Ohio Administrative Code › Title 3745 - Ohio Environmental Protection Agency › Chapter 3745-9 - Water Well Standards › Section 3745-9-05 - Well construction

Current through all regulations passed
			 and filed through July 1, 2024
Applicability. This rule applies to nonpotable wells, public
				water system wells and radial collector wells, all of which are defined in rule
				3745-9-01
				of the Administrative Code. Paragraph (A) of this rule applies to both public
				water system and nonpotable wells, and excludes monitoring wells described in
				rule
				3745-9-03 of the
				Administrative Code. A nonpotable well shall be constructed in accordance with
				this rule. Paragraph (B) of this rule only applies to public water system
				wells. Paragraph (C) of this rule applies only to radial collector
				wells.
[Comment: "Lead free" is defined in section
				6109.10
				of the Revised Code.]
(A) Public water
			 system wells and nonpotable wells. Material used in the drilling process or
			 well construction shall meet the following:
(1)
									Be free of contaminants.
(2)
									All well
			 components, adapters, and fittings shall be of similar material or constructed
			 in such a way to minimize the potential for galvanic corrosion.
(3)
			 All drilling mud, additives and lubricants used in
			 construction have either standard ANSI/NSF 60 or 61 certification
									and not contain guar gum, or other such
			 biodegradable organic material.
(4)
									
									Potable water, not surface water, which is treated for
			 drilling purposes in accordance with the drilling mud manufacturer
			 recommendations shall be used for drilling purposes.
(5)
			 Well casing, other than in a point well or radial collector well,
			  meet the following:
(a) Nominal pipe size of permanent casing
			 
										is a
			 minimum of five inches and sized to allow the well to produce water that is
			 adequate for the intended use, and to allow for the installation and
			 maintenance of the well and related pumping equipment.
(b) Steel pipe or tubing used as permanent
			 well casing or liners conforms to the following:
(i) Be new pipe or tubing that has a minimum
			 wall thickness in accordance with the following table:
Steel Well Casing
Nominal Pipe Size (inch)
Minimum Wall Thickness (inch)
< 8
0.280
8
0.322
10
0.365
12
0.375
14
0.375
16
0.375
18
0.375
20
0.375
> 20
0.500
(ii)
			 Be manufactured in compliance with one of the following standards or
			 specifications:
(a) ASTM
			 A53, "Standard Specification for Pipe, Steel, Black
			 and Hot-Dipped, Zinc-Coated, Welded and Seamless."
(b) ASTM A589,
			 "Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Carbon Steel Water-Well Pipe."
(c) ASTM A106,
			 "Standard Specification for Seamless Carbon Steel Pipe for High-Temperature
			 Service."  excluding pipe marked with
			 "NH," which is pipe with neither a hydrostatic test nor a nondestructive
			 electric test.
(d) API 5L,
			 "Specification for Line Pipe, forty-second edition,  Product Number G05L42,
			 Document Number API SPEC 5L."
(e)
			 ASTM A500, "Standard Specification for Cold-Formed Welded
			 and Seamless Carbon Steel Structural Tubing in Rounds and Shapes,"
			 , except this tubing shall not be
			 used in a public water system well.
(iii) Have standard ANSI/NSF 61 certification
			 for use in a public water system well.
(iv) Be greater than minimum wall thickness
			 and weight when required either to withstand the stresses of installation,
			 grouting and operation, or corrosion.
(v) Be equipped with a drive shoe when
			 driven.
(vi) Be legibly marked on
			 each length, by the manufacturer, with all of the following information:
(a) Name of the manufacturer.
(b) Kind of pipe (continuous welded, electric
			 resistance welded or seamless).
(c)
			 Weight or schedule.
(d) Nominal or
			 outside diameter.
(e) Specification
			 number.
(f) Heat or lot
			 number.
(g) A certification mark
			 that verifies compliance with standard ANSI/NSF 61 certification.
(vii) Be structurally sound,
			 watertight throughout its length, and have threaded and coupled or welded joints that meet the following:
(a) Well couplings with a
			 design, taper, and type of thread that is consistent with the thread of the
			 pipe
												will have
			 no
			 more than three threads  exposed on
			 fourteen thread pipe and no more than two threads  exposed on eight thread pipe. Threaded
			 pipe and couplings  meet one of these
			 standards: ASTM A53, ASTM
			 A589,
			 or "API RP 5B1, Gauging and Inspection of Casing, Tubing, and Line Pipe
			 Threads," fifth edition, 
			 Product Number G05B15, Document Number API RP 5B1.
