Minnesota Well Management News
A Minnesota Department of Health Publication
Volume 27, No.2
Volume 26, No. 2
Fall 2007/Winter 2008
Fall 2006/Winter 2007
Proposed Amendments to the Rules Relating to Wells and Borings
“Minnesota Well Management
News” to Change to Electronic Format
Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4725
The
Department
of Health
proposing
amendments
the Rules
Relatingthe
to Wells
In
anMinnesota
effort to improve
efficiency,
save(MDH)
money,isand
evolve with
changingtobusiness
practices,
and
Borings,
Minnesota
Rules,
Chapter
4725.
The
amendments
pertain
to
general
provisions
of
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is switching from postal delivery of printed newslettersthe
to rule;
licensing, delivery
registration,
and certification;
permits
notifications;
construction
and issue
use; water-supply
electronic
of newsletters
as of the
springand
of 2007.
Consequently,
after this
of our
wells;
dewatering
wells;
monitoring
wells;
vertical
heat
exchangers;
elevator
borings;
and
environmental
newsletter, a paper copy of the newsletter will no longer be mailed to you.
bore holes.
The plan is to publish an electronic version of “Minnesota Well Management News,” that will be
The proposed
areWell
the result
of discussions
heldweb
at district
meetings
throughout
the state,
available
on theamendments
internet at the
Management
Section’s
site. The
new electronic
version
will
meetings
numerous
groups
andupcoming
individuals,
and recommendations
from contractors,
localnews
and state
contain
thewith
same
information
about
training
and regulatory updates
as well as other
and
government
agencies,
and
interested
persons.
We
appreciate
the
comments
and
suggestions
received
feature stories. The newsletter will be produced semi-annually. E-mail will be used to notify interested
during this
process.
persons
when
a new issue of the newsletter has been posted on the Well Management Section’s web site.
Onyou
March
2004, the
a Request
for Comments
in the
State
Registerisasking
for input
If
wish22,
to receive
an MDH
email published
notice telling
you when
the next issue
of the
newsletter
available,
you
on
amendments
to
the
rules.
On
May
3,
2005,
the
MDH
mailed
a
copy
of
draft
rule
amendments
to
must register by going to www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/newsletter and clicking on the link to
persons who
hadyour
requested
a copy. you
Between
May 3 and July
18, 2005,
the MDH
posted
theadraft
rule foris
subscribe.
With
subscription,
will automatically
receive
an e-mail
message
when
newsletter
public comment
on themessage
MDH web
The MDH
thetoAdvisory
on Wells
and Borings
published.
The e-mail
willsite.
include
a directand
link
the Well Council
Management
Section’s
web site:
reviewed
the
comments
received,
and
developed
a
revised
set
of
proposed
rules.
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/newsletter
The MDH
Dual Notice
of Intent
Adopt
Rules was
published
in the State
on Monday,
November
19,
The
will continue
to to
send
important
notices
about licensing
andRegister
registration,
continuing
education,
2007.
The Dualchanges
Notice by
explains
nature of the rule, and the procedures to make official comments or
and
regulatory
regularthe
mail.
to request a public hearing. The comment period began on Monday, November 19, 2007, and ended at
4:30those
p.m. who
on Wednesday,
2007. Comments
werewith
received
persons.
A public
For
do not haveDecember
computers19,
or internet
access, check
your from
local 12
public
library.
Many
hearing
was
requested
and
was
held
on
Wednesday,
January
9,
2008,
at
9:00
a.m.
in
the
Freeman
public libraries have computer stations available to the public and free internet access.
Building, St. Paul, and by teleconference at the Minnesota Department of Health Office in Fergus Falls,
Minnesota. The MDH submitted modifications to the proposed rules in response to the written
comments. Public testimony was given by three persons.
INSIDE
New Well Disinfection Fact Sheet
Plumber From Wisconsin Improperly Seals Water Well in Minnesota
INSIDE:____________________________________________________________________________
New
Special Well Construction Area Beltrami County
Five Year-Old Boy Rescued from Well in Northern India
License/Registration
Renewal Well Sealing Efforts
MN
DNR
Issues Final Report: Well Sealing on State Land
NGWA
Recognizes Minnesota’s
New
Contractors
Southeast
Minnesota
Flash Floods,
August Increases
2007
Enforcement
Update
City
of Minneapolis
Delegated
Well Program
Fees
Advisory Council
on Wells and Borings: Upcoming Vacancies
Chisago
Geologic
Atlas
Obituaries
State
ParkCounty
Well Gets
“Flushed”
Obituaries
Point-of-Use
Filter Study:
Removal
of PFCs
Donkey
Rescue
Unsealed,
Abandoned
Well Causes
Bacteria
Problems
Continuing
Education Calendar
Anyone who desires to submit written comments may do so within 20 calendar days of the hearing.
