Volume 33, No. 2
Fall 2013/Winter 2014
New “YouTube” Well Sealing Video
In 2013, with funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Anoka County, in partnership with
the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Well Management Section, created a video highlighting the
need to protect our precious drinking
water by having old, unused wells,
permanently sealed. The video features
a well owner, two local well
contractors, and a hydrologist from the
MDH, and points out that in Minnesota,
unused, abandoned wells must be sealed
by a licensed well contractor and that in
many areas, well sealing grant money is
available to help well owners pay a
portion of the cost for well sealing.
A link to the video is included below
Video - Protect Our Precious Water: "Sealing Your
and can also be found on the Well
Unused Well"
Management Section’s Web page and
on Anoka County’s Web page. Well contractors are encouraged to share this video with their
prospective clients and real estate professionals they work with to encourage well sealing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKS4OknlYO4&feature=c4-overview&list=UUzyev_TJ-jgpqIBhsEn4QDg
or
visit MDH Well Management Section website at: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/sealing.
INSIDE:
Arsenic Data Portal
New Hydrologist Bemidji District Office
Rulemaking Bored Geothermal Heat Exchangers
Nitrate in Groundwater and its Health Concerns
DNR Floodplain Web Portal
Pitless and Water Service Line Bury Depths
New Contractor Certifications
DNR Groundwater Management Area
DNR Appropriation Permits May Require Additional Well
or Boring
Continuing Education Calendar
Obituaries
MDH Spring District Continuing Education Meetings
Public Health Data Portal Showing Arsenic
Occurrence in Private Wells in Minnesota Now Available
Since 2008, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has required water from new water-supply
wells to be tested for arsenic. This data has now been summarized and is available along with an
interactive map showing arsenic levels in groundwater across Minnesota, at the Minnesota Public Health
Data Access portal at: https://apps.health.state.mn.us/mndata/arsenic_wells. The data is summarized by
county and includes the number of wells tested; the number and percentage of wells with arsenic
exceeding 2 micrograms per liter (µg/L) and 10 µg/L; the 95th arsenic percentile; and the median
arsenic value.
Over 23,000 new private wells have been tested for arsenic in Minnesota since 2008 and a little over
10 percent of those wells have arsenic values exceeding 10 µg/L. The MDH does not recommend
consumption of water with arsenic levels exceeding 10 µg/L. More information about arsenic in well
water, its health effects, and treatment options to remove arsenic can be found at:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/waterquality/arsenic.html.
Minnesota Department of Health Well Management Section
Hires New Hydrologist for Bemidji District Office
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Well
Management Section is pleased to announce the
hiring of Mr. Chris Prokosch as the new district
hydrologist in our Bemidji district office. This
position has been vacant since former district
hydrologist, Mr. Kevin Mustonen left in 2006.
Chris comes to us from Minnesota Geoservices, Inc.
a geotechnical drilling company specializing in cone
penetrometer testing services located in St. Paul,
Minnesota. Chris started with the MDH on
January 21, 2014, and can be reached in Bemidji
at 218-308-2114.
Chris Prokosch, new Well Management Section
district hydrologist, Bemidji, Minnesota.
Rulemaking for Bored Geothermal Heat Exchangers
The 2013 Legislature modified Minnesota Statutes, chapter 103I (Wells, and Borings, and Underground
Structures) by changing all references to “vertical” heat exchanger to “bored geothermal” heat
exchanger. This change in statute expands Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) regulation to all
drilled or bored geothermal closed loop heat exchangers, whether vertical, horizontal, or angle drilled.
This does not include systems installed by excavation or trenching. MDH must now revise Minnesota
Rules, chapter 4725 to develop requirements addressing certification of representatives, construction
standards including bore hole location, materials, heat exchange fluids, and grouting.
The first step in any public rulemaking process is the Request for Comments, which was published in
the State Register on August 5, 2013. This announcement outlines the general scope of the rulemaking
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and requests comments on any issue relevant to bored geothermal heat exchangers. Since the
announcement, MDH has formed an advisory committee of individuals involved with these borings,
consisting of both well contractors and vertical heat exchanger contractors already licensed by MDH and
a number of individuals who have been installing heat exchanger systems using horizontal or directional
drilling/boring methods. MDH staff are working with the advisory committee to address the following
issues and to develop proposed rule language. Some of the more difficult issues being discussed include:
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Qualifying Experience for Licensure.
