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Serving the Canadian Ground Water industry for 41 years.
Features
8 DRILLING AND DIVERSIFYING
Larson’s Water Well Drilling of Lougheed, Alta., takes pride in (many) jobs well done
12 DRILL-RIG SAFETY
Innovative technology and best practices are crucial to drill-rig safety
22 GRAPPLING WITH GROUND
WATER, PART 1
What role can and does the Canadian ground water industry play in protecting this resource?
ON THE WEB:
GMO foods offer solution to water shortages, expert says Genetically modified, drought-resistant seeds need less water and fertilizer, thereby reducing the weed-nourishing runoff that pollutes waterways, says Gwyn Morgan in his Globe and Mail column.
Group makes waves about Nestlé water-taking proposal Friends of Elora Water have expressed concern with Nestlé Waters’ proposal to purchase local property and assume an existing watertaking permit. The Wellington Advertiser reports.
www.groundwatercanada.com
Making connections
Sharing information and resources will make existing ground water stewardship work more effective.
by Colleen Cross
Ground water is surface water’s shy cousin. Every so often it bubbles up in the media to remind us it’s there, a source of drinking water for some 30 per cent of the public and a crucial source of drinking and general-use water for some 80 per cent of rural Canadians.
Canadians are talking about water in general these days. With North America tuned in to the drought crisis in California and the world watching India’s ground water woes, it has grabbed headlines and captured the public’s attention.
While a United Nations report released in March warns the world needs a new approach to safeguarding water, two recent perception surveys from RBC and Nanos suggest there is high interest in water but inadequate knowledge of it –and of ground water in particular.
Fortunately, the people who know about ground water also are talking about it.
We need to educate the public....That starts with making more connections among interested parties.
A great example of collaborative thinking took place May 28 in the form of a water security symposium (see details on page 30) at the Munk School’s Program On Water Issues (POWI) that drew on the expertise of policy specialists. They discussed two papers that suggest directions the Canadian industry might take to protect ground water, and to organize and pay for its mapping and monitoring.
Presenter David McLaughlin and POWI director Adele Hurley followed up with a potent article in the Globe and Mail aimed squarely at the public.
Everyone agrees we need to educate the public on water interaction and on quantity and quality issues. That starts with making more connections among interested parties. There is a lot of work being done by agencies and provincial associations already, but sharing of information is what’s missing to make this work more effective. The Ontario Ground Water Association (OGWA) network is but one promising model
of co-ordination among groups focused on ground water and surface water. Membership in the OGWA includes cross-membership in the Canadian Water Quality Association (CWQA), the Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association, the Ontario Water Works Association and Ontario Petroleum Institute. Members of the CWQA sit in on various committees to be proactive in identifying issues of concern and sharing those concerns with the other groups.
There are many others – the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency and Alberta Environmental Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting Agency, for example. These groups work well but in most cases independently of one another.
One of the obstacles to making connections among interested parties and associations is distance. Technology has the potential to make that less of a barrier.
At a discussion about the potential for a national association held at Canwell in June 2014, Colin Slade of Drillwell put forth the intriguing idea of meeting through video conferencing as a way to lower communication costs. And as the recent Munk School symposium proved, technology – in this case live streaming – can be used effectively to bring to the table everyone who belongs there.
The Canadian industry seems to have the will. Many of us want to see a central contact point for educational resources, certification, mapping, monitoring and information gathering in general. But we’re not there yet.
We all can help speed up this process by making connections and sharing information, especially when we see overlapping of interests and potential duplication of effort.
Imagine the powerhouse of knowledge and political leverage Canada would be if our considerable resources were pooled.
@GroundWaterMag
NEXT ISSUE: The next issue of Ground Water Canada will focus on water treatment and include part 2 of “Grappling with ground water.” Don’t miss it!
WATERING NORTH AMERICA SINCE 1929.
The Woodford Y34 IOWA hydrant™ has been a North American icon for over eight decades. Every day, from the suburbs to the most remote farms, from the searing heat of a Texas summer to brutal Alberta winters, Y34s are delivering precious water reliably and efficiently. They won’t freeze. Repairs—not that they’re often needed—can be made without removing the hydrant. Parts are always available. And, this North American icon is made in America. Just like it has been since 1929.
WOODFORD MANUFACTURING COMPANY
INDUSTRY NEWS
CAPM AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS, LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP
The Canadian Association of Pump Manufacturers (CAPM) held its annual general meeting on June 4 at the Galt Country Club in Cambridge, Ont.
Sixteen people were in attendance and president Richard Barg from Xylem Applied Water Systems led the meeting. Barg gave a recap of the association events over the 201415 year that included awarding two scholarships – one to a student in Conestoga College in Kitchener and one to a student in Red River College in Winnipeg. The CAPM had a representative at both schools’ awards ceremonies and was able to get great exposure for not only the association but also the water well industry.
A discussion on pump and tank statistics and how the numbers are shared followed.
Afterwards the board of directors for the coming term were voted on and approved. The new board will consist of president Richard Barg of Xylem Applied Water Systems; vicepresident Steve Ritsema of Liberty Pumps; officer Stuart Saville of Zoeller Canada; and directors Todd Sutherland of Pentair Canada, Sean Welsh of Franklin Electric and Eric Lemay of Flexcon Industries.
