Program description:
Managing and treating the muddy drilling water and drill-cuttings during the air-rotary drilling of a water well can be a very challenging task, particularly when the drilling water and drill cuttings are going to flow right into a stream or flow into a storm drain pipe. A sediment filter bag is a very effective best management practice (BMP) that treats the muddy drilling water and contains the drill cuttings. The bag is made of a non-woven geotextile fabric that contains the drill cuttings while the air and treated water pass through the fabric.

This presentation will compare the effectiveness of using a sediment filter bag to other BMPs such as straw bales, a silt fence, or silt sox. The do’s and don’ts will be shown using examples from actual drilling sites. Because all of the drill cuttings are contained in the bag, site cleanup is made easier.

State-specific CEU recognition:

• Georgia Water Well Standards Advisory Council — 1 hour
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources — 1 CEU for well driller
• Louisiana Department of Natural Resources — 1 credit hour
• Maryland State Board of Well Drillers — 1 credit hour
• Minnesota Department of Health — 1 contact hour
• Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality — 1 hour
• Nevada Division of Water Resources — 1 CEU
• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection — 1 CEP (in effect through 03-31-2023)
• Oklahoma Water Resources Board — 1 CEU
• South Carolina Environmental Certification Board — 1 hour
• South Dakota Water Rights Program — 1 CEC
• Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation — 1 hour
• Washington Department of Ecology — 1 CEU
• Wyoming State Engineer’s Office — 1 CPC