Alternate piping materials, such as PEX. (Current rule allows for only 160-psi rated, SDR 11 HDPE
pipe, meeting ASTM Standard D-3035.)
Alternate heat transfer fluids, such as a variety of ethanol and methanol-based products. (Current
rule allows for only food-grade or USP-grade propylene glycol.)
Regulating maintenance and repair of currently existing systems that were not previously regulated.
Drilling directional borings under structures such as houses and under adjoining properties.
Grouting of horizontal borings.
Comments can be submitted to MDH in writing, by telephone, by email, or online. For more information
or for providing comments online, please visit the rulemaking Web page at:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/rules/bgherulemaking.html.
Nitrate in Groundwater and its Health Concerns
Nitrate (NO3), is a naturally occurring chemical composed of nitrogen and oxygen and is found in air,
soil, water, and plant material. Nitrate is released to the environment naturally in rainfall, through human
and animal wastes, and by the decomposition of plants. Natural, background levels of nitrate in
Minnesota groundwater are generally low, in the range of 1 milligram per liter (1 mg/L). Concentrated
sources of nitrate, including fertilizers, animal manure, and human sewage have the potential to release
excessive amounts of nitrate to the environment and contaminate groundwater and surface water. Nitrate
is very soluble in water and can be quite mobile in groundwater once it seeps below the root zone of
plants. Certain geologic settings, such as surficial sand and shallow limestone formations, are more
prone to nitrate contamination. Also, certain types of wells including shallow wells, hand dug wells, tile
wells, and ungrouted or improperly grouted wells are more vulnerable to nitrate contamination.
What is “Blue Baby Syndrome?” “Blue baby syndrome,” more properly referred to as
methemoglobinemia, or infant cyanosis, is a condition that can quickly develop in infants who ingest
water or infant formula prepared with water containing high levels of nitrate. Once ingested, the nitrate
is reduced to nitrite in the infant’s gastro-intestinal system. Nitrite is absorbed into the bloodstream and
bonds with hemoglobin, preventing hemoglobin from carrying oxygen throughout the body. The onset
and severity of methemoglobinemia depends on the amount of nitrate ingested, the acidity of the infant’s
gastro-intestinal system, and the presence of nitrate-reducing bacteria in the stomach. The physical
symptoms can quickly develop within a week after the infant starts formula feeding, and are
characterized by pronounced cyanosis (an unusual gray or bluish appearance to the infant), lethargy, and
gastro-intestinal problems (Downs, 1950, pp.165-166).3 Older children and adults are rarely affected
unless they have certain gastro-intestinal, or other conditions.
The connection between nitrate in drinking water and methemoglobinemia was established in 1945 by
Dr. H. H. Comley of the University of Iowa. His study is considered to be a landmark in public health
(Comley, 1945, pp. 2788-92). 2 A follow-up study in Minnesota conducted by the Minnesota
3
Department of Health (MDH) (Rosenfeld and Huston, 1950), 4 verified Dr. Comley’s findings. From
January 1947 through July 1949, there were a total of 146 cases of methemoglobinemia in infants,
including 14 deaths, reported to the MDH. These findings are noteworthy because at the time,
methemoglobinemia was not a reportable disease. Once the medical community learned of the
relationship between methemoglobinemia and nitrate, the number of cases dropped from 129 in 1947 to
12 in 1949. Investigations in other midwestern states had similar findings. At the time, the fatality rate
was approximately one death per ten cases of methemoglobinemia.
The majority of “blue baby syndrome” cases in Minnesota occurred in the southwest quarter of the state
and involved hand dug wells curbed with wood or cement tile wells. In testing of wells associated with
the methemoglobinemia cases, MDH noted that 51 of 133 wells tested exceeded 100 mg/L nitratenitrogen. The nitrate-nitrogen level exceeded 20 mg/L in all but two cases.