The association then made a special presentation to Crane Pumps’ recently retired Angelo Ramolo, and made him an Honorary Lifetime Member of the association.
After the business portion of the meeting was completed a discussion on the future direction and goals of the association took place.
Lunch and a round of golf
TREATMENT OPTIONS THE FOCUS OF 2016 MCELLHINEY LECTURER
The 2016 McEllhiney Distinguished Lecturer will present “Water Well Contaminants and Treatment Options,” the National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation said in a news release.
Peter S. Cartwright, P.Eng., who owns and operates Cartwright Consulting Co. with offices in Minneapolis and the Netherlands, has been in the treatment side of the water industry since 1974. He is the technical consultant to the Canadian Water Quality Association.
The context for Cartwright’s lecture is that no two water supplies are identical, so ensuring a potable water supply that is safe, good tasting, and acceptable for washing, bathing, or showering requires a treatment approach that takes into account the unique variables that affect water quality.
Health-related contaminants such as nitrite/nitrate, arsenic, and pathogenic microorganisms may be naturally occurring or the result of human activity, or both. Also, the water pH, total dissolved solids, iron, hardness, and other constituents may affect taste or its other properties. The challenge to the groundwater professional is how to reduce such constituents to an acceptable level.
Cartwright’s presentation will identify classes of treatment technologies and detail specific technology choices as a function of contaminant reduction efficacy and cost. He also will address the installation requirements, operation, and maintenance of treatment systems.
The lecture will be tailored to the contaminants that a given audience encounters most frequently or the treatment technologies in which the audience is most interested.
The William A. McEllhiney Distinguished Lecture Series in Water Well Technology is made possible by a grant from Franklin Electric.
completed the day.
The next meeting will be held in the fall.
KSB CANADIAN STAFF HELP PLANT TREES FOR SUSTAINABILITY
In 2014, to mark the 25th anniversary of the company’s presence in Canada, the staff at KSB Pumps planted 155 trees as a contribution to the “One Million Trees Mississauga” initiative (www.onemilliontrees.ca).
This year, the KSB team returned and added another 150 trees to the forest that is taking shape in Mississauga’s Garnetwood Park, the company said in a news release.
The goal of the campaign is to add a million trees to Mississauga by 2032 on top of the 2.1 million trees currently growing on the city’s public and private land.
The planting team was encouraged by the success of the 2014 campaign. Of the 155 trees planted last year, 90 per cent of them survived. Usually, the experts anticipate a survival rate of 70 to 80 per cent. “So it looks like we have the famous green thumb,” said Mike Blundell, president and chief executive officer for KSB in Canada and the U.S.
CAPM officer Stuart Saville (right) presents Angelo Ramolo with an Honorary Lifetime Membership.
Peter S. Cartwright
Galvanized support bar at top of well casing holds more weight-easy connection at top
304 Stainless Steel discharge hub clamps around casing (easy installation)
304 Stainless steel construction best long term material
Simple, positive mechanical seal by turning a stainless steel screw Can not be dropped down inside well
themselves
DRILLING AND DIVERSIFYING
‘From the bottom of the well to the bottom of the glass and beyond,’ Larson’s Water Well Drilling and Servicing Ltd. of Alberta has taken pride for 38 years in (many) jobs well done
It might have been a well-chosen date that secured the success of John and Carol Larson’s business. But it’s more likely their hard work, creativity and pride in a job well done that did the trick.
by COLLEEN CROSS
The two launched Larson’s Water Well Drilling and Servicing Ltd. in the village of Lougheed, Alta., in 1977 on the second anniversary of their wedding.
Carol, longtime manager of the Alberta Water Well Drilling Association show and owner of her own nearby wedding rental business, handles bookkeeping and the administrative side of the business. John does – or more likely these days, oversees – the drilling.
He often leaves his four to six staff members, two of whom are summer students, to do the location work, which includes drilling and servicing water wells, installing and repairing sewer and pressure systems, and providing reverse osmosis systems.
John describes the magnet business as a onestop shop that serves customers “from the bottom of the well to the bottom of the glass and beyond.”
John says his location in a small village of about 300 prompted him to branch out into nearby geographical areas and different aspects of well drilling to keep the work flowing.
They also drum up business by getting referrals and by advertising three to four times per week on radio, an avenue of promotion he likes. But perhaps their best advertising is an annual open house they invite the local radio station to attend and spread the word.
An equally important goal for them is to meet the needs of their rather isolated community by bringing useful services to Lougheed. Their current shop and commercial truck wash centre sits on the outskirts of the village houses two rental spaces, one of which is used by Carol for her wedding and event rental business, Elegant Event Rentals.
YET ANOTHER HAT: MAYOR
John’s involvement with Lougheed goes even deeper, with stints on village council for six years, as deputy mayor for three and as mayor for three. He enjoyed his time in municipal politics and is proud of the council work he did, in particular, his role in helping to build a new fire hall, purchase two new fire trucks and bring in much-needed roadgrading services.
During his time on council, John showed the initiative he is known for by putting in water and sewer infrastructure himself so a new subdivision could be built when the village’s expansion was stalled by the lack of infrastructure.