Comments concerning the Proposed Amendments to Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4725, OAH Docket
Number 11-0900-18038-1, should be submitted to: Judge Barbara L. Neilson, Office of Administrative
Hearings, P.O. Box 64620, St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0620. Comments also may be faxed to
651/361-7936, or e-mailed to [email protected]. These comments must be RECEIVED
before 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 29, 2008.
After the period for submission of written comments ends, you will have an additional five-working-day
period for filing a written response to any comments that were submitted during the 20-day comments
period. Additional or new evidence may not be submitted during this period. The responses must be
RECEIVED at the Office of Administrative Hearings before 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5, 2008.
The MDH requests that a copy of any comments submitted to Judge Neilson also be submitted to
Mr. Ronald Thompson with the MDH at the address below.
A copy of the proposed rule (PDF: 6.3MB/133 pages) and the Statement of Need and Reasonableness
(PDF: 9.5MB/148 pages) may be viewed online. Rule language that is proposed to be added is
underlined. Language that is proposed to be deleted is lined out.
Questions on the rules, or to request a paper copy of the rules or Statement of Need and Reasonableness may
be directed to: Ronald D. Thompson, P.G., Environmental Health Division, Minnesota Department of
Health, P.O. Box 64975, St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975, Phone: 651/643-2108, FAX 651/643-2153,
[email protected], TDD users may call MDH at 651/201-5797.
2008 License Renewals
The 2008 explorer license renewal applications and monitoring well contractor registration renewal
applications were mailed in early November 2007. These licenses/registrations expired on December 31,
2007, if not renewed. The renewal applications for well contractors, individual contractors, elevator
contractors, and limited well and boring contractors were mailed in early December 2007. These
licenses expire on January 31, 2008.
Persons completing the renewal application should read the instructions carefully to make sure the
contractor license renewal form and the representative certification form are completed properly.
Contractor license renewal applicants must:
• Note the contractor license type.
• Register any drilling machines and/or pump hoists in use.
• Enclose an original corporate surety bond or bond continuation certificate, unless a continuous bond
is already on file.
• List the license representative(s) and certification number(s).
• Provide required information regarding worker’s compensation insurance.
• Sign the renewal application.
• Enclose the appropriate renewal fee ($75 for all contractors, except well contractors who pay $250).
• Provide Well and Boring Records, Well and Boring Sealing Records, and water sample reports for
any outstanding notifications and permits.
2
There is no fee for renewal of a representative’s certification. A $75 renewal fee is required for an
Individual Well Contractor license (which is an individual currently not representing a contractor).
A $75 late fee must be paid for any renewals postmarked after the expiration date of the
license/registration.
Representatives renewing their certification must:
• Note which certification type he/she holds;
• Identify the company that he/she represents;
• List at least six hours of continuing education taken since the last renewal, and
• Sign the renewal application.
Note that the required amount for corporate surety bond is now $25,000 for well contractors.
(The bond amount remains unchanged for all other license/registration types: $10,000 for elevator
contractors, monitoring well contractors, and limited well and boring contractors, except $2,000 for
pump installers and pitless/screen contractors.) Explorers do not provide a bond to the MDH, but may be
bonded through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Southeastern Minnesota Flash Floods, Summer 2007
During August 18-20, 2007, the southeastern corner
of Minnesota received 8-20 inches of rainfall. Most
rain fell between Saturday evening and Sunday
morning (August 18-19). The largest three-day total
was 20.85 inches of rain near the city of Houston. The
largest 24 hour total was 15.1 inches near Hokah.
This was the highest 24 hour rainfall total ever
recorded in Minnesota and smashed the old official
national weather service record of 10.84 inches set in
1972 at Fort Ripley in Crow Wing County, and the
non-national weather service record of 12.75 inches
set during the Twin Cities super storm in
Flooding in downtown Rushford, Fillmore County,
Bloomington on July 24, 1987. The flash-flooding
Minnesota, August 2007.
from this event resulted in seven fatalities, extensive
stream and urban flooding, destroyed homes and businesses, washed out roads and bridges, created
mudslides, and disrupted countless lives. The Crystal Springs Fishery was essentially washed out.
Whitewater State Park and Wildlife Management Area was badly damaged and remains closed. Similar
rainfall and devastation occurred in west central Wisconsin.