An examination of the age of onset of symptoms revealed that over 90 percent of the cases were in
infants less than two months of age. Only 8.3 percent of the cases occurred in infants between two and
five months. The youngest case was seven days old. The oldest case was five months old. Parents were
mixing well water with evaporated milk in 46 percent of the cases, with powdered milk in 35 percent of
the cases, and with cow’s milk in 25 percent of the cases. No cases of blue baby syndrome were reported
for breast-fed infants.
In 1962, the U.S. Public Health Service established a drinking water standard of 10 mg/L for nitratenitrogen. This was largely based on the evidence in these cases, in other reports, and the observation that
blue baby syndrome was not seen in infants over six months of age. This standard was carried over as a
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) when the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed in 1974 and
remains in effect to this day.
Since 1979, there have been two documented cases of methemoglobinemia in Minnesota. One case
occurred in November 1979 and involved a family living on a turkey farm near New Munich, in Stearns
County. The family brought their one-month old son to the hospital with symptoms similar to blue baby
syndrome. The family had been using a 1½-inch diameter drive-point well, which was located in the
corner of the basement, for their water supply. The nitrate level in the well was 51 mg/L. Coliform
bacteria were not detected. Investigators discovered that discharge water from the washing machine was
discharged onto the ground in a crawl space underneath the home within 10 feet of the well. At the time,
the basement floor was wet and smelled of sewage. It was reported that the father washed his work
clothes, which were heavily contaminated with turkey manure, in the washing machine. Investigators
reported that the family subsequently switched to using bottled water for preparing infant formula.
Another case occurred in April 1980, in which a physician in Montevideo reported a case of “nitrate
nitrogen-poisoning” in a one-month old infant in Chippewa County. The child had classic
methemoglobinemia symptoms. The well was a 3-foot diameter, cement tile well. A hog barn was
located 35 feet from the well, and a former pig yard was located 25 feet away. The nitrate-nitrogen level
in the water was 110 mg/L. Coliform bacteria levels were also high. Reports indicate that the family
switched to a safe water supply, but did not specify any details about the new water source.
Other Health Effects: Various epidemiological and animal studies have reported a wide range of
negative health effects attributable to consumption of water with elevated nitrate-nitrogen including
birth defects, miscarriages, hypertension, stomach and gastro-intestinal cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma. Other studies have failed to confirm the reported relationships and there is no conclusive
evidence showing direct cause-and-effect relationships.
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Nitrate as an Indicator of other Contamination: The presence or absence of nitrate in groundwater is
sometimes used to predict whether other contaminants may be present and also to assess the
vulnerability of the aquifer to contamination. Testing groundwater for all potential contaminants would
be time consuming, extremely expensive, and in most cases unnecessary. Testing groundwater for
nitrate is relatively easy and inexpensive. Nitrate is very soluble and once it reaches groundwater
aquifers, it is not appreciably removed by natural processes. Therefore, if nitrate is present in
groundwater at elevated levels, it may indicate that other contaminants, particularly agricultural
chemicals or their breakdown products, animal wastes from feedlots, or human wastes from sewers or
septic systems may also be present.
Nitrate Occurrence in Wells in Minnesota: Since 1975, owners of new wells constructed in
Minnesota have been required to test for nitrate-nitrogen and total coliform bacteria before the well is
placed into service. Since 1990, close to 200,000 new wells have been tested for nitrate-nitrogen.
Approximately 0.5 percent had nitrate-nitrogen levels over 10 mg/Liter.
In the 1990s, MDH participated in a nine state study, testing wells for coliform bacteria, nitrate, arsenic,
and atrazine. It was truly a random study. A 10-mile grid was established throughout the nine states, and
the closest well to each grid point was sampled and assessed. In that study, approximately 5.6 percent of
the wells in Minnesota showed nitrate over 10 mg/L. For comparison, over 24 percent of the wells
sampled in Kansas exceeded 10 mg/L. (See:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/waterquality/midwestsurvey.pdf.)
For general information on nitrate, its health effects, and nitrate removal treatment devices, please see:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/waterquality/nitrate.html.
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, A Survey of the Water Quality of Water Drawn from Domestic Wells in
Nine Midwestern States, 1998, p. 25.
