What Materials Can Be Used to Plug a Well

Introduction

• Types of materials

• Reasoning for using these materials

• Why should you use potable water when mixing cement or Bentonite grout?

• Common misconceptions for plugging a well.

• Conclusion

Goals of this Presentation

• Know the different types of materials that can be used and the importance of using only these materials.

• Understand the reasons for using these materials.

• Understand the reasons for using potable water when plugging the well.

• Understand why you should not dump trash into a well.

Why is this important?

• There are many wrong ideas of what type materials can be used to plug a well.

• Using the wrong type material could contaminate the water supply or allow contaminants to leach into the water from the top of the well.

According to the video what materials are used to plug

abandoned wells?• Cement

• Bentonite Chips

• Bentonite Grout

• Compacted clay or caliche for large wells.

What are the reasons for using these materials?

• Each of the materials recommended for plugging wells has a low permeability.

• The low permeability prevents surface water from entering the groundwater and mixing of multiple groundwater sources.

Why should you use potable water when mixing cement or Bentonite

grout?• Using potable water you reduce the risk of

adding contaminants to closed wells by mixing the plugging material with contaminated water.

What are some of the common misconceptions when plugging a

well?• Just dump materials into the well until it is

full.

• You can fill the well with trash.

Why don’t you dump trash into an abandoned well?

• You can contaminate the aquifer with chemicals or other materials.

• When trash is used the well can settle or cave in becoming a treat to personal safety.

Conclusion

• The different acceptable materials used to plug abandoned wells are:– Cement– Bentonite Chips– Bentonite Grout– When plugging a large diameter well, clay or

caliche soil may be used.

Conclusion

• The plugging materials provide a barrier to prevent rapid movement of surface water down to the aquifer and the mixing of water between different aquifers through the well casing.

• You should never fill an abandoned well with trash.