A State of Emergency was declared by both the state and federal governments for Dodge, Fillmore,
Houston, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona Counties. The cities of Elba, Hokah, Houston,
Minnesota City, Rushford, and Stockton were especially hard hit. Municipal wastewater treatment
facilities were overwhelmed, equipment was damaged or destroyed, and many were forced to allow
untreated sewage to bypass their treatment plants at least temporarily. The Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency responded to 30 petroleum spills. An agricultural cooperative chemical warehouse in Rushford,
which had just received a shipment of 200 tons of up to 30 different agricultural chemicals, was severely
damaged, releasing large quantities of chemicals to the flood waters.
3
MDH Response:
The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) was activated early in the morning of August 19, 2007.
The SEOC coordinates the response of various state agencies and other organizations in addressing the
problems and needs in a major emergency. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) activated the
Department’s Operation Center to coordinate the MDH response and coordinate for local public health
agencies. Some of the major activities included:
• Issuing six press releases over two weeks to local media.
• Distributing over 2,700 water testing kits to the seven local public health agencies, who, in turn,
provided the kits to owners of flooded wells.
• Distributing 5,000 N-95 respirators to protect homeowners from inhaling mold spores and
particulates during cleanup.
• Distributing 1,500 doses of tetanus vaccines to augment local supplies.
• Establishing a “hotline” to answer calls from the public on health-related issues, particularly as
residents were returning to their homes to clean-up. Primary topics included well testing, well and
water-supply disinfection, indoor air concerns (i.e., mold), recommended vaccinations, cleanup
precautions, and other personal protection measures.
• Coordinating behavioral health teams that circulated throughout the region to assist residents in
dealing with the devastation.
Public Water Supplies:
Engineers and sanitarians from the MDH’s Drinking Water Protection Section investigated
21 community public water supplies and 26 noncommunity public water supplies. Although many
community water supplies had portions of their distribution systems damaged or destroyed, all but the
city of Rushford were able to completely restore services within a few days. Ten of the noncommunity
systems tested positive for coliform bacteria. Five noncommunity systems were destroyed.
Sanitarians from the MDH’s Environmental Health Services Section inspected 224 licensed food,
beverage, and lodging facilities in Fillmore and Houston Counties. These staff also assisted at flood
shelters and recovery centers. Olmsted, Wabasha, and Winona Counties handled the facilities within
their jurisdictions.
City of Rushford:
The city of Rushford, located at the confluence of
the Root River and Rush Creek, was especially hard
hit by the flooding. Two of the three municipal
wells serving the city were flooded, and the city,
MDH, and Mineral Services Plus, LLC, a licensed
well contractor hired by the city, continue to work
on cleaning these wells. Residents were initially
told not to use any water until repairs could be made
to the water distribution system and to the
wastewater plant. Municipal water was not
available for drinking, cleaning, or other purposes
for 19 days. The city imposed a boil order on the
system during September 6-17, 2007, enabling
residents to use the water for cleaning purposes.
4
Flooding in the city of Rushford, Fillmore County,
Minnesota, August 2007.
Difficulty disinfecting the water distribution system and two of the three municipal wells lead to
concerns about plumbing cross-connections between many private wells in the city and the municipal
system. Sewage backed up into the basements of many homes in the city. Many of the basements
contained unsealed wells that were not covered. Many houses had multiple drive-point wells. City and
MDH Well Management staff, along with employees from Mineral Service Plus, LLC, went door-todoor to locate, inventory, and seal these wells. Approximately 300 wells have been located and 80 wells
had been sealed as of the end of October 2007. Several cross-connections between shallow, drive-point
wells and the municipal system were identified and eliminated. The city, with the help of Well
Management staff, is also searching for other deep, unsealed, abandoned wells that are lost; including
the city’s municipal Well Number 1, wells that served a creamery, and the railroad depot well.
Private Wells:
As noted above, 2,700 water test kits were distributed to the seven counties. The kits were available to
well owners with wells that were either submerged by floodwaters or had floodwaters come within
50 feet of their well. At the time of writing this article, 1,930 wells were tested by the MDH Public
Health Laboratory. Approximately 30 percent of the wells were positive for coliform bacteria. Well
Management Staff in the Rochester district office and delegated county well program staff have spent a
great deal of time reporting positive coliform bacteria results to well owners, and advising the well
owners regarding courses of action to take to clean and/or repair their wells and distribution systems.
During the course of these discussions, the MDH and county staff discovered that floodwaters did not
come within 50 feet of many of the wells tested. A large percentage of the wells that were tested were
older, shallow wells, and many had well systems already vulnerable to contamination, such as systems
using concrete cisterns.
2007 Legislative Special Session:
In September 2007, the Minnesota Legislature met in Special Session to deal with the flood response.