He left municipal politics when he joined Red Deer College as an instructor in 2008. The program curriculum matches the course outline of Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
A BORN TEACHER
John teaches five days a week while teaching full time for two six-week periods in November to December and January to February. While teaching he stays in Red Deer.
He wasn’t too sure he was right for the job. “I didn’t think it was me,” he says. However, keen to make sure the program kept going, he jumped in.
The program consists of a week each of welding, mechanics and hydraulics, followed by three weeks of water well training.
With an instructor course under his belt, he has taught first- and second-year students for the last six years.
His experience as an employer seems to inform his work as a college instructor. If his employees make a mistake, “I don’t yell at them,” he says. “I ask them ‘did you learn something from it?’ ”
“He has the best sense of humour, he makes it easy to learn, and he is open to our ideas,” said student Jordan Lepper, himself an up-and-comer in the industry, in praise of his teacher’s methods.
Jordan, along with brother Justin and friend David Kassian, also former students of the well-drilling course, stopped by the booth during Ground Water Canada’s interview for some catching up and good-natured kidding with their former teacher.
BRINGING GEOTHERMAL INTO THE LOOP
A geothermal driller himself, John has been a major force behind the province’s designation of geothermal drilling as a trade in Alberta. For more than seven years, he urged the Alberta environment ministry to make geothermal drilling a certified trade, and in 2014 the goal became a reality.
“I was on the board of the water well drilling associations and we had some concerns about what was going on,” he says. “We as water well drillers have a whole set of rules we have to follow to put a well in but these guys were making the same hole and going through all these
John Larson wears and has worn a few hats in his community: well driller, businessman, mayor, councillor, lobbyist and teacher.
PROFILE
aquifers and not having any rules to follow.”
“We held a lot of meetings but it got there. And now the geothermal industry’s in a downswing here because natural gas prices are cheap right now and it’s not really feasible for residential anyways,” he notes with some irony.
Although the standards and curriculum aren’t in place yet – he suspects it may be fall 2016 before that happens – the college is looking to attract people from nearby provinces who want the portability an Alberta certification would offer.
He will instruct the program at Red Deer College once the standards are in place. The program, called the Earth Loop Technician program, shares a common first year with the Water Well Drilling program, but there is a difference of about 100 hours in the requirements for geothermal, making the second year quite specialized.
JOB WELL DONE: PUMP INSTALLATION TIPS
Among the many services Larson’s offers is pump installation, and John shares a few tips. “I think it’s critical that you keep it clean when you’re pulling a pump. Lots of people pull them by hand then drag them out on the ground through whatever may be out on the lawn . . . then they put them back into their well and wonder why they have coliforms. So I recommend you have a hose reeler and wind it up and keep it out of everything and
make sure everything is disinfected.
“I also like to have a larger casing. I like to put in, for the most, part six-inch casing and use four-inch pumps, and then you’ve got lots of tolerance. I think it’s a better well, rather than using 4.95-inch, which doesn’t give you as much clearance. I like to use a little larger diameter.
“It costs a little bit more,” he says, “but I tell my customers this is the right way of doing it.”
The couple have enjoyed building their business for nearly 40 years. What was the best business decision they ever made? “We built this new building here and we moved into it in 1998. We had a shop before but it wasn’t big enough. This one’s not big enough either,” John says with a laugh. “It’s a plus, I think. It’s been good. We have a storefront with everything on display.”
“Everything” includes welding supplies, cattle waterers, water conditioning equipment, pressure tanks, pumps, fittings and hot tub supplies. They sell propane and issue hunting and fishing licences.
“We’re a small town so we try to cover some of the bases,” he says. “I don’t think we get rich doing all this but it’s a service.”
The Larsons have two grown daughters – Kristi and Sheena –both of whom are in the business of managing golf courses. And there is now a grandchild to claim any spare time they may have. What’s next for John, who soon will mark his 60th birthday?
“I think I’m going to stick with this college thing,” he says.
Meet the unit that can keep up with 400 gallons per minute cleaning capabilities without creating more solids during the cleaning process and separately mix new drilling fluid as needed.
Low impact pickup pump moves the solids from the pit to the scalping shaker
High linear shaker capable of processing 400 gallons per minute allowing solids control system to remove large intact solids quickly and efficiently
-inch hydro cyclones to treat 226 gallons per minute per cone.
Third, 200-gallon auxiliary tank dedicated to mixing drilling fluids fast and efficiently
Astec Industries Company
by JULIE FITZ-GERALD
DRILL-RIG SAFETY
Communication is paramount and holding a quick meeting before work begins each morning provides the perfect opportunity to discuss the job at hand.
Innovative technology and best practices are crucial to drill-rig
Dsafety
rill-rig safety is one of the most important aspects of water well and geothermal drilling in Canada. By instituting a few key best practices, such as keeping open the lines of communication, and being aware of the technologies geared to safety, drilling companies can make their jobsites safer places to work.
The onus lies with the company to provide proper training and a safe work environment to protect their employees and keep the worksite running smoothly, day in and day out.
Keeping both new and seasoned workers safe while operating drill rigs comes down to two things: following proper safety protocols and employing adequate safety features on the rigs themselves.