(b) Welded joints  form a structurally sound and watertight
			 joint. Welded joints may include butt-welds, band rings, flared joints or
			 welding collars. Butt-welds  be made
			 using a guide. Steel pipe that is equal to or less than eight inches in
			 diameter  have a minimum of two weld
			 passes. Steel pipe that is greater than eight inches in diameter
			 have a minimum of three weld passes.
			 Acceptable welding procedures are as follows:
(i) Plain end well casing pipe that is eight
			 inches nominal pipe size or less, and with wall thickness up to 0.5 inch
			  be in accordance with specifications
			 in the "American Welding Society" manual, "AWS D 10.12 M, Guide
			 for Welding Mild Steel Pipe."
(ii)
			 Be in accordance with specifications in standard "AWWA
			 C206,
			 Field Welding of Steel Water Pipe,"  catalog number 43206.
(c) Thermoplastic pipe that is used as
			 permanent well casing, liners, well screen risers, blanks or tail pipes shall
			 meet the following:
(i) Be new pipe that is
			 manufactured in compliance with the standards of ASTM
			 F480,
			 "Standard Specification for Thermoplastic Well Casing Pipe and Couplings Made
			 in Standard Dimension Ratios (SDR), SCH 40 and SCH 80,"
			  and ANSI/NSF 14, "Plastics Piping
			 System Components and Related Materials,"  document number NSF/ANSI 14. (See the
			 appendix to this rule for the diameter and wall thickness of thermoplastic well
			 casing for standard ASTM F480.)
(ii) Be standard dimension ratio (SDR) 21 or
			 thicker pipe wall, for casings with diameters of five to eight
			 inches.
(iii) Be SDR 17 or thicker
			 pipe wall, for casings that are either larger than eight inches in diameter or
			 installed at two hundred feet or greater below ground surface.
(iv) Be SDR 13.5 or thicker pipe wall, for
			 casings that are installed at five hundred feet or greater below ground
			 surface.
(v) Have greater than
			 minimum wall thickness and weight when required either to withstand stresses of
			 installation, or grouting, or operation, or because of collapse
			 considerations.
(vi) Be legibly
			 marked, by the manufacturer, with the following information:
(a) Nominal pipe size.
(b) Standard dimension ratio or
			 schedule.
(c) Type of
			 plastic.
(d) Words "well
			 casing."
(e) Impact classification
			 (IC).
(f) Specification
			 number.
(g) Manufacturer's name or
			 trademark.
(h) Lot number and date
			 of manufacture.
(i) A certification
			 mark that verifies compliance with standard.
(vii) Be structurally sound and watertight
			 throughout its length with casing joints or couplings meeting the following:
(a) Thermoplastic casing joints and couplings
			  meet standards ASTM
			 F480
			 and ANSI/NSF 14.
(b) Thermoplastic
			 spline lock joints may be installed and need not meet standards ASTM
			 F480
			 or ANSI/NSF 14. For purpose of this rule, a spline lock joint is a nonmetallic,
			 watertight coupling designed for thermoplastic pipe which incorporates the use
			 of a bell or coupling with machined grooves on the interior of the bell or
			 coupling, and is joined by inserting thermoplastic pipe with an elastomeric
			 sealing gasket which seats into the machined grooves, and is locked in place by
			 insertion of a high-strength flexible thermoplastic spline to provide full
			 three hundred sixty degree restraint with evenly distributed loading on the
			 joint.
(c) Thermoplastic couplings
			  be legibly marked as applicable with
			 the nominal well casing pipe coupling size, type of plastic, designation of
			 compliance with standards ASTM F480 and ANSI/NSF 14, and the manufacturer's name or
			 trademark.
(viii) Not be
			 installed where potential or known contaminants may degrade or permeate
			 plastic.
(ix) Not be
			 driven.
(6) Defective, visibly
			 damaged or reject pipe shall not be used as casing or liner pipe for
			 wells.
(7) Casing
			 extends continuously, at a minimum, either to the top
			 of the aquifer or to the top of the non-water bearing consolidated formations
			 above an aquifer.
(8) Casing and borehole
			 shall be sufficiently straight and vertical to allow for normal installation
			 and operation of the pump and uniform placement of grout.
(9) A
			 pitless adapter or pitless unit may be installed when piping from the casing is
			 below ground surface. The pitless adapter or pitless unit and installation
			 procedures in above and below ground surface installations shall adequately
			 prevent the entrance of surface water, dirt, animals, insects or other foreign
			 matter.