Legislators were concerned about impacts of the release of fuel products, agrichemicals, and animal and
human wastes on groundwater quality and wells. The legislature has appropriated funds for:
• Additional testing of private wells that were flooded and tested positive for total coliform bacteria.
The MDH is now testing many of the flooded wells for nitrate, chloride, volatile organics
(69 analytes), pesticides (30 analytes), and selected pesticide degradates.
• Establishing a program for compensating well owners for the costs associated with having a well
contractor clean and/or disinfect the flooded wells that had previously tested positive for coliform
bacteria on at least two occasions. Grants will be administered through the counties and
compensation is capped at $1,000 per well.
Chisago County Geologic Atlas
The Minnesota Geological Survey (MGS) has begun the development of a new geologic atlas for
Chisago County, Minnesota. Geologic atlas maps are helpful tools for well drilling contractors,
groundwater professionals, building contractors, engineers, planners, and state and local government
officials. Geologic atlases offer a variety of information including, but not limited to, maps showing
bedrock and surficial geology, depth to bedrock, well construction, surficial and bedrock hydrogeology,
and sensitivity of surficial and bedrock aquifers to pollution. This project is funded by the Legislative
and Citizen’s Commission on Minnesota Resources, and some of the necessary labor has been
contributed by Chisago County.
5
The MGS relies heavily on water well construction records as a source of geologic information to create
the geologic maps in the atlas. The MGS can more accurately interpret well records and construct maps
if they have drill cutting samples from wells drilled in the county.
The MGS requests the assistance of all well drilling contractors working in Chisago County in 2008.
The MGS asks that drilling contractors collect, label, and submit drill cutting samples; collected at 5 foot
intervals, from any well drilled into a bedrock aquifer, and any other well deeper than 200 feet. The
MGS will provide sample bags and will pick up samples once they have been collected. The MGS
laboratory will then wash and examine the samples to identify the geologic formations penetrated by the
wells. Once cutting samples have been collected and before the pump is placed in the well, the MGS
would like to gamma-log the wells from which the cutting samples were collected, to further identify,
confirm, and document the geologic formations present. The MGS would also like to gamma-log any
deep, abandoned wells before they are permanently sealed.
The MGS currently has 67 sets of cuttings from wells in Chisago County and 74 geophysical gammalogs in their collection and would like to obtain additional drill cutting sets and gamma logs, particularly
from any section in the county without such information. The MGS does not have any drill cutting
samples or gamma-logs from wells in the following areas:
Township 36, Range 22, Sections 1-36
Township 37, Range 22, Sections 1-36
Township 34, Range 21, Sections 1-36
There are other townships that would also benefit from additional data. The MGS hopes to complete the
bedrock geology map by July 2009.
Drilling contractors may contact Mr. Bruce Bloomgren at 612/627-4780, extension 201; or Ms. Emily
Bauer at 612/627-4780, extension 200, at the MGS, to request sample bags and to make arrangements
for gamma-logging.
MINNESOTA WELL MANAGEMENT NEWS
Published twice per year by the Well Management Section, Minnesota Department of Health
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells
Editor: Patrick Sarafolean, 651/643-2110
Contributors: Well Management Staff unless otherwise noted.
To request this document in another format, call 651/201-4600
Deaf and hard-of-hearing: TTY 651/201-5797
Reprinting of articles in this newsletter is encouraged. Please give credit to the Minnesota Department of Health
or noted source.
6
Study of Point-of-Use Treatment Devices
for Removal of Perfluorochemicals
Since 2004 a class of chemicals known as
“perfluorochemicals (PFCs)” have been detected
in groundwater in southern Washington County,
affecting the communities of Cottage Grove, Lake
Elmo, Newport, South St. Paul, St. Paul Park,
Oakdale, and Woodbury. To date, testing by the
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has detected
one or more PFCs in 45 municipal wells and over
500 private wells.
PFCs are a group of chemicals that were
manufactured by the 3M Company’s Chemolite
facility in Cottage Grove, beginning in the late
1940’s, and were used in a wide variety of
applications, including water and stain resistant
fabric coatings (i.e., Scotchgard™), film coatings,
nonstick cookware coatings (i.e., Teflon™) and in
other products including fire-fighting foams.
Water Quality Association laboratory staff testing pointof-use filtration units. (Photo courtesy of Water Science &
Marketing, LLC.)
Manufacturing wastes were sent to disposal sites in Lake Elmo, Oakdale, and Woodbury and were also
disposed of on the Chemolite facility property. PFCs are very stable in the environment, resist
degradation, are very mobile in groundwater, and some compounds in the PFC family bioaccumulate in
the food chain. The health risks of PFCs are the focus of active scientific research.
