Volume 32, No. 2
Fall 2012/Winter 2013
Funding Provided for Flood Impacted Wells
In June 2012, areas of northeast Minnesota received up to 10 inches of rain causing flooding which
adversely affected water-supply wells for many residents. Heavy rain and wind also affected properties
in southeastern Minnesota. In response to the storm, the Minnesota Legislature passed a disaster relief
measure during a special session in August 2012. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) was
provided funds to reimburse well owners for work done to correct flooded wells. The MDH developed
agreements with the Aitkin, Carlton, Pine, and South St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservation
Districts (SWCDs) in Northeast Minnesota to provide up to $1,200 to reimburse well owners who hire a
licensed well contractor to disinfect or seal wells that were flooded or had flood waters come within
50 feet of the wellhead. To be eligible for reimbursement, the wells must have had two positive bacteria
samples since June 19, 2012. Eligible activities included work performed by a licensed well contractor
to clean and disinfect a well impacted by the flood, including costs to remove and reinstall the existing
pump and related equipment, or to properly seal a flooded well. Costs to repair or replace wells, pumps,
or other well system components are not eligible for reimbursement.
With proper documentation, well owners can get reimbursed for eligible work conducted after June 19,
2012. For more information on the reimbursement program, well owners should contact the SWCD
where their well is located.
Grants Available for Sealing Public Water-Supply Wells
In 2011, $500,000 in funding was provided to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) from the
Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment to encourage permanent sealing of unused, private and
public water-supply wells in Minnesota in fiscal year 2012-2013. The MDH forwarded $250,000 of the
money to the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, which awarded the money to eight local
INSIDE:
Changing Landscape in Farm Country
MDH and MGS will Accept Old Well Records
Hydraulic Perforating Tools
Continuing Education Calendar
Obituaries
New Contractor Certifications
units of government in Big Stone, Crow Wing, Hennepin, Mahnomen/Norman, Martin, Mille Lacs,
Rice, Washington, and Yellow Medicine Counties to be used as cost-share grants for permanent sealing
of private water-supply wells.
In October 2012, the MDH announced that the remaining $250,000 was available for a well sealing
grant program for unused public water-supply wells. For this grant program, a public water-supply well
is defined as a water-supply well that provided drinking water to at least 25 or more people for at least
60 days annually, or was inspected by MDH as part of the Public Water-Supply Supervision Program.
Community public water-supply wells include community wells serving cities and mobile home parks;
and noncommunity public water-supply wells include wells for parks, schools, and businesses. Wells
that served as an emergency source of potable water through an interconnection with a public watersupply system or were specifically constructed for, but never used as, a public water-supply well, were
also eligible for funding. The application period for this funding closed on December 5, 2012.
Applicants are eligible to be reimbursed for up to 50 percent of the cost of well sealing with a cap of
$50,000. A total of 34 applications for funding to help seal 37 public water-supply wells were received.
Successful applicants will be notified in January 2013. More information can be found at:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/sealing/pwsealinggrant.html.
Changing Landscape in Farm Country Affects Well Industry
Throughout Minnesota’s farming regions, producers are earning top dollar for their crops and enjoying
record profits. This “new economy” of farming has brought many changes and challenges, some of
which affect the use and protection of groundwater.
This year’s drought conditions and increased commodity prices, have led to a surge in business for well
contractors who construct and service irrigation wells. Other well contractors have been doing a brisk
business drilling water-supply wells for farmers eager to invest profits for increased livestock
operations, expanded shop facilities on the farm, and for regular domestic uses.
While all this increased business activity is clearly
good for the well drilling industry, there is one
aspect that needs our ongoing attention. Today’s
high land values and increased farming
profitability have made it economical to convert
land from vacant farmstead sites to tillable acres.
In some cases, good quality homes that in the past
were likely candidates for rental property are
being demolished in order to provide more land
for farming. As one landowner put it, “The corn
doesn’t call you up on a Sunday to complain.”
Demolished farm site in western Minnesota. Abandoned,
unsealed well in foreground.
As these changes in the landscape take place, it’s very important that all unused wells located on these
properties be identified and be properly sealed by a licensed well contractor. For the most part,
Minnesota’s well disclosure law does a good job of identifying unused wells during the property transfer
process. If an unused well is not sealed before a property sale, the Minnesota Department of Health
contacts the new property owner and moves them towards either placing the well back into service or
having the well permanently sealed by a licensed contractor. Over 250,000 wells have been permanently
sealed in Minnesota through the well disclosure process.
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Not all properties that are being converted from building sites to farmland are going through a property
transfer, so the disclosure process isn’t always there to identify unused wells. In addition, not all
property owners are aware of the environmental importance and legal requirements for having wells
properly sealed.
Please do not hesitate to contact your Well Management Section district field staff, or local Delegated
Well Program field staff, if you are aware of a property where buildings are being demolished and you
suspect that there may be wells that have not been properly sealed. Our staff can quickly check our
database to see if anyone has filed well and boring sealing records or well sealing notifications for any
wells on the property. If necessary, we can also contact the property owner to discuss the status of wells
on the property. We encourage property owners to contact a licensed well contractor prior to property
demolition for well sealing needs. It is much easier to find and seal a well that has not been bent over,
buried, and obstructed with broken pumping equipment and debris. If a property has already been razed
and a well has been buried without being properly sealed, Well Management Section district field staff
can still assist with finding lost wells. Over the past 20 years, we have been able to help find hundreds of
buried, lost, unsealed wells with our locating equipment and expertise.
Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Geological Survey
Will Accept Old Well Records
Old well records contain valuable pieces of geologic and well
construction information that you and others may find useful in
the construction of new wells or the permanent sealing of old
wells.
From time to time we hear that well contractors have old well
records in file cabinets, boxes, or garbage bags that are stored
in the basement, in an old workshop, or up in the rafters. In
many cases the well records were left behind by relatives who
are no longer in business or were acquired through the
purchase of other well drilling businesses.
An old well record from 1966, recently
submitted to the Minnesota Department of
Records stored in this fashion are not readily accessible when
Health. The record will help develop a
you need them and they are at risk of being thrown away, or
proper well sealing plan.
being damaged or destroyed by fire, water, mold, mice, or
other hazards. Think of how nice it would be if the records were entered into a computer database where
you could access them by the owner’s name; address; or township, range, and section number. Think of
the storage space you could free up if you didn’t have to store these records anymore . . .
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota Geological Survey (MGS) are
particularly interested in old well records (pre-1990) that do not appear in the County Well Index
computer program. The MDH and MGS will accept old well records or copies of old well records and
can enter them into the County Well Index database where they will be available, via computer, on the
internet. Persons interested in freeing up storage space and turning in old well records may contact their
local Well Management Section field inspector or hydrologist, or may contact Mr. Bruce Bloomgren at
the MGS at 612-627-4780, extension 201.
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Hydraulic Perforating Tools
Use of hydraulic perforating tools, rather than mechanical perforating tools, to perforate well casings
and liner casings at the time of permanent well sealing, is becoming more and more common in
Minnesota. Hydraulic perforating tools are more versatile in terms of the settings they can be used in and
the types of equipment necessary to operate them. They also tend to make much larger holes than their
mechanical counterparts, facilitating grout flow into the annular space, and have a much lower failure
rate than some mechanical perforators.
Hydraulic perforating tools typically consist of a hydraulic ram,
encased in a steel sleeve, which operates one or two hardened steel
knives. The perforating tool is lowered into the well by a steel
cable along with two high pressure hydraulic hoses, to the bottom
of the designated perforation interval. Once the perforator is in
place, the hydraulic pump is activated, which then activates the
hydraulic ram, which then forces the steel knife out through the
well casing, making a hole. A pressure gauge on the hydraulic
system displays the increasing pressure as the knife extends and
pushes through the well casing wall. Once the knife breaks through
the casing wall, there is a
drop in pressure and then
the knife is retracted so
that the perforator can be
raised to the next
perforation site. Unlike
some of their mechanical
Hydraulic perforator being lowered into counterparts, hydraulic
a 10-inch diameter well. Cutting knife is
perforators do not
extended.
require a drilling rig to
operate them. They can be raised and lowered in wells with a
pump hoist or a tripod with a chain hoist or winch mechanism.
Also, they can be used in wells located in basement offset
rooms, or inside buildings, and in other locations with limited
accessibility.
In recent years, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
has documented several cases where mechanical “wheel”
perforators have failed to make holes through well casing. In
these cases, the MDH inspected the well after the perforation
Unsuccessful perforation by a wheel
perforator, where a dent was made in the
attempt with a video inspection camera and determined that
casing.
the wheel perforator only made dents in the casing. Some of
the cases where the wheel perforator failed include an irrigation well at the Town and Country Golf
Course well in St. Paul, Minnesota; an oil exploration well in Hastings, Minnesota; a well at Indianhead
Trucking in Roseville, Minnesota; and the NuStar Refinery well in Roseville, Minnesota. In each case,
repeated attempts were made with the wheel perforator to make holes. Only after repair of the
perforating tool, and successful perforation holes were made, as confirmed by video inspection; or
successful perforation with a hydraulic perforator was accomplished, was the well allowed to be sealed.
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A number of factors may have contributed to the failure of the
wheel perforator to make successful holes including odd casing
diameters, old casing that deforms rather than allowing a hole to
be made, worn cutter wheels, worn wheel axles, or debris
obstructing the wheel axle slides. Regardless of the cause, failure
appears to be happening too frequently. In addition, in many of
these cases, the operator thought the perforator was working fine
and had made successful holes, when in fact, upon video
inspection, no successful holes were made.
Example of a large perforation hole
made by a hydraulic perforator in 4-inch
diameter casing. Hole is 1 inch wide and
2½-inches long.
The bottom line is that the well contractor is responsible to make
sure that the perforating tool he chooses to use is successful at
making holes that will allow passage of grout to fill the open
annular space outside the well casing. The MDH has observed
far fewer problems with hydraulic perforators. They are more
versatile and can be used in limited access settings and they tend
to make larger holes. Three well contractors in southeastern
Minnesota have hydraulic perforators and are available for hire.
