Volume 34, No. 2
Fall 2014/Winter 2015
Minnesota Department of Health
Spring District Videoconferences
In a change from previous years, the 2015 “spring district meetings” will be videoconferences, broadcast
from the St. Paul office (Freeman Building, Room B-107) and viewable at the St. Paul office and at the
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) district offices in Bemidji, Duluth, Fergus Falls, Mankato,
Marshall, Rochester, and St. Cloud.
The videoconferences will be offered from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2015, and again
on Tuesday, March 31, 2015. The same material will be covered at each videoconference. No
preregistration is required for attending. An informational announcement with more details will be
mailed in mid-February 2015 to all certified representatives. Attendance at these meetings will satisfy
the requirement for two hours of MDH-provided education for certification, license, and registration
renewal.
Certified representatives of well contractors and monitoring well contractors must obtain six hours of
continuing education credits annually, two of which must be MDH-provided or MDH-sponsored events.
Representatives of limited well and boring contractors and elevator contractors must obtain two hours of
MDH-provided or MDH–sponsored continuing education annually. These requirements do not apply to
responsible individuals for exploration contractors.
INSIDE:
Michael Convery Retires After 35 Years
The Minnesota Well Code in Effect for 40 Years
Bentonite Grout Observations
Clean Water Fund: Sealing Unused Drinking Water Wells
Contractors: Take Pride in the Accuracy of Your Records
Well Sealing Saves a Life
Plan Ahead In Flowing Well Areas
“A Snapshot of Water Quality in Minnesota”
Minnesota Geological Survey Moves to New Location
Minnesota Geological Survey Working to Make Well
Records Available Online
Roger Renner Serves 24 Years on Advisory Council
Continuing Education Calendar
New Contractor Certifications
Michael Convery Retires After 35 Years With the State of Minnesota
Mike Convery, Operations Unit Supervisor with the
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Well
Management Section, retired from state service on
March 10, 2015.
Mike joined the Minnesota Department of Health in 1979,
after completing graduate work at the University of
Minnesota in the relatively new field of hydrogeology. He
worked on a variety of just-discovered contamination
problems affecting municipal water supplies, including
St. Louis Park and New Brighton. He transferred to the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency during 1983-1992,
working on the investigation and remediation of state
Superfund sites, including those impacting municipal water
supplies in Adrian, Askov, Long Prairie, Spring Grove,
and Waite Park. He then returned for good to MDH in the
Well Management Section, where he has worked on
contractor licensing, continuing education, well disclosure,
permitting, Special Well and Boring Construction Areas,
and disaster response. He has also worked closely with the
Advisory Council on Wells and Borings, which advises the
program on technical issues and management policies.
Congratulations, Mike. We will miss you!
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency official
Mike Convery investigating contamination of
two municipal wells with cancer-causing
chemicals in Adrian, Minnesota.
(Photo Courtesy of Daily Globe, Worthington,
Minnesota, 1984.)
Outside of MDH, Mike has been involved with the
American Institute of Professional Geologists
(Minnesota Section), serving in leadership positions
and organizing some of the first annual field trips.
When geologist licensure was enacted in Minnesota in
1995, he served as the geologist member on the Board
of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying,
Landscape Architecture, Geoscience, and Interior
Design helping to craft the licensing rules and
shepherding the first round of geologist applicants
through the licensing process. While on the board, he
also served on the Association of State Boards of
Geology, where he helped craft the geologist licensing
exams used by states. Since 2006, he has served on the
Public Health Review Board for the Water Quality
Association, an organization that certifies water
treatment devices and materials.
Mike will miss his coworkers, some with whom he has worked for up to 35 years and who have become
good friends. He will also miss working with the many contractors, consultants, and local government
staff on the wide variety of issues that pop up in the course of a “typical” work day. In particular, he has
appreciated working with county recorders throughout the development and implementation of well
disclosure, the engine which has promoted sealing of unused wells.
2
The Minnesota Well Code in Effect for 40 Years
The first statewide well rules, often referred to as the Minnesota Well Code, was enacted 40 years ago.
The well code was established to provide minimum statewide standards for the construction, repair, and
permanent sealing (abandonment) of wells and some borings in Minnesota in order to insure that wells
and borings provide safe drinking water to the consumer and to insure that wells and borings do not
contribute to the degradation of groundwater quality. The well code most notably contained rules for
licensure of well contractors; setback distance requirements from contamination sources; construction
and material standards; water sampling requirements; requirements for the submittal of well records and
water quality analysis results to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH); and established well
sealing (abandonment) requirements.