As with any task, people are often
conscientious and careful when they start out, but prone to shortcuts and subpar practices as their comfort level increases. According to Bill Fitzgerald, general manager of Canadian drillrig manufacturer Sonic Drilling Ltd. based in Surrey, B.C., drillers need to stay on their toes and give proper attention to the task in front of them. “The most common mistake drillers make is rushing on the job or losing their focus on the task at hand,” Fitzgerald says. “It’s
SAFETY
critical to not become distracted and to take your time.”
For water well and geothermal business owners, ensuring that your team consists of competent employees and supervisors is essential to ensuring smooth operations in the field and the safety of everyone involved. William Lin, a media spokesperson with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, notes by email that “Drillers need to be fully trained and have completed progressive experience operating a drill, both as the operator and as a front person or assistant to the driller.”
With a trusted team operating the drill rig, owners can rest assured that safety protocols will be followed without taking any shortcuts to save on time. Fitzgerald offers several ways to further bolster safety on the worksite: “Daily inspections of the rig and tooling, ensuring everyone has their personal protective gear on, and good communication between drillers are all necessary,” he adds. “And tailgate meetings before you start the job are a great way to ensure everyone stays safe.”
In fact, communication is paramount and holding a quick meeting before work begins each morning provides the perfect opportunity to discuss the job at hand, allowing workers to raise any questions or safety concerns before getting started. Communication with workers about hazards on the jobsite is also an important requirement by the provinces.
“The employer must acquaint a worker or a person in authority over a worker with any hazard in the work and in the handling, storage, use, disposal and transport of any article, device or equipment,” Lin writes. “The driller (worker) must comply with their roles and responsibilities under the [Occupational Health and Safety] Act in section 28, which includes not removing guarding when operating the drill.”
When new safety regulations and stricter project requirements are implemented, an increasing number of drilling companies are required to employ specific safety systems on drill-rig operations. These systems are designed to eliminate any physical lifting over 40 pounds as well as prevent physical contact with rotating rods.
“The safety cages are a critical piece of equipment that makes sure drillers are not exposed to any moving parts of the drill, while the various rod-handling options reduce heavy, repetitive lifting. Plus, [Sonic Drilling’s] faster drilling time and shortened time on site is very helpful when you’re working on a busy street with traffic whizzing by,” Fitzgerald explains.
Many manufacturers now offer rigs complete with safety cages and emergency cut-off switches to prevent drillers from coming into contact with an active drill. For example, Sonic Drilling’s safety cage has a hinged access door on the front, which when opened, immediately stops the spindle rotation. In addition, a spring-centred override switch at the console allows five rpm of rotation at low torque, giving drillers greater control. Closing the door of the safety cage reactivates full rotation and torque. With all switches and circuits designed to be tamper-proof, it’s impossible for operators to bypass the safety system.
Rod-handling systems are another important safety feature on the market today. They greatly improve the safety of rigs by eliminating the heavy lifting and potential safety hazards
Gilles Leclaire
David Lalande
Jean Côté
SAFETY
associated with dropped rods. Sonic Drilling developed its Single Rod Loader in 2011. The company says the system can be attached to existing machines, added as an option to new drill rigs or roughed in on new machines to allow for its addition down the road. It consists of an arm, rotary actuator and clamping assembly, the loader mounts to the front of the drill rig’s breakout table, and it’s powered off the rig’s hydraulic system. The loader is hosed with quick connects, allowing for easy removal in sites with limited access or low-overhead indoor applications. The arm is fitted with a safety shut-down system that prevents operators from standing on the arm or becoming pinned between the arm and the ground.
Taking this innovative idea one step further is the Hands-Free Rod Handling system. These systems offer maximum safety, with no physical contact required by operators during rod loading and unloading. Bohrmeister’s system has a hydraulic system that runs off the drill rig’s own hydraulic system and is operated by the driller’s helper. The entire system is modular and can be easily forklifted on and off the drillrig frame as well as connected with hydraulic quick connects. It can be easily retrofitted to existing drills and its magazine can be disassembled into two pieces for economical shipping in a 20-foot container. According to Bohrmeister’s website, the “Hands Free Rod Handling” system drastically reduces operator fatigue and dramatically improves safety during the drilling operation, without compromising production.” Sonic Drilling recognized the safety and operational benefits of Bohrmeister’s system and is now the exclusive North American distributor.
The array of drill-rig safety features widely available on the market today means drilling companies can provide their workers with the right equipment to get the job done efficiently and safely. With an emphasis on operational safety protocols and greater communication, drillers across the country can enjoy a safer work environment using innovative technology designed for their protection.
AWWDA SHOW
ONE BIG ALBERTA FAMILY
MThe Alberta Water Well Drilling Association convention and trade show provided a welcome –and welcoming –
opportunity to network and learn
y first visit to Alberta is burned like the Prairie sun into my memory, not because of the wide-open, picturesque views, but because of its people.
For two days in April, I was surrounded by some of the friendliest strangers I’d ever met.
From April 23 to 25 at the Sheraton Red Deer conference centre, the 58th annual Alberta Water Well Drilling Association’s conference and trade show brought together members of the water well drilling industry from Edmonton, Calgary, surrounding Alberta towns, Saskatchewan and beyond to swap stories, get up to speed on changes within the industry and tackle issues of common concern.