2. H.H. Comly, “Cyanosis in Infants caused by Nitrates in Well Water,” Journal of the American Medical Association,
1945, Vol. 129, pp. 112-116.
3. E.F. Downs, “Cyanosis of Infants Caused by High Nitrate Concentrations in Rural Water Supplies,” Bulletin of the
World Health Organization, 1950, Vol. 3, pp. 165-169.
4. A.A. Rosenfield, and R. Huston, “Infant Methemoglobinemia in Minnesota Due to Nitrates in Well Water,”
Minnesota Medicine, 1950, Vol. 33, pp. 787-796.
Floodplain Information Available On New
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Web Portal
In order to prevent the entry of flood water into wells and borings, it is critical that well contractors
know when a proposed well or boring site will be within the designated 100-year floodplain.
A new Web-based mapping interface called the Minnesota Topographic Portal (MnTOPO) is now
available on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website at:
http://arcgis.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/mntopo/ or www.mndnr.gov/maps/mntopo. MnTOPO is a Web
application for viewing, printing, and downloading high-resolution elevation data that was collected
using light detection and ranging technology. The map interface has a variety of capabilities, including
the ability to determine an accurate surface elevation at any point on the map – simply click on the map
to get the surface elevation and the latitude and longitude at that location.
5
Floodplain data for many Minnesota counties and cities is also available in MnTOPO. The map interface
in MnTOPO allows you to quickly and accurately determine the location of the 100-year floodplain by
overlaying floodplain areas on top of air photos. MnTOPO runs on a variety of devices, including
desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. Users with a mobile phone or tablet enabled with Global
Positioning System (GPS) can stand at a well location and the MnTOPO mapping interface will show if
the current location is within the 100-year floodplain.
It should be noted that map layers for the 100-year floodplain are not yet available in MnTOPO for all
counties and cities. Approximately half of the counties in Minnesota currently have digital floodplain
layers (referred to as modernized floodplains), and two-thirds of the counties have either digital
floodplain layers or unmodernized floodplain layers. The DNR’s goal is to have digital floodplain maps
available in MnTOPO for all counties and cities in Minnesota. MnTOPO will be updated as new flood
information and funding becomes available.
If the floodplain map is not available in MnTOPO, maps for most counties and cities in Minnesota may
be obtained from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA Flood Insurance Rate
Maps (FIRMs) can be obtained through the FEMA Map Service Center link on the FEMA website at:
www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program. Maps designating the areas of regional floodplains
and flood level information may also be available from county and city planning and zoning
departments, insurance agents, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DNR, Minnesota Department of Health
(MDH), and others. If there is doubt about whether a location is within the 100-year floodplain, it’s best
to consult with your community’s floodplain manager (typically the local planning, zoning, or
engineering office) to obtain the most current flood information.
To best view the floodplain map layer in MnTOPO, be sure to select the “Imagery” (air photo) option
within the “Basemaps” menu and check the box for “FEMA Flood Data” within the “Map Layers”
menu. When the box is checked for “FEMA Flood Data,” slide the bar at the bottom of the “Map
Layers” box to the left to increase the transparency of the floodplain map layer so that the air photo is
more visible under the floodplain map layer. Please note that the floodplain map layer is not active at the
highest or lowest resolution levels for the air photos, so you may need to zoom in or out to see the
floodplain map layer.
See Minnesota Rules, part 4725.4350, subpart 2, for construction requirements for wells and borings
located within the designated 100-year floodplain. If you have questions about accessing floodplain
information, or if you need help determining if your well site is within a flood area, please contact the
MDH Well Management Section district office in your area.
Pitless Unit, Pitless Adapter, and Water Service Line Bury Depths
The cold temperatures this winter have been hard on Minnesotans. Despite moderate snow depth, the
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Well Management Section has received several complaints of
frozen water distribution pipes between water-supply wells and the water pressure tank inside the home.
In some cases, it has been determined that the source of the problem is the fact that the pitless unit or
adapter, and water distribution piping were not buried deep enough at the time of construction. In one
case, the well owner reported having to dump boiling water down the well to thaw out the frozen pipes
each winter when it got really cold. In that case, it was determined that the pitless unit was buried only
3 feet beneath the surface. Depth to bedrock at the site was more than 50 feet so there was not a good
reason why it wasn’t buried deeper at the time of construction.
