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Back Ground Water Development | Up Utilitiesman (Advanced) - Manual for electric, plumbing, water and other utilities | Next Ground Water Development - Continued |
Figure 9-10.Protection of spring from surface contamination.
enter the spring during periods of flood. It is not
necessary to ventilate spring structures; therefore,
all openings should be avoided, except for an
inspection manhole fitted with a tight, locked
cover.
When ground and surface water supplies are
inadequate or cannot be used, ground water sup-
plies are developed by constructing wells. Wells
are classified into five types, according to their
method of construction. These are dug, bored,
driven, jetted, and drilled wells. Each type of well
has its particular advantages, which may be ease
of construction, type of equipment required,
storage capacity, ease of penetration into certain
types of formations, or ease of safeguarding
against pollution.
In the event of chemical, biological, and
radiological operations, it is important to note
that ground water would probably remain essen-
tially uncontaminated by airborne or surface
dissemination, in contrast to surface water, which
could become severely contaminated. This does
not mean that ground water is always pure and
safe to drink. It can be naturally contaminated
or could, in some cases, become contaminated
with CBR agents. Well water should be
thoroughly tested before use.
The production of ground water involves the
method of recovery of water stored in the zone
of saturation below the waterline or water table.
The ground water table does not always remain
at the same elevation, as it is controlled by rain-
fall, tides, the pumping rate from wells, and so
forth.
A dug well is a large diameter well, seldom
less than 3 feet in diameter, excavated with hand
tools, and lined with brick, stone, steel, wood
cribbing, or tile. That portion of the lining
through the water-bearing formation is porous.
This shallow type of well is usually dug from 20
to 40 feet deep, depending upon favorable loca-
tion for water. Because of the large opening and
perimeter to be protected against the incursion of
surface drainage, dug wells are easily polluted by
surface wash.
Bored wells are constructed in soft water-
bearing formations that will not cave in while the
hole is being bored. They are usually bored with
hand or powered earth augers to a depth ranging
from 25 to 60 feet without caving in.
Jetted wells are suitable in soft, uncon-
solidated, alluvial deposits. The well consists of
an inner tube which is a drilling or jetting tube
and an outer tube which is the well-casing. A
9-11
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