WWJ Closeup, October 2024

STEVEN DUVALL, PE
Regional Sales Manager—Water Well
Johnson Screens
New Brighton, Minnesota

FAVORITE ASPECT OF WORKING IN THE WATER WELL INDUSTRY?
I enjoy helping others with the application of our products to their specific needs. Every well is different.

TOP QUESTION YOU GET ON WELL DEVELOPMENT?
“How do I know I’m done?” Visual inspection of the discharge and checking the water’s total dissolved solids or conductivity as compared to background is a good indicator. Also, is the well producing volume and efficiency compared to your design or other wells in the wellfield?

HOW IS WELL DEVELOPMENT AND REHAB RELATED?
If not developed, rehabilitation and disinfection is needed more frequently. Poor development equals poor flow and aids in the well becoming chemically and biologically congested. Also, alluvial wells become mechanically impacted as they age due to sediment infiltration, so as alluvial wells get older, re-development becomes part of the rehab process.

EFFECTIVE WELL DEVELOPMENT MEANS . . .
Stabilizing the downhole environment by removing any introduced or disturbed components, which allows more even and efficient flow into and through the well. It’s about removing barriers and stabilizing (as much as possible) the area you disrupted with the drilling process.

NO. 1 TAKEAWAY FROM YOUR STATE WORKSHOP ON WELL SCREEN, FILTER PACK, AND SLOT SIZE SELECTION?
There was great interest from drillers on how to design a well optimally through proper selection of pack, slot size, and well screen. There was particular interest in the use of glass bead pack in lieu of silica sand pack.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IN 2024?
Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is becoming more popular, and I would like to learn more about the various installations both present and future. Proper maintenance will be paramount to the success of these wells.