of screen to finished ground surface. Tremie pipe shall be installed to bottom of annular space. Shall be pressure grouted in consolidated formations to meet grouting requirements. When the grout has settled less than 20 ft., the annular space can be grouted with bentonite chips. Shale traps, cementing baskets, packers or other devices shall not be used to suspend grout above an open annular space. Excessive development and washing, shoveling of cuttings, or other activities shall not be used to induce collapse of the borehole wall or to reduce the amount of open annular space surrounding the permanent well casing.

Pump wiring within the well shall be double-jacketed copper wire and shall meet the National Electrical Code specifications for wire sizing, unless the pump manufacturer requires a non-jacketed wire. Wire outside of the casing must meet, at a minimum, National Electrical Code specifications. Wire shall be secured to the drop pipe at a minimum of 20-foot intervals.

Shall be sized to operate at least one minute between low-pressure activation and high-pressure shut off. Minimum allowable pressure of 30 psi. Shall have pressure gauge capable of reading at least 100 psi. Shall have a pressure relief valve sized based on pump, and located prior to any shut-off valve on distribution system side of tank. If non-bladder tank used, shall have a means of venting or adding air.

At a minimum, all electrical installation shall be performed and maintained in accordance with the current National Electrical Code. A certified pump installer may perform wiring from the pump to the electrical panel unlesslocal ordinancesrequire additional licensing.

Shall be obtained from a potable water source that will not result in contamination of the well. Water used for drilling shall be treated with 3 pints of 5.25 % sodium hypochlorite solution per 100 gallons of water or 0.25 lb of 65% calcium hypochlorite per 100 gallons of water or other additives to produce an equivalent concentration of chlorine residual 50 ppm.

Min. 20 ft. of permanent casing. If aquifer is covered by less than 40 ft. of low perm. Materials, then well screen set at bottom of aquifer for at least 60 ft. from surface. If more than 40 ft. of material covering aquifer, then casing shall extend at least to top of aquifer.

Drilling operations shall extend into but not through the formation confining the water. The casing shall then be installed and the annular space full-length pressure-grouted and allowed to set. After the grout is set, the drill hole shall be extended into the confined water-bearing formation. Flow control from the well shall be provided by valved pipe connections or a receiving tank set at an altitude corresponding to that of the artesian head. Under no circumstances shall the water flow uncontrolled to waste. A direct connection between the discharge pipe and a receiving tank, sewer, or
other source of contamination is prohibited.

Drilled in unconsolidated materials: Diameter of borehole shall be at least 3 in. greater than O.D. of well casing to the minimum grouting depth. When steel well casing pipe is installed using percussion methods, shall be at least 5 in. greater than O.D. to min. depth of 25 ft. Drilled in consolidated materials: Borehole shall be at least 3 in. greater than O.D. of the well casing for the upper 40 ft. or the min. grouting depth. When steel casing pipe is installed using percussion, or casing-hammer/rotary methods, the annular space shall be at least 5 in. greater than O.D. of the well casing to a min. depth of 25 ft. When bedrock wells are full-length pressure-grouted through the casing, the borehole diameter shall be 3 in. larger than O.D. of the casing for the min. depth of at least 25 ft. Bored and augered wells in unconsolidated: 12 in. grout seal shall be poured over and around the plate. Annular space between steel or thermoplastic casing and borehole shall be backfilled with clean compacted soil free of debris or large organic material. Earth thoroughly tamped to minimize settling. If the depth of casing is greater than 40 ft,. the annular space below 40 ft. may be filled with heavy drilling fluid taken from the borehole as long as the top 40 ft. of annular space is properly grouted. In this case, the annular space below 40 ft. shall be kept as small as possible to avoid settling.

50 ft. from permanent (more than 6 months) or intermittent (more than 2 months), 25 ft. from temporary (less than 2 months) surface waters.

50 ft.

10 ft. from permanent buildings, other than those to house the well or plumbing apparatus, or both.

Steel or thermoplastic pipe may be installed as liner in a well with a bottom hole temperature of 85 degrees F or less. Thermoplastic liner must conform to ASTM F 480 and NSF-WC, and must not be used in unconsolidated formations or unstable units.