The notion of regulating the construction, location, and use of wells dates back to the mid-1800s when
Dr. John Snow discovered that the source of a cholera epidemic in London, England, was the “Broad
Street Well” which was located only 3 feet from a sewage cesspool which had leaked fecal waste into
the well.
Groundwater contamination incidents including typhoid fever epidemics in Mankato,1 New Ulm and
Benson,2 Minnesota, in the early 1900s; infant deaths from Methemoglobinemia (“blue baby syndrome”)
which is caused by high levels of nitrate in drinking water, in the 1950s;3 water testing by MDH and
others revealing nitrate, bacteria, and detergent contamination in wells in unsewered suburban areas in
the 1960s; and groundwater contamination spread by multi-aquifer wells as was the case for the Reilly
Tar and Chemical/Republic Creosote site in St. Louis Park, Minnesota; all contributed to the call for the
establishment of well construction and well sealing standards.
Over the past 40 years, the well code has been revised and updated, including major revisions in 1993
and 2008. In 1994, the Well Management Section published the “Rules Handbook: A Guide to the
Rules Relating to Wells and Borings.” It was created to explain rule requirements for well contractors,
local officials, and the public. The Rules Handbook was revised in March 2011 and can be found at:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/ruleshandbook.
The MDH is currently drafting rules for the construction of bored geothermal heat exchangers and
expects to begin a review of the well code within the next few years. The well and boring rules will
continue to evolve to address new challenges that affect wells, borings, groundwater quality, and public
health.
1. H. M. Bracken, F. H. Bass, “The Mankato Typhoid Fever Epidemic of 1908,” F. F. Wesbrook, H. A. Whittaker and H. W.
Hill, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol. 9, No. 3, November 1911, pp. 410-474.
2. ‘Reports on Epidemics of Typhoid Fever at New Ulm, Minnesota, in 1914, at Benson, Minnesota, in 1914”; from Sixth
Biennial Report of Minnesota State Board of Health.
3. Rosenfeld and Huston, “Nitrate/Methemoglobinemia,” Minnesota Department of Health, 1950.
Bentonite Grout Observations
During the 2013 drilling season, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Well Management Section
field staff conducted a field study of new wells and borings that were full-length grouted with bentonite
grout. Field staff observed and documented the grouting of 65 wells and borings at the time of
construction and then returned to the sites within a few days of grouting to make a follow-up inspection
of the grout.
3
Summary of the grouting field study findings:
1) MDH staff observed little to no bentonite grout settlement if the well was full-length grouted and an
inspector was on-site to witness mixing and placement of the grout.
2) Both single-bag (one-step), and liquid polymer added (two-step) bentonite grouts performed well
when properly placed and had little settlement in full-length grouted holes.
3) Bentonite grout settlement was less pronounced when full length grouting was employed. This is
likely due to the fact that drill cuttings and drilling mud, which provide an unstable foundation
beneath the grout, are not present in the bore hole.
4) Some contractors do a much better job of grouting when an MDH inspector is on-site. This is
supported by the lack of grout settlement observed.
5) Improved procedures, contractor efforts, and MDH educational efforts have helped improve grouting
success.
In addition to observing water wells, MDH well inspector Tom Steffl from the MDH Marshall District
Office, worked with Beemer Well Drilling on a heat loop installation project where seven heat loop
borings that were 225 feet deep, were grouted with bentonite grout. The hole diameter, depth, geology,
tremie pipe size, and grout pump were the same for all seven borings. Both single-bag grout products
and bentonite products with an added liquid polymer were mixed to product specifications and used in
different borings. The drilling fluid was thinned before grouting in some holes but not others, and pHadjusted water was used for mixing the grout for some holes.
Observations from this heat loop grout project include:
•
•
•
No grout settlement was observed in any of the seven heat loop borings.
Thinning of drilling fluid prior to grouting did not affect grout settlement.
Raising the pH of the mixing water for the grout did not create any grout settlement issues, but did
allow for easier mixing of the grout, made the grout more uniform, and allowed for easier pumping
of the grout.
Plans are to continue observations over the 2015 drilling season and pay closer attention to wells that are
not full length grouted to try to determine whether or not settlement of drill mud and drill cuttings below
the grout is a significant cause of grout settlement.
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.
4
Clean Water Fund: Sealing Unused Drinking Water Wells
Over the past four years, the Minnesota Legislature has provided money from the Clean Water Fund to
the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) for well sealing initiatives. MDH, in partnership with the
Board of Water and Soil Resources has made a portion of the money available to local units of
government that want to provide cost-share well sealing grants to private well owners. In 2012,
nine local units of government received funding and dispersed it to private well owners for the sealing of
171 private wells. In 2014, another ten local units of government received funding for well sealing in
2014 and 2015.
