Testimonials

Thank you for your quick professional service. I look forward to working with Barott Drilling Services again for all my future water needs. "Margaret"

Thank you for the good and timely service, I will be passing your name around the neighborhood. Thank you so much! "Betty"

It was pleasures having you guys drill our new well; your crew is very professional! "Glen"

Thank you for your prompt attention to our emergency water situation; we appreciate you helping us out! "Al"

SEALING (ABANDONING) UNUSED WELLS

Unused or abandoned wells that have not been properly sealed can provide a direct pathway for contaminants to enter the groundwater. Contaminants from surface water, runoff, or sources, such as leaking sewers or septic system drainfields, can enter the well through casings that have deteriorated. An unused, unsealed well can potentially threaten water quality for new wells. Unused wells also pose a safety hazard, especially for children, pets, and livestock. It is illegal to dispose of wastes in an unused well, and it will result in additional costs to clean the well and possibly the groundwater before the well is sealed.

According to Minnesota law, a well must be sealed in any of the following situations:

1) The well is contaminated and cannot be corrected.
2) The well has been improperly sealed in the past.
3) The well poses a threat to the health or safety of the public or to groundwater quality.
4) The well is not in use and does not have a maintenance permit.

A water well is properly sealed when it is removed from service and is completely filled with an approved grouting material by a licensed contractor.

YOU MAY NOT SEAL YOUR OWN WELL! ONLY A LICENSED WATER WELL CONTRACTOR MAY SEAL A WELL IN ACCORDANCE WITH MINNESOTA LAW.

THERE ARE THREE MAIN STEPS THAT ARE FOLLOWED WHEN A WELL IS SEALED

1. Before a well can be sealed, any obstructions in the well - an old pump, drop pipe, and any debris - must be removed. In some situations, the well casing will have to be perforated - meaning that holes will have to be punched through the casing. This helps ensure that both the inside and the outside of the casing will be completely sealed when grout is pumped into the well.

2. The well is sealed by completely filling it with grout, which is a special type of cement, concrete, or a clay known as bentonite. Filling the well casing with grout seals the well and helps protect aquifers from contamination. To ensure a complete and effective seal, free of voids, Minnesota regulations require that the grout be pumped into the well from the bottom upward. The licensed well contractor inserts a grout pipe (or tremie pipe) all the way down to the bottom of the well, and then pumps in the grout until it comes out the top.

3. After the well has been sealed, the licensed well contractor will send a Well and Boring Sealing Record to the property owner and to the Minnesota Department of Health. The property owner should keep this document with other important papers relating the the property.

To request an estimate for sealing an unused well on your property, see estimates on well sealings.