Need More Water?

By Jim Palmer Jr.

Is your well giving you problems with low or no flow? It may not be because there is not water. Many folks think that because it is hot and dry out now that the low flow in their well can be attributed to drought conditions. That may not be the case at all! Have you had problems with iron or sand in the water, inconsistent water flow or contamination? There may be a simple solution!

A few years ago a buyer purchased an older home on acreage. When the well was tested it showed a diminished flow (much less than the original well log) of less than 3 gallons per minute. The buyer decided he loved the property so much that he was willing to deal with that fact and closed on the sale. About a year later the well dried up and the buyer thought they would have to drill a new well to resolve this problem. They didn’t think they had any other choice. But when they called their savvy real estate broker to get some advice, he suggested a different solution.  He told them about a company who does water recovery services using liquid CO2 as an active agent to clean plugged and contaminated wells. Of course this process was not cheap, but they felt it was worth the risk. The alternative of drilling a whole new well was much more expensive. When the water recovery service was complete, the well was restored to its original glory with over 10 gallons per minute of sustained flow. That is a happy ending!

How does this process work? If your well is blocked with biological or mineral incrustations such as iron bacteria or calcium deposits or even physical obstructions like sand or other minerals, this process of using pressurized liquid carbon dioxide can work wonders! They first seal the well, and then pump pressurized liquid and gaseous carbon dioxide into the well structure and surrounding strata. The formula freezes and expands in the underground fissures as it scours out sediment, mineral deposits and iron bacteria. They then pump out all of the debris and flush the system. This process can be performed year round, even on the coldest days and is environmentally safe, fast and effective. It also acts much the same as regular hydro-fracturing, connecting new water bearing cracks and increasing flow and permeability. It may be the solution for more water with less money!