(10) A pitless adapter
			 or pitless unit connection to a well casing that is made either below ground
			 surface or less than twelve inches above ground surface shall be installed
			 through the following methods:
(a) The pitless
			 adapter or pitless unit shall be connected by welding or threading as required
			 by the type of unit and the manufacturer. A pitless adapter may be attached by
			 clamping. Any hole penetrating the side of the casing for access by the pitless
			 adapter or pitless unit shall be of the size and dimension as required by the
			 manufacturer, and shall be made using a hole saw or other tool capable of
			 making a clean and uniform hole to allow proper sealing. A cutting torch shall
			 not be used to install a pitless adapter except for a non-circular hole in the
			 casing where the manufacturer's recommended guide is used and all edges and the
			 exterior casing surface are ground or filed to a smooth and uniform
			 surface.
(b) The inside diameter of
			 the pitless unit shall not be smaller than the inside diameter of the casing.
			 No part of a pitless adapter or pitless unit shall extend into the inside
			 diameter of a well casing so that setting or removal of the pump, pump piping
			 or drop pipe, or the use of tools for well rehabilitation or disinfection is
			 impeded.
(c) Upon installation of
			 the pitless adapter or pitless unit below ground surface, the annular space
			 that is required in accordance to paragraph (A)(17) of this rule surrounding
			 the casing and pitless adapter or pitless unit shall be filled with either
			 re-compacted clean cohesive native soil or grout.
(d) A pitless unit may be attached using a
			 structural or mechanical joint that shall do the following:
(i) Provide for the well casing to extend at
			 least 2.5 inches into the throat of the pitless unit.
(ii) Be composed of a cast steel unit with
			 the collar held in place with a minimum of four corrosion-resistant bolts, nuts
			 and washers spaced uniformly around the circumference of the
			 coupling.
(iii) Have a collar with
			 the same or better strength and rigidity as the well casing.
(iv) Use a ramped compression gasket seal
			 that fits between the upper and lower portions of the coupling to ensure a
			 watertight seal.
(v) Ensure that
			 the coupling is centered over the joint.
(vi) Conform to ANSI/AWWA
			 C219,
			 "Bolted, Sleeve-Type Couplings for Straight-End Pipe,"
			  catalog number
			 43219.
(e) Pitless
			 adapter or pitless unit connections to thermoplastic pipe shall meet the
			 following:
(i) Where a pitless adapter is
			 installed by clamping on thermoplastic casing, a backing plate, wide steel
			 strap or casting  be installed to
			 protect the integrity of the thermoplastic casing at the point of the pitless
			 adapter connection.
(ii) Steel well
			 casing pipe extension, pitless unit and pitless adapter shall not be welded
			 after they are attached to thermoplastic well casing. Thermoplastic coupling
			  be threaded onto the pitless unit
			 before it is solvent cemented to the top of the casing.
(iii) Threaded connections shall only be
			 installed on a pitless unit or pitless adapters after attachment to the well
			 casing pipe.
(f) When
			 steel well casing pipe is not terminated at the desired depth for the
			 installation of a pitless unit, the well casing pipe shall be cut off at the
			 desired height, and the pitless unit may be welded or threaded and coupled to
			 the top of the well casing pipe by one of the following methods:
(i) Cutting of the well casing pipe squarely,
			 providing a bevel for the top of the well casing pipe and welding the beveled
			 end of the unit to the beveled end of the well casing pipe.
(ii) Welding a pipe nipple, having threads at
			 one end and beveled on the other end, to the cut off top beveled end of the
			 well casing pipe and threading a full length standard recessed coupling
			 watertight to the threaded end of the unit and to the nipple. The top of the
			 well casing pipe and the bottom of the pipe nipple to be welded shall both have
			 beveled ends. If the pitless unit has female threads, the unit may be threaded
			 watertight to the threaded end of the pipe nipple.
(iii) Reaming out the threads of a full
			 standard recessed coupling at least one-third the length of the coupling, and
			 welding the coupling to the top of the cut off well casing pipe.
(11) A connection to a
			 well casing that is made above ground shall be installed through the following
			 methods:
(a) Threaded connection.
(b) Welded connection.
(c) Bolted flanges with rubber gaskets at
			 twelve inches or greater above ground surface.
(d) Extension of the casing at least 0.5 inch
			 into the base of a pump mounted on and sealed to a concrete pedestal.
(12) Well casing
			 height above finished grade shall be at least twelve inches, and at least
			 twelve inches above the well house floor or concrete apron surface, per the
			 following:
(a) Where a well house is
			 constructed, the floor surface shall be at least six inches above the finished
			 grade.
(b) The finished grade
			  be sloped for surface water runoff
			 away from the well.
