New technique for landfill leachate well installation

The installation method fulfilled our expectations. The entire well installation took eight writing days to complete, for an average of two wells per day. It met our Health and Safety, waste volume, environmental risk and uniform sandpack expectations. Health and Safety concerns were minimal. We found that virtually all work could be completed using Level D protection. The volume of waste produced by the well installation was extremely low. The core samples and casing scrapings were the only well installation wastes directly produced. The waste containers which required sampling prior to disposal were: Decontaminated water (330 gallons), Personnel protective equipment and water (715 gallons), Soil cores (25 gallons), Land leachate (440 gallons). Each waste type was sampled and submitted to a laboratory for analyses of full Appendix 3 plus U.S. EPA toxicity parameters. The results verified that all of the wastes could be disposed of on-site. Since the only drilling wastes were the clay core samples and the very small amount of material adhering to the casing, contamination of the new clay cap did not occur. A uniform sandpack was guaranteed through the use of a presanded well screen. The loose sand added when the casing was removed served to fill any voids. All the leachate wells have water in them, and it appears that they will function adequately. We are in the process of constructing a treatment and storage facility to manage the liquids to be extracted for off-site disposal. The long-term effectiveness of the wells will be quantified. This well installation method should be considered in situations requiring the following: expedited installation; reduced Health and Safety concerns; reduced disposal costs; reduced potential for adverse environmental impact; and comparable installation costs. The choice of this method must include considerations of the subsurface geology and the nature of any manmade materials