The results of a standard well inspection report will give vital information about the well’s operating condition and protect the health of groundwater users. With a checklist to help guide your well inspection, water well maintenance has never been easier or more efficient.
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A well or groundwater well is a deep hole dug into the soil to access water from groundwater aquifers. Groundwater aquifers are formed by water that infiltrates into the soil and gets trapped by dense rock layers. These aquifers get regularly “recharged” or “refilled” by the water cycle. However, due to increasing water demands and changes in climate, there are instances where aquifers can dry up, which is when they are recharged artificially.
Groundwater is a great source of drinking water because of the soil’s natural filtration capabilities that can remove bacteria and other pathogens. But there still are external factors that might affect water quality. For that reason, government agencies have created various regulations and recommendations to ensure that groundwater wells are thoroughly inspected so that the water is safe for human usage.
With a well inspection checklist you can perform your audits more easily since you will significantly reduce the risk of forgetting to check anything important. Such a checklist will generally contain a list of requirements to ensure that a groundwater well is in good condition. Depending on national and local regulations, it may also contain other essential information such as tips on proper maintenance, water treatment procedures, and local contractors that are certified for water well maintenance.
2. The Four Steps Of A Water Well Inspection
3. Perform Well Inspections With A Digital Checklist
As with anything, in order to perform a proper inspection audit, it is important to be aware of the object you are inspecting so that you can make sure you are following the correct procedures and requirements. For well does not equal well and there are differences to be aware of.
There are three main types of wells and you can use the following list in order to identify the type of well you will inspect if you don’t already know.
New well owners might wonder: how long does a well inspection take? To complete the general procedures and finalize the well inspection report, you will need about 2 to 3 hours. The results of the water testing,however, might take 1 or 2 weeks to arrive.
There are four general procedures to be followed in order to perform a successful well inspection. Each procedure tackles various aspects of the well such as its construction, location, water quality, and output. You will find them outlined and detailed in the following paragraphs, but keep in mind that you might need to supplement your personal well inspection checklist with local regulations and requirements to pay attention to.
The first procedure should be to check the well location. This is very important because it affects the well’s safety and effectiveness.
According to specific guidelines, a well should always be placed in the following way:
Aside from these specific guidelines, there is also a general reminder to look out for any possible sources of contamination and to regularly get your wells tested and sampled.
Well condition refers to its overall compliance with well construction guidelines. And these guidelines can vary depending on the country or state but it is generally about the well’s depth, age, and design. Substantial findings regarding the well location and condition will be recorded on the well inspection report.
The second procedure documented on a well inspection checklist refers to checking each individual component of the well. Doing so ensures that the well is operating efficiently and is compliant with standards. Although there are a lot of elements to a list, we will only be discussing the functions and some guidelines for the five major well components below.
The third procedure in your well inspection checklist should be to test the water quality. This means taking samples of the water directly from the well and then bringing it to the laboratory for testing. These tests will determine the water’s potability and the results will show these water quality indicators and contaminants:
It is recommended to have the well tested annually by the government health or environmental agencies. The tests can also be done by government-accredited laboratories. If the test results show that the well is contaminated, it needs to be closed down for further investigation.
The last step of your well inspection is the assessment of water yield. This refers to testing the well’s water supply and determining if it can still meet the peak demand. This is critical since low well yield could result in water supply loss during drought season.
It is recommended to contact a qualified professional for the well yield test since it requires specialized testing equipment to give accurate results. Poor results in the well yield test would mean digging the current holed deeper or building a new well in a different location.
Lumiform’s audit app is the way to successful well inspections. Take our digital checklists with you wherever you go and perform well inspections right in the field in just a couple of clicks. Whether on a smart phone or your tablet, online or offline, or on the desktop version – Lumiform supports you in your quest to deliver clean and healthy drinking or irrigation water. Discover discrepancies and threats quickly and easily and never miss an inspection with our digital checklist application.
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