|
Franklin County Conservation District |
||
|
|
Well Plugging Demonstration | |
|
Demonstration sponsored by the Franklin County Farm Bureau and the Franklin County Conservation District All photos are property of the Franklin County Conservation District and are not to be reproduced without written permission of the Franklin County Conservation District, Ottawa Ks.
Abandoned Wells Are Dangerous! This well is about 40 yards from the edge of a driveway. There are a few small rocks on top as a lid, but these could have been easily moved by a child. Waiting for an accident! The diameter of this well was 4 feet. The total depth of the well was 30 feet and there was 17 feet of water in the well; clearly large enough for a child, animal or even an adult to fall into.
Getting started…pump out water
Disinfect the well. Existing bacteria or bacteria from the plugging materials should be eliminated. This will help prevent the contamination of near by wells. Liquid or dry chlorine may be used as a disinfectant. Removing the rock liner: Getting started requires a little manual labor; the top 5 feet of rock liner must be removed. The rock and dirt may be used as part of the fill, therefore you will not end up with a pile of rocks and dirt. While removing the top 5 feet of rock liner the wells diameter must also be widened by 2 feet. Many rocks may have to be removed by hand, requiring a good pair of gloves and good balance!
Sand/Rock is the first layer of fill. Once the site has been prepared by removing the rock and widening the diameter, it is time to start filling the well. One inch washed rock OR sand are used as the first layer of fill. Don’t create a mess ! It is best to pump out as much water as possible before you start to fill the well. Any remaining water will be displaced and can create a wet mess on the surface. Creating a cap with Bentonite. It is required that the Bentonite creates a layer that is 1/2 foot in depth. The top of the bentonite layer must begin 4 1/2 feet below ground level. Well has been properly plugged! Grass was later seeded and this area is now a safe part of the front yard
§Total cost to plug this well, including labor and tractor time, was $330.00
§The following components were used: l16 gallons liquid chlorine, l12 tons of sand and twenty 50 pound bags of bentonite. §Kansas state law requires all abandoned water wells are to be properly plugged.
§Abandoned is defined as: Any well not used within the last 2 years. §The Franklin County Conservation District has funds available to help landowners properly plug abandoned water wells. Ranking and eligibility requirements apply! |
||