With over 500 wells affected in Washington County, all options are being explored to provide clean
drinking water. Currently, there is limited information regarding the capability of existing water
treatment technologies to remove or significantly reduce the concentration of PFCs in drinking water. In
response to this lack of information, the 2007 Minnesota Legislature has directed the MDH to evaluate
point-of-use water treatment devices for effectiveness in removing PFCs from drinking water. The MDH
issued a Request for Proposals on July 30, 2007, seeking proposals from independent testing laboratories
to evaluate a variety of point-of-use treatment devices for PFC removal. The contract was awarded to
the team of Water Science & Marketing, LLC (WSM), and the Water Quality Association (WQA). The
first task was to survey manufacturers of point-of-use water treatment devices and identify those devices
that the manufacturers would recommend for evaluation. Staff from MDH, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, WQA, and WSM reviewed the manufacturers’ recommendations and selected
14 devices for bench-scale testing at the WQA testing facility in Lisle, Illinois. All water analyses are
performed by the MDH Public Health Laboratory. Devices being tested include carbon filters (utilizing
granular activated carbon, carbon block, or other carbon media), reverse-osmosis membranes, and
resins. Bench scale testing was completed in December 2007. The best performing devices will be field
tested at two locations including a municipal well in Oakdale, Minnesota, that has a mixture of PFCs,
and a municipal well in St. Paul Park, Minnesota, that has just one PFC, namely, perfluorobutanoic acid
(PFBA). The study is expected to be completed by May 1, 2008.
7
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Issues Final Report of Well Sealing on State Land
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
(DNR), Division of Waters, has issued the “Final
Status Report of Well Sealing on State Land
(2007).” The 1989 Ground Water Protection Act
directed the DNR to locate and seal wells that were
located on land owned by the state of Minnesota.
The DNR administers more than 5 million acres of
land, approximately 10 percent of Minnesota’s total
land area. Some of this land was previously
farmsteads or homesteads that were acquired by the
DNR and incorporated into state forests, parks, and
wildlife management areas.
Through a series of Legislative appropriations of
approximately $2.5 million during 1995-2001 the
DNR was able to hire Minnesota licensed well
contractors to seal 1,375 wells. An additional
639 wells were already in use or returned to use.
Toby McAdams, a hydrologist with the DNR, searches
for a buried, unsealed, artesian water-supply well in
Fort Snelling State Park in 2000.
Matt Schultz with Associated Well Drillers, Inc., seals
a water-supply well for the Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources at Fort Snelling State Park in 2000.
Locating many of these wells was difficult and
required extensive searches of remote areas. Many of
the well sites had become overgrown with trees and
brush. Searches often involved researching historic
plat maps and aerial photographs, contacting
individuals with some knowledge of the specific
sites, and performing geomagnetometer surveys. A
total of 2,105 sites were surveyed.
Unsealed, not-in-use wells are threats to public health, groundwater quality, and public safety. Once
abandoned, a well can become a pathway through which contaminants can enter and pollute
groundwater aquifers. Open, abandoned wells are also safety hazards for wildlife and unsuspecting
persons who may fall into them.
A copy of the DNR report is available at:
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/groundwater_section/wellsealing/well_sealing_final.report.pdf .
For more information on the DNR report or on DNR well sealing activities, contact Dan Zwilling at
651/259-5722 or [email protected].
8
Enforcement Update
Metro District
In October 2007 a metro area well contractor constructed a vertical heat loop geothermal heating and
cooling system for a home in Washington County, Minnesota. The geothermal system consisted of
five borings that were each 165 feet deep, penetrated 68 feet of glacial deposits, 92 feet of sandstone,
and 5 feet of limestone. Upon inspection of the borings, and consultation with the contractor, the
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) inspector determined that the borings had been incorrectly
grouted with high-solids bentonite grout in violation of Minnesota Rules, part 4725.7050. The rule
requires that the annular space between heat exchanger piping and the bore hole must be grouted with
neat-cement grout in bedrock geologic formations.
The MDH required the contractor to wash the bentonite grout out of all five borings and regrout them
with approved grout. The corrections took approximately a week and a half to complete. The property
owner was anxious to get the system connected as he had only a woodstove in the basement to provide
heat for the home.
