What Materials Can Be Used to Plug a Well

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What Materials Can Be Used to Plug a Well
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Introduction

• Types of materials
• Reasoning for using these materials
• Why should you use potable water when mixing
  cement or Bentonite grout?
• Common misconceptions for plugging a well.
• Conclusion

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Goals of this Presentation

• Know the different types of materials that can be
  used and the importance of using only these
  materials.
• Understand the reasons for using these materials.
• Understand the reasons for using potable water
  when plugging the well.
• Understand why you should not dump trash into a
  well.

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Why is this important?

• There are many wrong ideas of what type materials
  can be used to plug a well.
• Using the wrong type material could contaminate
  the water supply or allow contaminants to leach
  into the water from the top of the well.

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According to the video what materials are used to
plug abandoned wells?

• Cement
• Bentonite Chips
• Bentonite Grout
• Compacted clay or caliche for large wells.

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What are the reasons for using these materials?

• Each of the materials recommended for plugging
  wells has a low permeability.
• The low permeability prevents surface water from
  entering the groundwater and mixing of multiple
  groundwater sources.

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

• Using potable water you reduce the risk of adding
  contaminants to closed wells by mixing the
  plugging material with contaminated water.

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What are some of the common misconceptions when
plugging a well?

• Just dump materials into the well until it is
  full.
• You can fill the well with trash.

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Why dont you dump trash into an abandoned well?

• You can contaminate the aquifer with chemicals or
  other materials.
• When trash is used the well can settle or cave in
  becoming a treat to personal safety.

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Conclusion

• The different acceptable materials used to plug
  abandoned wells are
• Cement
• Bentonite Chips
• Bentonite Grout
• When plugging a large diameter well, clay or
  caliche soil may be used.

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Conclusion

• The plugging materials provide a barrier to
  prevent rapid movement of surface water down to
  the aquifer and the mixing of water between
  different aquifers through the well casing.
• You should never fill an abandoned well with
  trash.