Tuesday, December 4, 2007 : 1:00 p.m.

Challenges in Sustaining Water Well Supplies

Robert Stewart, Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration and Harry Rohde, PE, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration

Water wells are the primary water supply source for most rural residents in Canada and maintaining a reliable quantity and quality of water is vital in sustaining the rural sector.  However, wells are often managed with an “install and forget” attitude, which leads to a poor understanding of the conditions that cause many of the water well problems, and when problems do arise, inappropriate remedial actions are often applied. The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has created the Sustainable Water Well Initiative (SWWI) to provide improved knowledge on the diagnosis, prevention and remediation of water well problems. Both laboratory and field studies have been initiated to develop improved monitoring and preventative maintenance procedures, and to improve management practices within well capture zones that promote the sustainable use of water well supplies.  A key element is to investigate and promote practices that will protect water well supplies from contamination and premature well failure and replacement.
Although advances were made as a result of these studies, challenges still exist in dealing with biofouled wells.  One of challenges is to determine the manner in which well treatments can be applied to more effectively reduce biofilms to particle sizes that can be easily mobilized and removed.  PFRA is also investigating innovative methods to control or arrest biofilm development around a well.  Another challenge is to establish diagnostic procedures for well owners that will signal when remedial action is required.  In addition, rural wells need to be designed and constructed in order to facilitate monitoring, as well as the early application of preventative maintenance procedures or well treatments.  A collaborative effort between government agencies, research institutions, the groundwater industry and the rural sector is necessary to address these and future challenges.

Robert Stewart, Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration Bob Stewart has over 30 year experience in the groundwater industry in private consulting practice, as provincial regulator and in federal government groundwater research with emphasis on water well rehabilitation and use of preventative maintenance chemicals to pre-empt the growth of biofilms in the water well environment.

Harry Rohde, PE, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration Harry Rohde is employed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Regina, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering from the University of Manitoba in 1982. Harry has been employed by the Groundwater Unit of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) as a groundwater engineer for 25 years. Since 1996, he has been involved with PFRA’s Sustainable Water Well Initiative, which focuses on the sustainability of water well infrastructure, including the development of preventative and rehabilitative technologies to deal with the problems of reduced well yield and deteriorating water quality caused by bio-fouling and other groundwater-related problems.


2007 NGWA Ground Water Expo and Annual Meeting