In the Twin Cities metropolitan area, you can contact BergersonCaswell Inc. in Maple Plain, Minnesota, and Kimmes-Bauer
Well Drilling, Inc. in Hastings, Minnesota. In Rochester,
Minnesota, you can contact Peterson Well Drilling, Inc.
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, 651-201-3962
Contributors: Well Management Section 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.
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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 email 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 Mike Convery,
Minnesota Department of Health, Well Management Section Operations Unit Supervisor, at
651-201-4586, or [email protected].
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Obituaries
Thomas Oothoudt, 64, former owner and operator of North Star Drilling, passed away on Monday,
November 5, 2012, following a valiant battle with ALS.
Tom was born on November 4, 1948 to Erling and Mardelle (Longley) Oothoudt. Tom graduated from
Little Falls Community High School in 1966. He married Renae Larson on January 29, 1977, and they
settled in Little Falls, Minnesota. Tom started drilling wells at the age of 13 with his father. Tom was an
entrepreneur at heart and outside of his well drilling business he was partial owner in several other
businesses and various real estate properties. Tom was a member of the First United Church of Little
Falls, Minnesota Water Well Association, and the National Ground Water Association. Tom is survived
by his wife Renae, 6 children, 12 grandchildren, 1 brother and 2 sisters. Tom was preceded in death by
his parents.
Bruce Paul Merkel, 78, former employee of LTP Enterprises, passed away peacefully on Thursday,
July 19, 2012, at his home in Hutchinson, Minnesota, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Bruce was born in New Ulm, Minnesota, on November 7, 1933, to Paul and Lila (Pickle) Merkel. Bruce
was employed as a well driller and sales representative for LTP Enterprises beginning in 1978. He
drilled for both water and oil in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana. He retired on his sixty second
birthday. He was a graduate of the Sleepy Eye High School Class of 1951.
Bruce loved baseball and softball and was a coach and manager for teams in Sleepy Eye. He also
enjoyed watching all sports on television and liked to go hunting and fishing whenever he could. Bruce
especially enjoyed spending time with his family, grandchildren, and friends. Bruce is survived by his
wife, Linda Merkel of Hutchinson, Minnesota, 5 children, 11 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren.
Bruce is preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Lila Merkel; sister, Janice Fritz; granddaughter,
Elizabeth Bennett.
Donald Born, 90, of Born Well Drilling, Inc., Waseca, Minnesota, died on Saturday, October 27, 2012,
in Waseca, Minnesota.
Don was born on May 28, 1922, in Good Thunder, Minnesota, to Albert and Hazel (Chandler) Born. He
attended school in Owatonna. Don served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Following his discharge from
the Navy, Don married Dorothy Wynnemer in Minneapolis in 1945. Don worked with his father in the
family business, Born Well Drilling in Meriden, Minnesota. In 1950 they moved the business to Waseca
where he continued to work until his retirement in 2010. He was a member and past president of the
Minnesota Water Well Association. He was also a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Waseca
where he served as trustee, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion in Waseca. Don
enjoyed collecting bells and was a member of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Bell Association
where he had served as president.
Don is survived by 2 daughters, Suzanne Born (Carol Cummins) of Golden Valley and Barbara Born of
Edina; sons, Dennis (Pam) Born of Waseca and Thomas (Donna) Born of Rochester; 2 granddaughters;
3 sisters; 1 brother-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents;
wife-Dorothy in 2003; sisters, Fern and Lavona; and brother, Stanley.
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Minnesota
Well Management News
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
WELL MANAGEMENT SECTION
625 ROBERT ST N
PO BOX 64975
ST PAUL MN 55164-0975
651-201-4600 or 800-383-9808
New Contractor Certifications
Well Contractor
Byron G. Frauenkron
Gary’s Pump and Well Service, Inc.
Houston, Minnesota
Explorer
Jack V. Gibbons
DMC USA, LLC
Duluth, Minnesota
Pump Installer
William J. Crippes
Call 4 Water, LLC
Richmond, Minnesota
Greg A. Reinart
Reinart Bros. Well Drilling, Inc.
Browns Valley, Minnesota
Mark T. Prueher
Major Drilling Environmental, LLC
Brainerd, Minnesota
Lawrence T. Jacobs
Jacobs, Jacobs, and Larson
Milan, Minnesota
Monitoring Well Contractor
Anne T. Leslie
Raimonde Drilling Corp.
Addison, Illinois
Well Sealing Contractor
Lawrence T. Jacobs
Jacobs, Jacobs, and Larson
Milan, Minnesota
Thomas J. Redder
T and J Redder Well and Electric, Inc.
Trent, South Dakota
Christopher J. Rasmussen
Coleman Engineering Co.
Mountain Iron, Michigan
Thomas J. Redder
T and J Redder Well and Electric, Inc.
Trent, South Dakota
Pitless/Screen Contractor
William J. Crippes
Call 4 Water, LLC
Richmond, Minnesota
Elevator
Dean A. Caudle
ADCO Elevator Drilling, LLC
St. Peter, Minnesota
James C. Rudd
American Engineering Testing, Inc.
Eagan, Minnesota
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