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Minnesota Rules, chapter 4725 is silent on the depth
to which a pitless unit, pitless adapter, or water
distribution pipe must be buried. It is common
knowledge that the ground in Minnesota freezes in the
winter. If pitless units, pitless adapters, and water
distribution pipes are not buried below the depth of
frost penetration and are not otherwise protected from
freezing, the water inside can freeze, leaving the
system owner without a water supply and with
damaged or ruptured fittings and piping. Thawing and
repair of frozen water fittings and piping is very
expensive, and very difficult to accomplish in the
middle of the winter.
The Minnesota Plumbing Code, Minnesota Rules,
chapter 4715, is now in effect statewide. Minnesota
Rules, part 4715.0340 requires that “Water service
piping shall be installed below normal frost
penetration for below-grade piping unless special
provisions are made to prevent freezing. Plumbing
piping in exterior building walls shall be adequately
protected against freezing by insulation or heat or
both.” These requirements apply to any person
installing water distribution piping.
Pitless unit and water discharge pipe being installed
in a trench 6 feet below the surface at a home in
Washington County, Minnesota.
The MDH reminds all contractors that where possible, pitless units, pitless adapters, and buried water
distribution piping external to heated buildings, should be buried below the frost penetration level. In
Minnesota, this typically means that they should be buried at least 6 feet beneath the surface. Deeper
burial is advised if they are located under or adjacent to surfaces without snow cover. In some areas of
Minnesota, shallow bedrock can create problems for burying pitless units, adapters, and water
distribution piping below the frost penetration depth. In these situations, other methods to prevent
freezing should be employed including electrical heat tape, insulation, or other means.
New Contractor Certifications
Monitoring Well Contractor
Michael A. Haapala
Twin Ports Testing, Inc.
Superior, Wisconsin
Explorer (continued)
John W. Reed
U.S. Steel Minntac
Mountain Iron, Minnesota
Pitless/Screen Contractor
Justin Boyer
Justin’s Well Services, LLC
Brainerd, Minnesota
Matthew C. Meyer
Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources
St. Paul, Minnesota
Gina R. Raymond
Franconia Minerals US, LLC
St. Paul, Minnesota
Anthony D. Kingland
Weinberger Well Services, Inc.
Faribault, Minnesota
Pump Installer
Justin Boyer
Justin’s Well Services, LLC
Brainerd, Minnesota
Well Sealing Contractor
Justin Boyer
Justin’s Well Services, LLC
Brainerd, Minnesota
Anthony D. Kingland
Weinberger Well Services, Inc.
Faribault, Minnesota
Anthony D. Kingland
Weinberger Well Services, Inc.
Faribault, Minnesota
Explorer
Glenn Hadden
Downing Drilling, Inc.
Grenville Sur la Rouge
Quebec, Canada
Dan L. Mayberry
Kennecott Exploration Co.
Salt Lake City, Utah
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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Groundwater Management Areas
Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.287, subdivision 4, grants the
commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) the ability to establish “Groundwater Management Areas.”
Specifically, the statute says “The commissioner may designate
groundwater management areas and limit total annual water
appropriations and uses within a designated area to ensure sustainable
use of groundwater that protects ecosystems, water quality, and the
ability of future generations to meet their needs.” The law has also
been revised to allow the DNR to require general permits within
these areas for appropriations less than 10,000 gallons per day or
1 million gallons per year.
The DNR is currently developing three pilot Groundwater
Management Areas (GWMAs). They will be located in the north and
east metro area including Ramsey, Washington, and part of Anoka
Counties; the Straight River area in north-central Minnesota, and the
Bonanza Valley area in central Minnesota. The purpose of the three pilot planning projects is to learn
how to effectively create and establish GWMAs in other places facing groundwater management
challenges.