At the opening meet-and-greet, more than a few in the drilling business told me area well drillers generally like to help each other out. If one driller is too busy to do a job, especially if it falls near someone else’s patch, they happily refer a client to a fellow driller. “We’re all family,” I heard echoed throughout the show.
I saw more evidence of camaraderie as multiple family members joined in the informal social, which will be remembered by many for the giant TV screen – a truly inspired last-minute addition brought in by organizer Carol Larson to accommodate those watching the Flames play the Canucks in the playoffs.
For the record, Larson, a die-hard fan
by COLLEEN CROSS
of the eliminated Edmonton Oilers, was backing the winning Canucks.
Friday’s program opened with a morning-long trade show featuring 35 exhibitors, including pump manufacturers, drill-bit machiners, insurance companies, concrete manufacturers and custom flatbed manufacturers. Holding up one end of the show and drawing a steady crowd of admirers were two drill rigs – a Foremost
DR-24 and an Atlas Copco TH60 and a Glover custom-made water truck. The last, a 2012 International 7400, sported a MaxxForce 9 engine and featured a 220-horsepower, 950-pound-torque Allison 2000 five-speed transmission.
Over lunch, attendees and exhibitors heard an inspiring speech from a 13-yearold cyclist and fundraiser who impressed everyone as wise beyond his years. Alex Weber managed to entertain his audience
Carol Larson, left, has been managing the AWWDA show for the last 23 years. This year daughter Sheena cheerfully pitched in to help with registrations.
AWWDA SHOW
during a talk about a very serious subject. Weber’s goal is to see clean water available worldwide. To raise money for the cause he has completed several bicycle rides as part of his Wheels for Wells campaign over the last four years.
Last year he and a friend biked from Vancouver to Calgary, drinking water from only natural sources along the way and hoping to make the point that in Canada we too often take clean water for granted.
Weber, who donates any funds raised to World Vision’s Clean Water program, with the help of 120 riders has so far generated $27,000. He encouraged the water well industry to donate to or get involved in rides to help secure clean water for the world’s population. “I think it’s a realistic goal,” he said, “and I know it can be done.”
Taking his talk to heart, attendees wasted no time filling up a donation jar for the young man’s cause.
Weber is gearing up for rides out of farflung Taiwan and Tanzania in 2016.
Afternoon technical sessions covered well remediation, pump technology and how to go about filing a lien for unpaid work.
Mike Kleespies, regional manager for CETCO Drilling Products, explored well rehabilitation. Kleespies said maintaining a well is like maintaining a car: you can extend its life through proper care. Rehabilitating a well –which can potentially result in 100 per cent restoration of the well – costs 10 to 20 per cent of what a new well would cost. It can also save on energy costs and labour, and help carry your business through the slow season.
He outlined various issues, including biofouling, pump damage and a buildup of silt, sand and minerals. Correcting the problem involves three steps: identifying a problem, determining the blockage and finding a solution. Telltale signs of mineral encrustation include calcium and magnesium levels of above 400 ppm.
Continued on page 28
Thirteen-year-old Wheels for Wells fundraiser Alex Weber encouraged a lunch crowd to join or support his Wheels for Wells campaign, which aims to make clean water available worldwide.
No Lead Pitless Adapters
Heavy Weight No Lead Castings (To hold weight in well safely)
Long Length On Discharge (For easy installation)
Heavy Weight Wall Thickness On Discharge (So it can hold weight of deep pump and pipe thru casing)
Proper Seals That Fit Pitless Castings / Seals Around Discharge And Casing
Seal For Inside Of Casing
Glued In Place (Safer installation)
Lock Nut On Discharge Wide (For wrench) Heavy Weight (Stronger)
Number Of Quality Benefits
GRAPPLING WITH GROUND WATER
What role can and does the Canadian ground water industry play in protecting this resource and meeting the challenges that go along with that?
For four years, the World Economic Forum identified water in its Global Risk Report as one of the three most important challenges worldwide. In 2015, that changed.
“This year, for the first time, it has moved to the top, as ‘the biggest societal and economic risk for the next 10 years,’ ” says Alfonso Rivera, chief hydrogeologist for the Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada.
While there is no question that the situation is frightening, it is also multilayered, complex and fraught with misunderstanding, especially among the public. Here in Canada, there is a perception that we are water-rich – and that is not always true.
“Canada isn’t as water-rich as we like to think,” says Tom Gleeson of the University of Victoria’s civil engineering faculty. “There is a lot of stored water in Canada – water in reservoirs, water in lakes, water in glaciers. But if you look at the renewable water that Canada has – the water that can be used – we are actually the fourth largest in the world.”
The metaphor Gleeson uses is a swimming pool: we have a lot of water stored in the swimming pool, but the tap that fills that pool as the water is used or evaporated isn’t as big as people think.
And while Canada may have less water than people think, the world has more water than people may think.
“At the global scale, water quantity is not an issue. However, there
are challenges related to economy, geography, politics and knowledge base relative to water,” Rivera says. “Water consumption has increased by factors 10 to 60 in 100 years due to increased population and geography. With increased population, there is an increased need for food, an increase in agriculture leading to an increase in water withdrawals.”
In Canada, 60 per cent of river runoff drains to the north, whereas 85 per cent of the population is concentrated in the south, Rivera says. In Australia, he adds, most of the water resources are located in the north where precipitation provides a very humid tropical environment; yet, most of the large cities are concentrated in the eastern and southern parts of the country in arid or semi-arid regions.
