How an Artesian or Flow Well Is Properly Plugged
Step by step through how an artesian or flow well is permanently sealed.
Plugging a well is not filling a hole. It is sealing a vertical pathway that may run hundreds of feet through several layers of ground, so that nothing can travel up or down it again. Done correctly it is permanent. Done badly it fails, and the failure is usually invisible until something goes wrong.
Here is what the work actually involves.
How the Work Is Done
Assessment
We look at the well and establish what we are dealing with. Depth, casing diameter and material, whether it is static or flowing, the condition of what is visible, and how equipment will reach it.
Old records and prior permits help when they exist. Often they do not, and on older properties what is on paper and what is in the ground do not match. The assessment is what makes the rest of the job predictable.
Permit Application
A permit is required before a well can be abandoned. We prepare and submit the application, which covers the well's location, construction details and the proposed plugging method.
In Martin, St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties, the South Florida Water Management District delegates well permitting to a local agency, so applications go to the county's permitting office rather than directly to the district. In Martin County that office is the Florida Department of Health in Martin County. We handle the application either way.
Removing Equipment
Anything left in the well comes out. Pump, drop pipe, wiring, pitless adapter, check valves. In a long abandoned well this is rarely clean, since equipment that has sat for decades tends to be corroded, seized or already partly collapsed.
Nothing can be left in the casing. Material in the well prevents grout from filling it properly, which is the difference between a sealed well and one that only looks sealed.
Clearing Obstructions
Many abandoned wells contain things nobody expected. Dropped pipe, broken parts, debris, and frequently material a previous owner poured in while trying to deal with the well themselves.
All of it has to come out. This is the step that most often changes the shape of a job, because what is down there is not known until the well is opened up.
Controlling Flow, If Required
If the well is a free flowing artesian well, often called a flow well, the pressure has to be managed before grouting. Water moving up the casing will carry grout with it, so the flow is controlled first.
This is the step that separates a routine job from a difficult one, and it is why flowing wells cost more and take longer than static wells.
Grouting from the Bottom Up
This is the core of the work. Grout is placed through a tremie pipe run to the bottom of the well, and the well is filled upward from there as the pipe is withdrawn.
The direction matters. Filling from the top down traps water and air in the column and leaves voids, which means the seal is not continuous. Grouting from the bottom displaces what is in the well as it goes and produces a solid column with no gaps.
The grout itself is a neat cement or bentonite based material specified for this purpose. Soil, sand, gravel and general concrete are not acceptable substitutes and do not seal the well.
Casing
Where the casing extends above or near the surface, it is cut off below grade so nothing is left protruding and the site can be returned to normal use.
Surface Restoration
The area around the well is backfilled and left tidy. For most properties the well simply disappears.
Documentation
A completion report is filed with the permitting authority recording how the well was abandoned, and you receive documentation for your records.
Keep it. This is what a title company, a buyer, a lender or a building department will ask for, sometimes years later. An abandonment with no paperwork is difficult to prove and tends to resurface as a problem during a sale.
Why the Method Matters
A well that has been filled rather than plugged can look identical from the surface. The difference shows up underground, where an incomplete seal still allows water and contaminants to move between layers.
The pathway is the thing being closed, not the hole at the top. That is the whole point of the procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does plugging a well take?
A straightforward static well is often a single visit. Deep wells, flowing wells, obstructed wells and wells that need locating first take longer. We give you a realistic timeframe after the assessment rather than before it.
Why is the well filled from the bottom instead of the top?
Filling from the top traps water and air and leaves voids in the column, so the seal is not continuous. Grouting from the bottom through a tremie pipe displaces what is in the well and produces a solid, unbroken plug.
What is the well filled with?
A neat cement or bentonite based grout specified for well abandonment. Soil, sand, gravel and ordinary concrete do not seal a well and are not acceptable under the rule, even though people sometimes use them.
Does everything have to come out of the well first?
Yes. Pump, pipe, wiring and any debris must be removed so the grout can fill the entire casing. Anything left behind creates voids and prevents a continuous seal.
What happens with a flowing artesian well?
The flow is controlled before grouting, because pressurized water moving up the casing will carry grout out with it. This adds time and equipment, which is why flowing wells are more involved than static ones.
Will there be anything left on the surface?
No. The casing is cut below grade and the area is backfilled. For most properties the well is no longer visible once the work is finished.
Do I need to be there while the work is done?
Not usually, provided we have access to the well. We will confirm arrangements with you before the visit.
What documentation do I receive?
A record showing the well was plugged under permit by a licensed contractor. Keep it with your property records. It is what a buyer, title company, lender or building department will ask for.
Can a plugged well be reopened later?
No. Abandonment is permanent. If you may want a well on the property in future, that is worth discussing before the work rather than after, since drilling a new well is a separate project.
Talk Through Your Well
Every well is different. We assess first, then tell you what the work involves and what to expect.