A list of local units of government participating in the distribution of well sealing grants is included
below:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Benton Soil and Water Conservation District
(2014)
Big Stone Soil and Water Conservation
District (2012)
Crow Wing County Land Services Department
(2012)
Douglas Soil and Water Conservation District
(2014)
Hennepin County Department of
Environmental Sciences (2012 and 2014)
Mahnomen/Norman Soil and Water
Conservation District (2012)
Martin Soil and Water Conservation District
(2012 and 2014)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mille Lacs Soil and Water Conservation
District (2012)
Norman County Soil and Water Conservation
District (2014)
Ramsey Conservation District (2014)
Rice County Environmental Services (2012
and 2014)
Sherburne Soil and Water Conservation
District (2014)
Washington County Public Health and
Environment (2012 and 2014)
Yellow Medicine County Zoning Office (2012
and 2014)
In 2013 and 2015, MDH also provided money from the Clean Water Fund to public well owners to
assist them with the cost of sealing unused public wells. MDH awarded grant money to 24 public well
owners, which resulted in 26 unused public wells being sealed in 2013 and at least 8 wells being sealed
in 2015. One of these wells was a 10-inch diameter, flowing (artesian) well that was 435 feet deep. This
well was discharging approximately 50 gallons of groundwater per minute through an existing storm
sewer that discharged directly into the Redwood River near Marshall, Minnesota.
The following public well owners were awarded Clean Water Fund money:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Aspenwood Home
Owner’s Association,
Cook County
Beltrami County
Browerville Water
System
Brownton Water Supply
City of Balaton
City of Baxter
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
City of Benson
City of Burnsville
City of Cook
City of Eagan
City of Lewiston
City of Marshall
City of Royalton
City of St. James
City of St. Louis Park
•
•
•
Heritage Square
Townhomes, Faribault
County
Lismore Colony, Big
Stone County
Norwood Shores East
Home Owners
Association, Cook
County
The Governor’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2016/2017 includes a recommendation for $550,000
from the Clean Water Fund for well sealing.
5
Contractors: Take Pride in the Accuracy of Your Records
On any given day, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) receives many requests for well
information from well contractors, property owners, well owners, realtors, potential property buyers, and
others. In many instances, we cannot assist the person requesting information because the records have
not been submitted to MDH, or they are illegible, incomplete, or inaccurate. In addition to responding to
requests, MDH also uses information reported on notifications, permits, and records for follow-up on
well disclosures, maintenance permits, enforcement, and license renewals.
Failure to submit accurate, legible, and complete notification forms; permit applications; and well or
boring construction or sealing records is a violation of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 103I, Minnesota
Rules, chapter 4725, and Minnesota Statutes, section 144.992. When incomplete or inaccurate records
are submitted, they are returned to the contractor for correction and may result in delays of issuance of
permits or licenses and registrations. Minnesota Rules, part 4725.1851 (see pages 169 through 176 of the
rules handbook) clearly identifies the required information that must be reported on Well and Boring
Construction Records and Well and Boring Sealing Records.
Some common errors or omissions include:
•
Incorrectly reporting the licensee's business name by using an alternate name, assumed name, or
“doing business as (dba)” name.
•
Failure to provide a sketch map, or an accurate sketch map on construction and sealing records
showing the well or boring location with distances in relation to recognizable landmarks and an
arrow indicating “North.”
•
Incorrectly identifying the intended use of the well or boring.
•
Failure to provide the county, township, range, section and at least three quartiles, and the property
street address (if assigned), of the well or boring.
•
Failure to provide the name and address of the property owner and the well owner, if different.
Incorrectly providing the client’s name (i.e. builder, contractor, developer, tenant, or lessee) when
the client is not the actual owner.
•
Failure to report the Minnesota Unique Well and Boring Number on well sealing notifications and
Well and Boring Sealing Records. Contractors should check the County Well Index database or
check with the MDH before sealing a well, to see if there is a unique well number assigned to the
well. If so, the contractor must place that number on the well sealing notification form and on the
Well and Boring Sealing Record.
MDH asks contractors to take pride in their paperwork and pay close attention to details. Make sure that
you are providing the correct spelling of owner names and street names. Double check to make sure that
the house number is correct and that the township, range, section and quarter sections are correct. And
last but not least, please take the extra time needed to include accurate, detailed sketch maps on your
records. Accurate records make everyone’s job a little easier!