The south-central and southwestern parts of the United States are other examples of very populated areas located in water-poor regions.
“The limiting factors are water availability where it is needed and water management,” he says.
Solving the challenges, perhaps, starts with a shift in thinking.
“Ground water is a renewable resource and it should be treated that way instead
by CAROLYN CAMILLERI
of mining it and depleting it like it is a petroleum resource,” Gleeson says.
But what do these factors and developments mean at a practical level for the ground water industry? And what role can and does the industry play in protecting a natural resource that has become such a hot topic worldwide?
STEWARDSHIP
SOME SIGNS OF PROGRESS
How well Canada is prepared for future ground water demands depends on where you look. In some respects, we are making progress. Gleeson describes it as a “patchy situation.”
“There are some real bright spots across Canada, like the source water protection work in Ontario and the new water sustainability act in B.C., and there are some really great ground water assessments being done in Quebec right now,” Gleeson says.
“But there are still a number of regions where we don’t even know how much groundwater is there, or how much we can use sustainably.”
Rivera says that although ground water’s importance is increasingly being recognized in countries such as Canada, Australia and the U.S., substantial research and institutional changes are needed to adequately protect those resources.
“In Canada, ground water’s vulnerability to depletion could lead to future challenges over use, especially in the Prairie regions and the Great Lakes Basin,” Rivera says. “This is why it is important that researchers examine scientific processes, sustainable yield and priority use and how these may be linked
to water governance and good resource-management practices.”
More scientific data, widespread education and training, and more clearly defined jurisdictions, are needed to effectively manage ground water at national and international levels, Rivera says.
“Since it is a hidden resource, protecting ground water requires knowledge of the aquifer’s vulnerability against pollution and ground water flow systems, as well as the recharge and discharge mechanisms,” Rivera says.
He adds that having that knowledge in the form of quantitative data –maps, parameters, fluxes, etc. – means governments can regulate ground water in an effort to protect it against contamination and overexploitation.
And advances are being made with regard to research.
“A useful and important direction that ground water research in Canada is evolving to is to look at regional scale – provincial- or regional-scale ground water systems – and that is useful because that is the scale most often that ground water can be managed at,” Gleeson says.
At the upcoming IAH-CNC Waterloo 2015 conference (Oct.
Plugged water well?
overburden formations, including sand, gravel, glacial till, and boulders.
2. Open-Hole Versatility - The DR can be configured for a variety of drilling methods including mud, reverse circulation, and flooded reverse circulation.
3. Straight Holes - The rotation of the casing by the lower drive results in a very straight hole making it ideal for shaft holes and foundation piles. This also minimizes stress on casing and casing welds, and eases the task of installing screens and pumps in water well applications.
4. Basin Extraction - The lower drive is equally effective at pulling back casing; thereby simplifying the process of exposing a well screen or abandoning a well.
5. Utilizes Conventional Tools - The drill string can be equipped with down-the-hole hammer, roller cone, or drag bit.
6. Control of Discharge - Cuttings are diverted through the discharge swivel and can be directed to a safe and convenient dumping or monitoring point.
7. Ease of Maintenance - Foremost DR rigs feature a directly connected hydraulic feed system which means no chains, sheaves, or sprockets to maintain. This type of feed system generates zero load on the mast crown, permitting a simple and lightweight mast design that does not sacrifice pullback capability.
8. Reduced Operational Risk - The DR’s flexibility allows you to expand into new applications and gives you confidence to go into areas previously considered off-limits. You will know you have the right equipment to get the hole down the first time!
9. Resale Value - There is arguably no drill on the market today that holds its value better than a Foremost DR. Dual Rotary owners tend to hold onto their rigs, making used inventory scarce, making for easy re-sale should the need arise.
10.Foremost Technical Support – Foremost’s DR rigs are backed by the expertise and support of our product management team, field technicians, and one of the largest engineering departments in the industry.
The Levelogger App Interface uses wireless Bluetooth® technology to communicate to your iOS smart device. Use our Levelogger App Interface and a Solinst Direct Read Cable, to communicate to a downhole Levelogger and email data files right from the field.
STEWARDSHIP
27-30, 2015), the session on regional-scale research, which Gleeson is leading, is the largest and most popular, a clear indication of its significance in Canada’s hydrogeology community.
The federally supported mapping projects are another important step.
“Natural Resources Canada has committed to working with provincial and territorial agencies, industry and academia to map Canada’s 30 key regional aquifer systems,” Rivera says. “To date, NRCan has completed the assessment of 19 key aquifers. It is anticipated that NRCan will have completed the mapping of the 30 key aquifers by 2023.”
Bruce Ingimundson, the British Columbia Ground Water Association managing director, talks about the benefits of the federal mapping program.
“They have been good at that. They just completed a major 10-year mapping program here on Vancouver Island and that information has been extremely valuable for, in this case, the district of Nanaimo to come up with programs and plans as to how to manage that water.”
Other good news from B.C.: they now have regulations in place on how to allocate ground water.
“The new Water Sustainability Act was tabled in the House and approved last year,” Ingimundson says. “Now, the Ministry of the Environment is working on the Groundwater Protection Regulation.”