For more information about the DNR Groundwater Management Program, you can visit the DNR’s
website at: www.dnr.state.mn.us/gwmp. You will be able to download and view their new Draft
Strategic Groundwater Plan and provide comments.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources May Require Additional Well or
Boring as a Condition of Granting Water Appropriation Permits
Water Appropriation Permits are required by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
for wells where water use will exceed 10,000 gallons per day or 1 million gallons per year. In an
increasing number of situations, the DNR is asking that an additional well or boring be constructed to
measure water levels near the production well and to assist with estimating how pumping the production
well may affect other nearby water resources, including adjacent wells, trout streams, calcareous fens,
rivers, or wetlands.
The additional well or boring may be a water-supply well, monitoring well, or environmental bore hole.
Be sure you know what type of well or boring you are constructing, how to properly construct and grout
it, what notifications or permits, fees, and record reporting are required, and whether you are working in
a jurisdiction covered by a delegated well program.
Remember, all monitoring wells and cased environmental bore holes must be “full length” grouted from
within 10 feet or less of the screen or open bore hole, to the surface. Also, monitoring wells must be
permitted and are subject to annual maintenance permits and fees if they are not permanently sealed
within 14 months of construction.
Currently, neither a notification nor permit is required by the Minnesota Department of Health for
construction or sealing of a cased environmental bore hole; however, a construction record must be
submitted unless the boring is sealed within 30 days. A sealing record must also be submitted within
30 days of permanent sealing. An environmental bore hole must not be used to obtain a water sample
for analysis.
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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
Anthony “Chip” John Ruppert – age 42, owner of A. Ruppert Well, Inc. in Stanchfield, Minnesota,
passed away at his home in Stanchfield, Minnesota, with family and friends by his side on September 1,
2013. Chip had been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer in March of this year and had traveled to
the Cancer Treatment Centers of America on several occasions for treatments.
Chip Ruppert was born on March 31, 1971 in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. Chip found success as a business
owner of A. Ruppert Well, Inc. as the fourth-generation water well driller in his family. His dedication
to the field was also demonstrated by his serving on the board and as president of the Minnesota Water
Well Association (MWWA). Chip was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt, fish, and practice
archery. Chip also enjoyed sponsoring race car drivers and by serving his community in a variety of
capacities including being a Lions Club member.
Chip was preceded in death by his father Anthony Ruppert, Sr.; his uncles Tom, Bill, and Jim Turcotte,
and Michael and Jay Ruppert; his aunt Bernadette Ruppert; and his grandparents Leona and George
Turcotte and Harold and Cora Ruppert. Chip is survived by his wife Heather Ruppert; children Ashleigh
Ruppert, Parker Forslin, and Addison Ruppert; mother Carole Turcotte Ruppert; sister Colette Ruppert
and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. A memorial service for Chip was held on
October 5, 2013, at the Braham Evangelical Lutheran Church in Braham, Minnesota.
Norville Duane Petersen – age 67, owner of Petersen Well Drilling, Inc. in Virginia, Minnesota, passed
away at the University Medical Center-Mesabi in Hibbing, Minnesota, on September 7, 2013. He had
been fighting lung cancer for a year or so and more recently brain cancer.
Norville was born September 20, 1945, in Blackhoof, Minesota, the son of Carl and Agnes (Wickstrom)
Petersen, was a graduate of Mountain Iron High School, Virginia Junior College, and earned a degree in
Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). Norville married Wanda LaTendresse on
August 12, 1967, in Hibbing and was a longtime Mountain Iron resident. Norville was employed as a
teacher and principal in the Makinen Schools prior to joining the family drilling business. He was an
active member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church where he served in many capacities. Norville was a
member and president of the Minnesota Water Well Association, a member of the National Water Well
Association, and had served on the Advisory Council for Wells and Borings for the Minnesota
Department of Health. Norville had a servant’s heart and shared his time and talents to help others
through many organizations including: the Sand Lake Shuffle, Salvation Army, Bush Prebeg Memorial
Run, Ruffed Grouse Society, Ducks Unlimited, Dream Machines Car Club, Water for Africa, Wells in
Haiti, was president and primary benefactor of Camp George E. Siegel, was an integral part of the
Happy Cookers, and was co-founder and an actor in “A Dinner with Dickens.” He was a generous man
who was compassionate, kind, fun-loving, and entertaining. His generosity touched many lives and he
will be sadly missed and fondly remembered.