Southern District
In the summer of 2007 Well Management Section
field staff in the MDH’s Marshall district office
investigated a complaint regarding a petroleum fuel
smell in drinking water from a private, domestic
well at a home in Kandiyohi County. Water from the
well was tested and found to contain high levels of
benzene and other volatile organic chemicals. MDH
field staff conducted an investigation and learned
that the property had previously been a resort with a
bait store and a gas station. Field staff also
conducted a record search and found that in 2004,
the existing well on the property failed. Records also
indicated that a local licensed well contractor
constructed a new well and then sealed the failed
well on the property at that time.
Old well in Kandiyohi County, improperly sealed with
dry-granular bentonite.
The new well was cased with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) well casing, was 90 feet deep, and was screened
in a glacial sand aquifer. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) was called in to investigate
the presence of fuel in the well. The MPCA hired a contractor to drill a geoprobe boring alongside the
PVC well to check for the presence of grout. The contractor did not find any grout in the annular space;
instead, all he found was a small amount of sand near the surface, some pea rock, open void spaces, and
black sludge. This well was completely removed and the bore hole was permanently sealed with highsolids bentonite grout.
Given that the local well contractor did not grout the annular space surrounding the well casing for the
new well he drilled in 2004, MPCA and MDH officials were suspicious regarding the sealing status of
the old well on the property that had failed. MDH field staff decided to take a closer look at the old well
to determine if it had been properly sealed. MDH field staff located the well with a magnetometer, had it
uncovered with a backhoe, and found the top of the casing plugged with dry-granular bentonite. It was
evident that the well had not been properly sealed. A well contractor working for MPCA pulled out the
well casing and the remaining bore hole was permanently sealed with high-solids bentonite grout. When
the well casing was cut apart, MDH field staff observed that the granular bentonite powder filled the
9
casing to a depth of only 34 feet; the same level as the static water level. Apparently, the contractor who
improperly sealed the well, dumped dry-granular bentonite into the well and it bridged off at the static
water level. In addition, a submersible pump was found inside the bottom of the well casing.
Interestingly enough, the local well contractor had indicated that a pump was not present in the well
when he allegedly sealed it. The well had been in use up until the time he was hired to drill a new well.
The contractor was at a loss for words when he was asked why there was a pump in the well that he had
sealed.
The MDH issued the local well contractor an Administrative Penalty Order (APO) requiring him to
construct a new well on the property. The APO assessed a forgivable $2,000 penalty, to be forgiven if
the corrective work was completed by the deadline; and also assessed a nonforgivable penalty of $2,500
for the serious grouting and well sealing violations. The contractor completed the corrective work by the
deadline, and the MDH rescinded the forgivable penalty. The MDH received payment of the $2,500
nonforgivable penalty from the contractor in November 2007.
The MPCA Emergency Response Section ended up paying approximately $35,000 to investigate the
fuel contamination and remove and permanently seal the two wells.
Northern District
In September 2006 a MDH well inspector conducted inspections of two new wells that had been drilled
by the same licensed well contractor, for the first two homes in a 47 lot, residential development on
Leech Lake, Cass County, Minnesota. The owners of the first home had just moved in, and the second
home was under construction.
The MDH inspector noted the locations of the septic and lift station tanks on both properties, but could
not find sewage drainfields. The inspector met with the building contractor on site and asked him to
explain the layout of the on-site sewage systems on the properties. The building contractor reported that
several remote offsite drainfields were being constructed to serve groups of homes within the
development. Each home would have its own septic and lift station tanks that would discharge into a
common, 2-inch diameter, buried, “collector sewer” pipe that would then carry the sewage from each
group of homes to one of the remote drainfields. Then, the building contractor pointed out the locations
of the buried collector sewer pipes on both of the subject properties. As it turned out, the well on the first
property was located 18 feet from the buried collector sewer pipe, and the well on the second property
was located 2 feet from the collector sewer pipe.
Information from the well contractor indicated that the building contractor and the well contractor had
miscommunicated on the layout of the sewage systems serving this development. Unfortunately, the
wells were drilled too close to the buried collector sewer by mistake.
Minnesota Rules, part 4725.4450 requires that a water-supply well must be no less than 50 feet from a
buried sewer that serves as a collector or municipal sewer. Consequently, the MDH had to require the
well contractor to make corrections. The well contractor promptly decided to permanently seal the
noncomplying wells and replace them with two new complying wells. Finding locations for the new
wells was difficult due to the small lot sizes. One attempt at a new well ended up with a dry hole that
had to be sealed. The well was eventually constructed on an adjacent lot that was too small to build a
home on.
This case should serve as a good reminder: do not make assumptions, ask questions, and verify
locations and proposed locations of all potential contamination sources and utilities on a property before
drilling begins.
10
Obituaries
Earl Ziemer, 55, of E-Z Pump Service, Welch, Minnesota, died suddenly on August 13, 2007.