“Our association has been, and continues to be, very involved with the ministry here on creating those two documents,” he says. “We’ve been lobbying for this for years – the ground water resource is now part of that package. And that’s been good for both surface and ground water. It’s a good regulation.”
Rivera says that now all 10 provinces have regulations on ground water.
“At least there are some sort of rules on how to regulate ground water usage,” he says. “And I think this is a good step in terms of coming to grips with ground water issues that we have in quality and in quantity.”
Carolyn Camilleri has been a writer and editor in Victoria for the past 15 years and now divides her time between Toronto and Vancouver Island, writing for several trade and consumer magazines across the country.
In part 2 of “Grappling with ground water,” we consider progress at the federal level, the critical role drillers and associations play, and what a central association might look like. Carolyn Camilleri speaks with Alfonso Rivera, chief hydrogeologist for the Geological Survey of Canada; Natural Resources Canada, Tom Gleeson of the University of Victoria’s civil engineering faculty; K.C. Craig Stainton, executive director of the Ontario Ground Water Association; and Kevin Constable, owner of Fred Constable and Sons drilling, former president and board member with the OGWA, and former president of the Canadian Ground Water Association. Look for it in the Fall issue.
NEW PRODUCTS
KSB VERTICAL-MOUNT PUMPS OFFER WET AND DRY OPTIONS
KSB Pumps has launched Etanorm V space-saving vertical-mount pumps for industrial applications such as washing or degreasing systems.
The new pumps are designed to be installed in tanks, with the pump components submerged in the pumped medium and the motor mounted in a dry location above the tank, KSB said in a news release.
There are two variants of the basic Etanorm V design. “Wet” models feature hard wearing silicon-carbide shaft bearings that are lubricated by the pumped medium. “Dry” models are intended for use where the product being pumped does not have good lubricating properties and feature generously sized sealed ball bearings to support the drive shaft.
Both types of pumps are intended for use with noncorrosive fluids that do not contain abrasive solid materials, the company said.
Etanorm V pumps are available with developed heads of up to 100 metres and capacities as high as 740 cubic metres per hour. Material choices include cast iron or stainless steel for the volute casings, and cast iron, stainless steel or bronze for the impellers.
Etanorm V series pumps are designed for the handling of neutral degreasing and phosphatizing solutions, wash water with degreasing agents, paints and oils. www.ksb.ca
NEW WATER LEVEL METER MODEL COSTEFFECTIVE CHOICE
Solinst Canada Ltd. has released an updated version of the Solinst Model 101 Water Level Meter it calls a cost-effective option with a basic yet durable design for depth-to-water level measurements.
The new meter uses polyethylene flat tape that has accurate heat-embossed markings in centimetre increments, Solinst said in a news release. Tape length options are 30, 60, and 100 metres. The tape is constructed with stainless steel conductors for strength and flexibility, also creating a dog-bone shape that reduces adherence to well casings. The tape is easy to repair and splice.
The Model 101B P1Probe is leak-proof, made from solid stainless steel, and 12.7 millimetres (half an inch) in diameter. The ergonomic reel and handle make the tape easy to wind, the company said, and portability is excellent.
The meter’s water-resistant electronics are housed inside the reel hub and powered by one nine-volt replaceable battery.
When the probe contacts enter water the electrical circuit is completed, activating the light and clearly audible buzzer on the water level meter faceplate. The water level is then determined by taking a reading directly from the tape. www.solinst.com
AWWDA SHOW
Continued from page 20
Fraser Porter of Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, who administers the Alberta Water Well Information Database, shared with members tips on how to make good use of their cellphones – along with a few laughs as people less familiar with their phone’s features grappled with the technology. Porter went over how to pinpoint the location of a well within a few feet by entering co-ordinates into Google Maps. When you’ve found the exact location after zooming in using the browse function, she said, hold your finger on the spot until in drops a pin, then email the co-ordinates to yourself.
Terrance Meyers, a lawyer with Ahlstrom Wright Oliver & Cooper LLP, told drillers how to go about filing a lien for unpaid work. Awareness of the tight deadlines involved is important, Meyers said.
Craig Dixon of Franklin Electric shared some of the features of SubDrive family of constant pressure drives featuring the NEMA 3R (type 3) enclosure, launched last
summer. Dixon described some advantages of variable frequency drive pumps: speed control, matching of pump output to demand, potential energy savings and programmable protection during power surges.
On Friday night, while the snow flew outside in a surprising end to an unusually mild winter, members had a chance to visit with colleagues over a delicious buffet dinner. Many hit the poker, blackjack and roulette tables of Vegas Night afterward to have some fun while trying not to lose their shirts.
As part of Saturday morning technical sessions, attendees heard from ground water policy advisor Jennifer MacPherson about proposed changes to the Alberta Water Act regulations. The ministry is seeking input from well drillers on the proposed changes, MacPherson said, and intends to incorporate their comments into an upcoming draft version. The intent is not to be prescriptive in laying down rules but to establish best practices for the industry. Topics ranged from grouting and sealing to timelines on online well record submissions.
Several members let their names stand for board positions
Two gleaming drill rigs – a Foremost DR-24 and an Atlas Copco TH60 – hold up one end of the Alberta Water Well Drilling Association trade show floor.
