What Materials Can Be Used
to Plug a Well
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
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.
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.
According to the video what
materials are used to plug
abandoned wells?
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•
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•
Cement
Bentonite Chips
Bentonite Grout
Compacted clay or caliche for large wells.
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.
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.
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.
Why don’t 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.
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.
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.