6
Well Sealing Saves a Life
When employees of Thein Well Company arrived to
seal two wells at a farmstead annexed by Camden State
Park near Marshall, Minnesota, this past August, they
found a surprise in one of the well pits – a young whitetailed deer. Thein’s crew was able to tie a rope around
the fawn and lift it out of the well pit. Aside from being
a little banged up from trying to escape the pit and
undoubtedly suffering from dehydration, the fawn
otherwise appeared to be okay. When released, it made
a beeline for a nearby slough. True to the old adage that
“no good deed goes unpunished,” in the process of
releasing the fawn, Thein’s employee got kicked in the
stomach. Fortunately, he suffered only a torn shirt.
While it’s true that it was the well pit and not the well
itself that created the hazard illustrated by this story, the
fawn undoubtedly would have perished had the well not
been scheduled for sealing. This leads to the obvious
conclusion that well sealing doesn’t just protect
groundwater, well sealing saves lives!
Well pits not
only pose an
unmistakable
physical
hazard to
White tail fawn trapped in well pit on farmstead near
wildlife and
Marshall, Minnesota.
people, they (Photo Courtesy of Thein Well Company, Spicer, Minnesota.)
create
hazards that are less conspicuous. Well pits are confined
spaces that may contain insufficient oxygen levels or toxic
gases that can cause asphyxiation and death. The humid
environment causes corrosion and premature failure of
electrical components – a situation that can increase the
chances of electrical shock. And, of course, well pits can
contribute to well contamination if they become flooded.
Tyler Winther with Thein Well Company,
Spicer, Minnesota, releasing fawn back to the
wild.
(Photo Courtesy of Thein Well Company, Spicer,
Minnesota.)
Minnesota rules regarding well sealing are silent on the issue
of filling a well pit. The MDH strongly recommends that
when a well in a well pit is permanently sealed, the well
owner also have the well pit filled in to eliminate the safety
threat posed to humans and animals. A license is not required
to fill a well pit or cistern.
7
Plan Ahead In Flowing Well Areas
After the wet spring of 2014, a number of new wells
that were drilled were artesian/flowing wells. With
the larger rainfall events, the static water level in
some older wells rose and they have begun to flow
also.
Planning ahead before drilling in flowing well areas
is always a good idea. Specialized equipment like
larger drill bits, cement grouters, overshot casing,
casing extensions, shutoffs, overflow piping, and
special pumps may be needed to control the flow.
Flowing wells generally occur in lower elevation
areas around lakes and rivers or in valleys.
Sometimes flowing wells can occur in unexpected
places too. Before drilling in likely flowing areas, it
is a good idea to look at other well records in the area
and note the static water levels of those wells. Well
contractors can also speak with the local Minnesota
Department of Health Well Management Section
hydrologist or well inspector for information about
flowing wells and flowing well construction
practices in the area. Prior planning and preparation
will help you determine if the well you plan to drill
may flow, how many gallons per minute it may flow,
and at what pressure.
Flowing well at new home in Wright County, Minnesota.
Minnesota Rules, part 4725.3450 specify the requirements for constructing flowing wells in Minnesota.
Flowing wells are divided into two categories, “low flow artesian wells” which flow 70 gallons per
minute or less, and have an artesian pressure of 10 pounds per square inch (psi) or less; and “high flow
artesian wells” which flow more than 70 gallons per minute or have an artesian pressure greater than
10 psi. Low flow artesian wells must either be constructed by driving the casing into the flowing aquifer,
or by drilling an oversized bore hole, setting the casing into the flowing aquifer, and then filling the
entire annular space between the casing and the bore hole, from the bottom of the casing to the surface,
with neat-cement grout or cement-sand grout. High flow artesian wells must be constructed with
two casings. The outer casing must be installed in an oversized bore hole that is drilled into, but not
through, a confining layer. The annular space must then be filled with either neat-cement grout or
cement-sand grout, from the bottom of the casing to the surface. Once the grout has set, an inner (liner)
casing must be set inside an oversized bore hole that has been drilled into the flowing aquifer. It too
must be full-length grouted with neat-cement or cement-sand grout.
Wells that flow from just a trickle to well over a thousand gallons per minute may be encountered in all
parts of Minnesota. Prior planning and preparation will help you avoid problems with flowing well
construction. Please consult the rules for additional details on flowing well construction or ask your
local Well Management Section representative for assistance.