Longtime and honorary association member Jerry Topilka (centre) sizes up his chances at Vegas Night.
during the second session of the association’s annual general meeting.
To encourage showgoers to take advantage of the education program, Larson, president Kelly Topilka and other board members handed out tickets during each session that could be added to a draw for a $100 bill at that session’s end, a strategy that resulted in good attendance and some very happy showgoers. Attendance held steady this year, according to Larson, who
Former students David Kassian, Justin Lepper and Jordan Lepper visit instructor John Larson at the RDC booth.
has managed the show for the past 23 years.
“It’s a nice size of show,” said Kyla Melnyk, who works as a geo-environmental technologist at Amec. Melnyk added that she enjoyed the congenial atmosphere of the annual Alberta event.
She may have put her finger on an element that made this show so friendly and a place where talk of the economy and impending historic provincial election took a back seat to catching up with friends and colleagues who are like family.
INDUSTRY NEWS
SYMPOSIUM MULLS HOW TO STRUCTURE, FINANCE GROUND WATER MAPPING AND MONITORING
On May 28, a symposium at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs, hosted by Adele Hurley, director of the Program On Water Issues, considered how best to organize and finance mapping and monitoring of Canada’s ground water. It also what a co-ordinated national plan might look like.
“Security Underground: Financing Groundwater Mapping and Monitoring in Canada,” a half-day event that was accessible over the Internet through live streaming, focused on three recent policy works: a poll on Canadian attitudes toward ground water protection, a paper on management of ground water, and a paper on financing mapping and monitoring of the resource.
Nik Nanos presented the results of his company’s poll exploring Canadian attitudes toward the protection of Canada’s ground water. “Canadians’ views on groundwater issues and policies” found that, while Canadians see water as important, they fail to understand or appreciate its profound influence on our environment, health and economy. Water has a high level of importance because it has a “high level of proximity” to everyday Canadian lives, said Nanos, but to engage people, you have to tap into what ground water means to them.
Ralph Pentland, president of Ralbet Enterprises Inc. and prime author of the 1987 Federal Water Policy, summarized his paper “Destined to Fail? Groundwater Management in Canada.” Among other issues, the paper explores how the concepts of “social licence” (community acceptance of a project or activity) and “agency capture” (the overly close alignment of government with the demands of private industry) may influence ground water policy.
His work grapples with how to overcome the environment-economy stalemate created when developments that affect ground water happen without being granted social licence by the public. To break the logjam, he argued, we need access to information, public participation in decision making and access to justice. The current approach is destined to fail if we don’t develop what he calls “a healthier environmental democracy.”
Pentland proposed convening a group to explore issues and develop model legal provisions for consideration by provincial governments to develop a new policy.
A panel picked up on various aspects of the paper’s argument. Panellists were Bruce Pardy, professor, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University; Owen Saunders, senior fellow, Canadian Institute of Resources Law Faculty of Law, University of Calgary; Ian Binnie, former Supreme Court justice and currently counsel for Lenczer Slaght; and Randy Christensen, staff lawyer for Ecojustice Canada.
Saunders said his initial reaction to the paper was to question the focus on ground water, given that it is difficult
to discuss the resource independently of surface water, which itself already has a number of policies that could help form a framework.
However, he said, ultimately, because ground water is largely unknown and unseen, a discussion of ground water is more likely to lead to dialogue on wider water issues. He also noted that “we can’t assume there will be ‘widespread buy-in’ from the public.” Therefore, the way we choose and the way we frame topics are crucial.
David McLaughlin, strategic advisor on sustainability to the dean of environment at the University of Waterloo, and formerly president and chief executive officer of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, presented key points from his paper, which shares its title with the symposium. Although there is quite a bit of mapping and monitoring of ground water happening, he said, it is uneven, “spotty” and in need of a stronger funding model – possibly a hybrid of public and private financing. It faces barriers to financing, including lack of priority, lack of funding, lack of visibility, lack of integration and lack of value.
We have three options, he suggested: treat ground water as a form of “public trust” (as is done in the United States) to ensure full financing; treat it as an economic benefit and create a water royalty system; or treat it as an environmental heritage and thus develop a combination of public and private financing with a broad-based or localized ground water environmental surcharge.
He concluded that provincial and federal resources, including funding, directed toward stewardship are “woefully inadequate” and that a new approach would not only improve knowledge and management of ground water but also “shift the attitude we have exhibited to date on the importance of groundwater to our lives and livelihoods.”
Following McLaughlin’s talk, there was reaction from a second panel that included Harry Swain (in absentia), associate fellow, Centre for Global Studies, University of Victoria; Eric Hodgins, manager of hydrogeology and source water, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, in Ontario; John Challinor, director of corporate affairs, Nestle Waters Canada; Wayne Dybvig, president, Saskatchewan Water Security Agency; and Lorne Taylor, chair, Alberta Environmental Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting Agency (AEMERA).
Dybvig suggested the Prairie Provinces Water Board, which uses a risk-assessment approach to define aquifers, has a plan in draft form that could provide a model for how to consider the aquifers most at risk rather than try to identify all aquifers immediately. That plan involves reporting need, learning through mapping, drilling and monitoring, triggers and objectives for management, he said.
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