Well abandonment, sealing and decommissioning of a Central Jersey water well may be required for several reasons, such as:
Abandoned wells in Central Jersey can pose a threat to the environment by allowing contaminants to leak into the surrounding soil and groundwater. Abandoned wells can also provide a direct conduit for surface contaminants to reach the groundwater table.
Abandoned wells can pose a safety hazard to the public, such as curious individuals who may accidentally fall into the well, and children who may not understand the dangers of playing too close to an open well.
Regulatory bodies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), require that wells be properly decommissioned in order to protect the environment and public health.
Well abandonment, sealing and decommissioning on any Central Jersey property is required prior to the demolition of buildings to allow for future construction.
Property owners can be held liable for environmental or public safety issues caused by an abandoned well on their property. Our well abandonment, sealing and decommissioning services in Central Jersey can help mitigate that liability.
The process of water well abandonment takes time, and there is procedure which we are required to follow according to New Jersey State Rules and Regulations.
First, we will meet with you to verify the type of water well to be abandoned, such as an existing drilled well, a hand dug well from years ago, or a cistern system. The well abandonment procedure we follow for our Central Jersey clients requires us to obtain any information with regards to the well by getting the original well records from the well owner, or through a search from the State of New Jersey Department of Water Allocation. If sufficient records are not available, we will visit the Central Jersey property where the water well is located, remove the components from the well (piping, submersible pump, wiring, etc.), and measure the depth of the well and the amount of casing that was installed in the well. We will also determine the material that was used in the construction of the well in order to obtain approval from the State to decommission the well. There will be a charge for this service.
Our well abandonment and sealing procedure in Central Jersey for drilled wells is to pump a cement grout mixture into the well with a grouter using a tremie pipe. It's a slow process, as the cement is pumped into the well, and whatever water is in the well is displaced during this process. Since cement is heavier than water, this process can take several days, depending upon the depth of the well and space that the well driller has to work with, since most wells are only 6 inches in diameter.
If the well to be decommissioned is a hand dug well made with stone or blocked tiles, then we have to measure the depth and the width of the well, and make sure everything can be removed from it. Our Central Jersey well abandonment procedure for a hand dug well is to fill it with ¾" clean stone, capped with one foot of cement. In some instances, just cement can be used to fill the hand dug well, depending on the depth and if approved to use this procedure.
After the well is sealed, it gets inspected by the County or Township/Borough Board of Health, which has jurisdiction where the property is located. Permit fees and inspections vary depending on township and county.
The entire Central Jersey well abandonment, sealing and decommissioning process takes several days, with inspections being performed by the Health Department. Also take into consideration the equipment to be used during the abandonment of the well and residual mess it can create. There will be necessary final paperwork filed with the State of New Jersey, and the County Board of Health and/or Township where the property is located.
Call us at 908-730-7869 or 908-718-8080, or email us, for all your Central Jersey area water well abandonment, sealing and decommissioning needs.