Earl Roger Ziemer was born on August 11, 1952, in St. Peter, Minnesota to DeWayne and Dorothy Ziemer. He
attended school in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Earl married Peggy Clemens on January 12, 1980. Earl worked for
Norlake, Inc. in Hudson, Wisconsin, and ran his own well repair business, E-Z Pump Service in Welch, Minnesota.
Earl was a member of Vasa Lutheran Church and enjoyed his horses and dogs, fishing, and the outdoors.
Earl is survived by his wife Peggy; daughter Roxanne (Michael) Rosner, two sons Roger and James; and
two granddaughters. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Sally Ziemer.
Roger A. Lindsay, 63, of Lindsay Well Drilling Company, Cambridge, Minnesota, died on November 16, 2007, after
battling cancer since January 2007.
Roger was born September 29, 1944, to Alfred Julius and Olga Elizabeth (Reischl) Lindsay in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
He graduated from Cambridge High School in 1963 and went on to join the U.S. Air Force from 1963-1967; including
two tours of duty in Vietnam. Upon returning home Roger went to work for E. H. Renner and Sons Well Drilling
Company and later purchased Nelson Well Drilling. Roger eventually started his own well drilling business, Lindsay
Well Drilling.
In 1982 Roger married Lucy (West) and welcomed her two children, Timothy and Kimberly Yerigan, as his own.
Roger enjoyed life as Grandpa to seven grandchildren and these were his most cherished years. Roger enjoyed his time
with friends golfing, fishing, hunting, and cribbage tournaments with his grandchildren. He loved working with his
hands and took on the challenge of building and repairing whatever came his way.
Roger is survived by his wife, Lucy; children Timothy (Tanya) Yerigan of Granite Falls, Kimberly (Lt. Col. John)
Nicastri of Albuquerque, New Mexico.; six grandchildren; three brothers, and two sisters; as well as several nieces,
nephews, and other relatives and many friends.
Roger was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Olga Lindsay; and grandson, Clinton McCoss.
Charles S. "Chuck" Moates, 83, retired Hydrologist with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), of
Bloomington, Minnesota, died on January 10, 2008.
Chuck was a veteran and served in medical units in the Navy during WWII and the Army during the Korean Conflict.
After serving in the military, Chuck was a science teacher at Richfield East Junior High School in Richfield,
Minnesota.
In 1965, Chuck was hired by the MDH and worked in Environmental Field Services, inspecting migrant labor camps,
children’s camps, resorts, swimming pools, and food, beverage and lodging establishments. He also regularly made
presentations at certified water system operator schools. In 1982, Chuck became a hydrologist with the MDH
Groundwater Quality Control Unit (now Well Management Section) and inspected wells and worked with well
contractors in northern Minnesota. Chuck retired in 1988 and remained active in his church choir, including being choir
director. Chuck enjoyed tinkering with electronics and became a rock hound, taking annual trips to upper Michigan
looking for agates and minerals and being a regular at many local rock and mineral shows.
Chuck was preceded in death by his adoptive parents, Oliver and Frances Moates. He is survived by his loving wife of
54 years, Skaidrite "Sky," children, Robert (J.J.), Daniel (Eunice), Linda "Dolly" Tiessen, Phillip (Julie), Christopher
(Laurie), and Jennifer Moates; 7 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; adopted sister, Helen (Frank) Johnson-Duhn;
and niece, Carole Scarbrough.
11
Continuing Education Calendar
The Internet link to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Well Management Section’s,
Continuing Education Calendar is: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/lwcinfo/training.html
This calendar lists the upcoming continuing education courses that have been approved for renewal of
certification for representatives of Minnesota licensed and registered well and boring contractors. The
calendar also lists the number of credits available for each course. The calendar is updated monthly and,
if you subscribe, you will be notified by e-mail when this page changes (new classes added, changes to
existing classes).
For additional information about any of these training opportunities, call the contact person listed for the
program of interest. For general information about continuing education, more current CEU listings, or
to request approval for other continuing education activities not listed, contact Tom Alvarez, Minnesota
Department of Health (MDH), Well Management Section training coordinator at 651/201-4581, or
[email protected].
New Contractors
The following persons have become certified representatives for licensed contractors since the last issue
of this newsletter was published.
Well Contractor
Mark F. Anderson
Anderson Well Drilling
Clarrisa, Minnesota
Monitoring Well Contractor
Shawn D. Steiner
Conetec, Inc.