(13) A well shall have
			 a well cap or seal .
(a)
										The top of the
			 casing at its finished height shall be cut so that the surface will fit flush
			 with the well cap and provide a tight seal to prevent the entrance of water,
			 dirt, animals, insects or other foreign matter.
(b)
										The well cap or
			 seal shall fit securely to the top of the well casing and be, secured with
			 screws or other appropriate connections, and vent to the
			 atmosphere.
(c)
										A point well that is not a public water system well may
			 have a watertight well cap that does not vent to the
			 atmosphere.
(d)
										Electrical conduit connections on the well cap or seal
			 shall be threaded and sealed to prevent the entrance of insects and water. Any
			 portion of electrical wiring to a well that is not buried by the ground shall
			 be fully enclosed in conduit to prevent the entrance of insects and water, and
			 to protect from potential electrical hazard.
(14)
			 A room housing pumping equipment, well house or pumphouse, shall conform to the
			 following:
(a) Allow access for maintenance,
			 alteration, removal and repair of the public water system components.
(b) Be constructed above ground
			 surface.
(15) Pump
			 construction, installation, design and maintenance shall comply with the
			 following:
(a) A pump shall be constructed so
			 that there are no unprotected openings into the interior of the pump or well
			 casing.
(b) If an above ground pump
			 or line shaft pump are used, it shall be attached to the casing, or suction or
			 discharge line by a watertight connection, or shall have a base plate that
			 conforms to paragraph (A)(10) of this rule.
(c) A submersible pump motor shall not have a
			 mercury seal.
(d) Below ground
			 water service pipe shall be maintained under 
										positive
			 pressure at all times. A check valve or backflow
			 prevention assembly, shall not be installed between a pitless adapter or
			 pitless unit and the pressure tank.
(e) To prevent contaminants from entering the
			 well, a temporary watertight well cap or seal shall be provided until the
			 pumping equipment is installed.
(16)
									Well vent
			 construction, installation, and maintenance shall
			 conform to the following:
(a)
										A well vent shall be provided on all well caps and
			 seals except for those used on deep well single pipe packer jet installations,
			 or flowing wells where the flow rate is greater than the pumping rate of the
			 permanent pump.
(b)
										A well vent shall be self-draining, screened with a
			 noncorroding mesh screen of fifteen to thirty mesh, pointed downward at or
			 above the top of the casing or pitless unit.
(c)
										A vent shall
			 terminate not less than twelve inches above ground surface, and at least twelve
			 inches above the well house floor or concrete apron surface.
(d)
										The well vent
			 shall extend a minimum of three feet above the one hundred year floodplain
			 elevation, or highest known flood elevation, whichever is
			 higher.
(e)
										A vent shall be maintained in a sanitary condition to
			 prevent the entrance of surface water, dirt, animals, insects, or other foreign
			 matter.
(17) Maintenance,
			 modification and alteration of a well shall comply with the following:
(a) Casing and top of well shall be protected
			 against contamination or inadvertent damage.
(b) A well shall be altered, modified or
			 repaired in accordance with this chapter, or a well shall be sealed in
			 accordance with rule
			 3745-9-10
			 of the Administrative Code, if one or more of the following situations exist:
(i) The pump or any part of a well
			 malfunctions or is defective.
(ii)
			 The top of the casing is buried below ground surface.
(iii) Potential or actual risk of
			 contamination of ground water exists due to casing deterioration or the
			 condition of the 
											well, including the potential for standing water
			 against the well casing.
(18) If the casing is
			 not driven and the drilling method requires the drilling of an oversized
			 borehole, the annular space shall be a minimum of 1.5 inches for a well less
			 than or equal to fourteen inches in diameter, and a minimum of two inches for a
			 well greater than fourteen inches in diameter.
(19) A casing may be
			 extended to meet the requirements in paragraph (A)(11) of this rule using a
			 structural or mechanical joint that shall do all of the following:
(a) Provide for the well casing to extend at
			 least 2.5 inches into the throat of the coupling.
(b) Be composed of a cast steel unit with the
			 collar held in place with a minimum of four corrosion-resistant bolts, nuts and
			 washers spaced uniformly around the circumference of the coupling.
(c) Have a collar with the same or better
			 strength and rigidity as the well casing.
(d) Ensure that the coupling is centered over
			 the joint.
(e) Conform to ANSI/AWWA
			 C219,
			 "Bolted, Sleeve-Type Couplings for Plain-End Pipe,"  catalog number 43219.
(20)
									Be
			 constructed in accordance with the requirements in rule
			 3745-9-06
			 of the Administrative Code.