8
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Website
Features “A Snapshot of Water Quality in Minnesota”
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA’s) website has a new feature on it called, “how’s the
water?” It provides a snapshot of water quality in Minnesota and covers topics including lakes, rivers
and streams; wetlands; groundwater; and pollutants. It also has mapping features that allow you to zoom
in and find information about each of the 81 major watersheds in Minnesota and also find water quality
information about Minnesota lakes and streams.
The “groundwater” feature provides a summary of the state of the groundwater in four regions of the
state, discusses how groundwater and surface waters are connected, and provides links to groundwater
quality and sustainability reports. It also provides information about efforts to support and protect
groundwater including groundwater remediation, groundwater conservation, agricultural chemical
management, and a summary of some of the responsibilities of state agencies in protecting groundwater.
The “Pollutants” feature includes information about contaminants found in water including nitrate,
phosphorus, sediment, bacteria, chloride, ammonia, and pollutants of emerging concern.
The “What we’re doing, and what you can do” feature explains the role of the MPCA as a regulatory
agency and its role in limiting pollution and how their activities are increasingly focused on preventing
pollution. It discusses MPCA’s watershed monitoring and management program, their education and
outreach efforts, and describes their permitting programs. It also provides information on what
Minnesotans can do to help improve water quality, including information on what farmers can do to help
keep agricultural chemicals out of our groundwater and what citizens can do to protect our groundwater
and surface waters. There is also a link to, and a description of, Minnesota’s Clean Water Roadmap,
which is a document that sets long-range goals for protecting and restoring Minnesota’s water resources
during the 25-year life of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.
This informative website can be viewed at:
www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/water/hows-the-water/hows-the-water.html.
9
Minnesota Geological Survey Moves to New Location
In late January 2015, the Minnesota Geological Survey (MGS) moved its offices, staff, records, and drill
cutting and core sample collection to a new location one block north of their former office building.
Their new address and telephone numbers are included below:
New Address:
Minnesota Geological Survey
2609 Territorial Road
St. Paul, Minnesota 55114
New Telephone Numbers:
MGS General Number .................. 612-626-2969
Water Well Number ...................... 612-626-4468
Bruce Bloomgren .......................... 612-626-4108
Emily Bauer .................................. 612-626-0909
Marguerite Pettus .......................... 612-626-4555
Minnesota Geological Survey Working to Make Well Records Available Online
The Minnesota Geological Survey (MGS) has begun scanning “pre-1990” Well and Boring Construction
Records and is making a scanned image of the original record available online. The MGS is working
backwards by date of construction and so far have scanned approximately 45,000 records from 1989
back to 1986. You must have the six digit unique well number to access the record. Records can be
accessed by typing in the following URL address, including the unique well number, into your browser:
http://mgsweb2.mngs.umn.edu/welllogs/6 digit unique well number.pdf.
If the record has been scanned, the image of the record will appear. If the record has not been scanned
yet, you will get an error message.
Roger Renner Serves 24 Years on Advisory Council
Roger Renner has stepped down from the
Advisory Council on Wells and Borings after
24 years of outstanding and dedicated service
as well contractor representative (1990-2014).
Throughout most of his tenure, he also served
as chair of the council. Not only did Roger
bring his wealth of knowledge and experience
in the industry, he also brought the historical
perspective of council discussions and actions
during a time of development and growth of the
MDH program. Chris Elvrum, Minnesota
Department of Health Well Management
Section Manager, presented Roger with a
plaque commemorating his years of dedicated
service at the advisory council meeting in St.
Paul, Minnesota on December 3, 2014.
December 3, 2014, Roger Renner (left) receives a plaque in
recognition of his 24 years of service on the Advisory
Council on Wells and Borings, from Well Management
Section Manager Chris Elvrum (right).
10
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 Norm Mofjeld,
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Well Management Section at 651-201-4593, or
[email protected].
2
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
Chad E. Illa
Kimmes-Bauer Well Drilling, Inc.
Hastings, Minnesota
Individual Well Contractor
Edwin T. Renner
Elk River, Minnesota
Monitoring Well Contractor
Patrick A. Johnson
Independent Testing Technologies, Inc.
Waite Park, Minnesota
Joshua P. Ojard
Ojard Well Drilling, Inc.
Knife River, Minnesota
Jonathan S. Murer
GEI Consultants, Inc.
New Brighton, Minnesota
Explorer
Cameron D. Tymstra
Mag Mining, LLC
Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Mark A. Porter
Idea Drilling, LLC
Virginia, Minnesota
Jay T. Wilmunen
Twin Metals Minnesota, LLC
St. Paul, Minnesota
12