Chapter 16 - Monitoring Well Health and Safety

Abstract

Groundwater monitoring is ubiquitous in industrial solid and hazardous materials operations. It is required by law at thousands of facilities throughout the United States. The installation and sampling of groundwater monitoring wells is one of the few methods of characterizing the subsurface environment at hazardous sites. The ability to perform environmental site characterizations and remediation typically includes the installation and monitoring of groundwater monitoring wells. Monitoring wells are constructed for a variety of reasons. The primary goal of monitoring well construction is to obtain samples representative of site-specific subsurface conditions. Installation presents effectively all the same hazards as the drilling, since it is typically done with the same equipment. The goal of groundwater sampling is to collect a representative sample of the aquifer water from the hydrogeologic unit of interest for testing. This is a time consuming, routine, and tedious job. Attention to detail in the placement, construction, and sampling of monitoring wells results in the highest quality of subsurface information. This information provides the basis for the determination of need and in many cases, the rational selection of remediation procedures. The nature of the sites being monitored determines the level of protection necessary for worker safety.