Must meet ASTM F 480 and NSF-WC. Thermoplastic casing extending above-ground must be protected from physical and uv light damage by enclosing it within steel casing extending at least 12 in. above land surface and finished grade and to a minimum depth of 18 ft. below land surface. Must not be used for wells with bottom-hole temp greater than 85 degrees F. Must have a minimum rating of SDR-21. For nominal diameters of four (4) inches or less, a minimum rating of Schedule 40 is required. If used as casing within unconsolidated or unstable consolidated formations, thermoplastic pipe must be centralized and fully supported throughout the unstable zone(s) with filter pack or seal material as required by these rules.

For mixed grout seals the minimum annular space required must provide for a uniform seal thickness not less than 1 inch on all sides of the casing or a borehole at least 2 inches larger than the outside diameter (OD) of the casing. If a granular bentonite seal is placed deeper than 200 ft, the minimum annular space must be increased by at least 1 inch. Bentonite chip seals placed through more than 50 feet of water or drilling fluid will require the minimum annular space to be increased by at least 1 inch. When placing grout seals with a removable tremie pipe between casing strings or between a borehole and casing, the required annular space must be at least 1 inch or equal to the OD of the tremie pipe, whichever is greater. Permanent tremie pipes will be considered as a casing string and subject to minimum annular space requirements in addition to the annular space requirements around the well casing.

100 ft setback required.

50 ft. setback required.

If the well flows at land surface, control shall be provided by valved pipe connections, watertight pump connections, or receiving reservoirs set at an altitude corresponding to the artesian head.

During construction protect well and aquifer from contamination, well and annular space covered if construction stops. If contaminants found during construction, decontaminate drilling equipment and notify the Department. Water used during construction must be 1) public water supply 2) other potable water supply disinfected to maintain a free chlorine residual of 1 mg/L 3) or non-potable water supply wells such as irrigation or construction wells disinfected with 1 lb calcium hypochlorite (or 1.7 gal. sodium hypochlorite)/1,000 gal. water with at least 30 mins. contact time.

A mixture of bentonite clay and sand in equal proportions, with clear water.

A mixture of not more than 6 gals of clear water to 1 94-lb bag Portland cement.

A mixture of Portland cement, sand, gravel, and water.

Well requiring withdrawal of <10 gals/min requires minimum of 75 ft separation from any system for disposal of sewage or other source of pollution.

Liner pipe and screens may be constructed of PVC schedule 40 plastic.

Must be capable of yielding qty required by user. 5 gal/min with available storage of 75 gals or water depth of 100 ft, 3 1/2 gal/min with 150 gals available storage or water depth of 150 ft, 3 gal/min with 225 gals available storage or water depth of 200 ft, 1 gal/min with 400 gals available storage or water depth of 375 ft, or 1/2 gal/min with 600 gals available storage or water depth of 450 ft. Storage may include tanks.

Bentonite cement grout with min. o f10% bentonite. Bentonite clay grout with not less than 2 lb. of bentonite clay for every 1 gal. of water.

Casing or side walls shall be constructed of watertight concrete at least 4 in. thick to depth of at least 10 ft. below ground surface. Below watertight casing is loosely laid stone, concrete block, brick or other materials approved by commissioner of health. Annular space between face of excavation and watertight section of casing filled with clean clay or other impervious material. Covering of substantial reinforced concrete at least 4 in. thick and overlap casing or side walls by at least 2 in., should be watertight and sloped away from pump or drop pipe sleeve. If covering not readily removed shall have a manhole installed with curb extending at least 2 in. above slab with watertight overlapping cover, and shall be locked or bolted in place.

Diameter of 6 in. is satisfactory when yeild requirements are met. Water used shall be disinfected or of drinking water quality, chemicals or other additives used in drilling, and rock cuttings shall be cleaned out from the well.

Shall extend at least 10 ft. below ground surface. Where unconsolidated material above consolidated rock is less than 20 ft. deep and casing ends in consolidated rock, casing shall be effectively sealed in the rock.

Casing or side walls of watertight concrete at least 4 in. thick to depth of at least 10 ft. below ground surface. Below depth of watertight casing, loosely laid stone, concrete block, brick, or other approved materials.

Must be limited to the producing aquifer and must not extend to the ground surface. If additional filter pack materials are to be added after the well has been completed, those materials must be inserted through the use of a filler tube.