Norville is survived by his wife of 46 years Wanda; son Todd Petersen of Lake Vermilion – Tower;
siblings Shirley (Conrad) Chipman of Phoenix, Arizona; and Dennis (Roxann) Petersen of Mountain
Iron, Minnesota; three grandchildren; his beloved pets Millie, Barney, and Katie; numerous nieces,
nephews, extended family, and a host of friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother
Martin Petersen. A gathering time for family and friends was held on September 14, 2013, at Gloria Dei
Lutheran Church. Norville requested you remember him with a contribution to a favorite charity, rather
than flowers.
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Lauren L. “Squeak” McCullough – age 77, owner of Lauren McCullough Well Drilling Company in
Hugo, Minnesota, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on October 8, 2013.
Lauren was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 21, 1936, and attended North St. Paul High School.
After high school Lauren joined the family well drilling business which was started by his father Marcus
in North St. Paul in 1936. In 1957, Lauren married his sweetheart Mavis Murray. In 1960, Lauren and
his brother LeRoy took over operation of the family business until 1978, when Lauren formed Lauren
McCullough Well Drilling in Hugo, Minnesota, and LeRoy formed McCullough and Sons, Inc. in Forest
Lake, Minnesota. Lauren enjoyed golfing, playing softball, and going to classic car shows to display his
1957 Chevy Impala.
Lauren is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mavis; children, Greg (Gail), Sue (Brad) Olmschenk, and
Steve (Sally); six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sisters, Dorothy Neeley, Shirley (Tom)
Benick, and Sharon Kupfer; sister-in-law, Joan McCullough; many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and
friends. Lauren was preceded in death by his parents, Marcus and Sidonia; and his brother, LeRoy. A
memorial service was held on October 13, 2013, at the Bradshaw Celebration of Life Center in
Stillwater, Minnesota.
Ernie Lehmann, P.G., C.P.G. – age 84, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, died at home on Friday,
December 13, 2013. Mr. Lehmann practiced as a professional geologist in mineral exploration and mine
development worldwide for over 50 years. He always maintained a strong interest and advocacy for the
exploration and development of the copper-nickel deposits in northeastern Minnesota. Recent mine
proposals, like PolyMet Mining in St. Louis County, can trace their development to his efforts. Many in
the mineral exploration community view him as the grandfather of copper mining in Minnesota.
Mr. Lehmann was instrumental in the 1981 Minnesota statute requiring the licensure of explorers
(companies exploring for mineral resources) and directing Minnesota Department of Health to develop
rules regulating the construction and sealing of exploratory borings. As the Responsible Individual,
Mr. Lehmann represented a number of explorers over the years, including Ernest K. Lehmann and
Associates, Inc.; Lehmann Exploration Management; North Central Mineral Ventures, Inc.; and
Vermillion Gold, LLC.
Mr. Lehmann was one of the founding members of the American Institute of Professional Geologists
(AIPG) in 1965, a national organization that certifies professional geologists, predating all state
licensing of geologists. He was President of AIPG in 1985 and the recipient of the Ben H. Parker
Memorial Award in 1987 for distinguished and outstanding service to the profession of geology. He
established the AIPG Foundation, helping support geology students in colleges and universities
nation-wide.
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
Reprinting of articles in this newsletter is encouraged. Please give credit to the Minnesota Department of Health
or noted source.
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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
MDH Spring District Continuing Education Meetings
The 2014, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Well Management Section Spring District
Continuing Education meetings have been scheduled. The meetings will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at
each site. Licensed and registered contractors will receive two MDH continuing education credits for
attendance. Meeting dates and locations are:
March 24, 2014 ......................Rochester.......................Wood Lake Meeting Center
March 25, 2014 ......................Mankato ........................Blue Earth County Government Center
March 26, 2014 ......................Marshall ........................MNDOT Building
March 31, 2014 ......................St. Paul ..........................Orville L. Freeman Building
April 3, 2014 ..........................St. Cloud .......................MDH District Office
April 7, 2014 ..........................Duluth ...........................Hermantown City Hall
April 8, 2014 ..........................Bemidji ..........................Northern Township Hall
April 9, 2014 ..........................Fergus Falls ...................MDH District Office
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