Kaysville, Utah
Pitless/Screen Contractor
Colin T. Anderson
Colin’s Plumbing, LLC
Center City, Minnesota
Pump Installer
Colin T. Anderson
Colin’s Plumbing, LLC
Center City, Minnesota
Explorer
Kevin D. Boerst
Duluth Metals, Limited
Ely, Minnesota
Elevator Contractor
Jon L. Gesling
JLG Contracting
Lennox, South Dakota
Joshua P. Ojard
Ojard Well Drilling, Inc.
Knife River, Minnesota
Michael R. Trainor
Kennecott Exploration Company
Salt Lake City, Utah
Vertical Heat Exchanger Contractor
Steve J. Carriere
Mark A. Maendel
Red River Drilling, Inc.
Red River Drilling, Inc.
Grafton, North Dakota
Grafton, North Dakota
LeRoy Amos Frost, 89, formerly of Frost Well Service, died on June 2, 2006, at his home in Mankato,
Minnesota.
Donkey Rescued from Well Pit
(Source: Fergus Falls Daily Journal)
LeRoy Amos Frost was born on April 17, 1917, to William Elmer Frost and Orpha Rice Frost. LeRoy
In
2007, near
town respects
of Underwood,
wasSeptember
a self-educated
man the
in many
and was a man of many talents. He worked for G.A. Wilson
Minnesota,
in Otter Tail
donkey
belonging
to Survey (USGS) before joining the U.S. Army
Co. as an electrician,
thenCounty,
for the aUnited
States
Geological
Warren
Gundberg
wandered
onto
a
neighbor’s
property
and and one year in the Philippines. Upon
for four years; three years at the Aberdeen Proving Ground,
fell
through
some
boards
coveringLeRoy
an old well
pit for
thatSurge Milking Company, and then started his own
returning
home
from
the military,
worked
contained
an abandoned,
unsealed
well. Underwood
is that business for 47 years.
business, Frost
Well Service.
He owned
and operated
located approximately 10 miles east of Fergus Falls,
LeRoy loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He is survived by his wife of 61 years,
Minnesota.
Antoinette “Nettie” (Salfer) Frost of Mankato, Minnesota; four children, 8 grandchildren, and 4 great
grandchildren.
His
parents, were
and one
sister, Leola Prange, preceded him in death.
Firefighters
from
thegrandparents,
town of Underwood
summoned
to the scene to embark on a dramatic rescue mission that
included pulling away earth with a Bobcat tractor and
Charles “Charlie”
79,by
of block
Dependable
dismantling
the wellA.
pitAdelman,
walls, block
in orderWell
to Company, Bloomington, Minnesota, died in
Fire Department personnel from Underwood,
July
2006.
free the animal. Once the wall of the well pit was
Minnesota work to rescue a donkey that fell into
dismantled, firefighters put a harness on the donkey and
a well pit containing an abandoned, unsealed
CharlieitAdelman
his wellwas
drilling
business,
Dependable
1955. He
well,Well
near Company,
Underwood,in
Minnesota,
in previously
Otter Tail
guided
out on a founded
rope. Gundberg
thrilled
that his
County.
(Photo
Courtesy
of
Fergus
Falls
Daily
worked escaped
as a plumber.
He viewed
himself
as a for
simple
man, but his keen wit and spirit were legend.
donkey
the episode
unharmed
except
the fact
Journal)
that it lost some fur from rubbing up against the concrete
Charlie
preceded
walls
ofwas
the well
pit. in death by his wife Elizabeth and one granddaughter. He is survived by 9 children,
17 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and his brother, Leo.
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) field staff in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, are working with the
property owner to assure that the unsealed well in the well pit gets properly sealed by a Minnesota
licensed well contractor. This case is a good example of why well pits should always be collapsed and
filled after a well has been properly sealed. State laws and rules require permanent sealing of abandoned,
unused water supply wells; however, they do not address the well pit. The MDH recommends that well
pits be collapsed and filled with clean soil after a well has been properly sealed. Well pits are considered
to be “confined spaces” and are dangerous safety hazards for people and animals that may enter them, or
accidentally fall into them.
Minnesota
Minnesota
Well Management News
Well
Management News
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
WELL MANAGEMENT SECTION
Minnesota Department of Health
625 ROBERT ST N
Well
Management
Section
PO
BOX
64975
Freeman
Building
ST PAUL MN 55164-0975
625 North Robert
Street
651/201-4600
or 800/383-9808
P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975
RECYCLED PAPER WITH A MINIMUM
RECYCLED
PAPER
WITH
A MINIMUM WASTE
OF 10%
POST
CONSUMER
OF 10% POST CONSUMER WASTE
PRESORTED
STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit # 171
St.Paul,MN