Not sure what to do - I think we were left hanging!

[freespirit]

K last week we had the well driller out to drill down a well for us since before we were only on a spring well and that one would dry our on Occcassion - so we bit the bullet and dished out to have a well drilled.

Well guy came out.. witched the property and said o.k. this is the spot (whicc I was not happy with as it was directly in our front yard about 5 feet from my flower garden) but not a problem where the water is we can always make a nice pump house or cover or somthing over the pipe.

Well Guy gets drilling - goes down 85 feet and hits an Artesian well - Im thinking great - well he caps it off - collects his over 3K money on on the way he goes (and of course it does not seal tightly) as the water is flowing around the pipe and out from the cap - so the cement he used to secure the pipe is not hardening as it is always wet.

Now we cannot get a pump guy out here to put a submersible pump in as he says its to wet and we have to let it dry out first - well its never going to dry out and the cement get hard when there is constant water spilling on it constantly.

Its been running now for a week and the cement is still like mush - we have a trench kind of routing the water to the creek but our yard looks like crap and its really mushy and wet.

I have called the well guy a couple times for suggestions and he has not responded back to me. Always just ended talking to his wife and she will have him call back etc..

I guess question is is there some kind of adpator (maybe pitless that we can use temporaraly to seal the pipe and attach a hose to the top so we can re route the water away from the pipe so the cement has a chance to dry out?

I was looking at this item on **** - would this do the triick or maybe somthing simular.

http://cgi.****.com/ws/****ISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=005

Its called Spilt Top 6x1" Well Seal Kit / 1" Pitless Adapter.

Were getting desperate - and feel like the pump and well guys just bailed on us and were left with a big mess to deal with on our own.

Thank you,
Laurie & Denny

[freespirit]

I guess you can't post links on this site - any ways the adaptor I was thinking about is:

Product Description
For effective seal against pollution and contamination of wells from surface drainage. Many state health departments have adopted codes which require the sealing of water wells. Well is perfectly sealed by expanding the high quality of rubber packet, drawing together the top and bottom castings by tightening of belts.


SLIP TOP PLATE - PAINTED CAST IRON

FOR SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS

SINGLE HOLE & 1" DROP PIPE

WELL CAP 5-5/8" to 6-1/4"


1" PITTLESS ADAPTER FITS 4-1/2" TO 8" CASING ID FOR WELLS UP TO 600 FT. DEEP (soli8d brass body)


Would this do the trick? And could we instal ourselves?

Thanks,
Laurie

[freespirit]

Well pump guy called an said just let it flow for a while - the water around it is not going to hurt it as far as the set up.

He said just let it flow and we will wait for about another week and he will come out and start to work on it.

So I guess he answered my question - just sit an wait - all is fine.

Thanks,

[speedbump]

A well seal or pitless is not going to solve your problem. This guy did a lousy job of grouting the well and I seriously doubt he will ever get it to stop flowing.

I have seen wells like this turn into a real nightmare. If it's flowing quite hard, it can start eroding the soil to where the flow just keeps increasing.

By the way, cement will cure under water, so what he put in there has already cured.

You might want to get the people who do the permitting in your area involved in this. It may be the State, County or City.

bob...

[freespirit]

Thanks Bob: And yes you are so right - the well did not even seal around the casing it is coming up around the sides of the casing when we stop the flow from the top.

Not alot mind you just a little - but still not done correctly. I called the state and they told me to call the county water inspector and to take photos etc. Said they could citatation the well guy right now. I called the well guy again and his response was gosh I don't know what to do - I have never seen a artisean well with that much pressure before at such a shallow depth. I may have to just cement the whole thing up but then you will not have any water. I will get back to you later. Well a week has gone by and he has not contacted us back again.

So question is how can he cement the whole thing up? Woudln't he still have to seal it around the outside to stop the flow even if he fills the inside up with cement? And besides it flowed heavy the first day he drilled the well then by the next day it was barly coming out the top - we put a pressure guage on top with release valve and it only showed 4 pounds of pressure. When we shut of the valve it takes about 5 days for it for a slow leak to arise around the outer casing.

What are my options? Yes I plan on getting the state/county involved, but we really need water also and the way our property is - this is about the only location they could of even drilled for water. Is the well driller only threatening to cement it all up to shut me up or can he do this but I don't see how if can cement it up without getting the outside well casing to stop leaking at the same time.

Thanks Im so frustrated at the moment.

[Bob NH]

It may be possible to seal the bore hole below the casing with some kind of expanding/removable plug, or to pump enough water to pull the level down below ground level. Then the area around the casing must be cleaned out and the casing must be sealed.

Concrete will cure under water but it must be allowed to set first. If water is permitted to mix with the concrete before it sets it will dilute the cement in the concrete and the concrete will never achieve the required strength.

It is possible to pour concrete under water using a tremie to allow the concrete to displace the water.

Concrete should be mixed with as little water as possible consistent with the need to place and finish it, and then kept moist or wet after it has set. It needs water to finish curing.

[speedbump]

You said it stops flowing while the valve is open. That would be the time to try to fill in around the casing either like BobNH suggested or if the space around the casing is large enough, you could use Bentonite pellets. They are a clay like substance that when in water swell up to many times their size. Drillers use it all the time.

bob...