National Driller articles from January 2009

National Driller archives from January 2009

Greetings from Las Vegas.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lisa and Higgy Higgins get a visit from Brenda and Jason Kwiatkowski of Atwater Drilling LLC, Davidsonville, Md., at the National Ground Water Association's (NGWA) 2008 Ground Water Expo and Annual Meeting in Las...

Geothermal leadership honor.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
January 1, 2009... Stan Marco, CEO of Cambridge, Ontario-based GeoSmart Energy Inc., has been awarded the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition's prestigious national Leadership Award. The prize is awarded to individuals who demonstrate ongoing leadership in the...

Hydraulic fracturing bill.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
January 1, 2009... Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) has vowed to aggressively press for the passage of a bill he coauthored that would undo a provision that exempts hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas exploration and drilling from regulation under...

Convention venue change.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
January 1, 2009... The British Columbia Ground Water Association (BCGWA) has had a change in location for its upcoming convention. The dates remain Mar. 3-7, but the new site is the Penticton Lakeside Resort's Convention Centre & Casino in Penticton, British...

Associations come together.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
January 1, 2009... The Illinois Association of Ground Water Professionals (IAGP) has announced that, through a mutual agreement, the Illinois Water Quality Association (IWQA) has become part of IAGP. IWQA was founded in the early 1970s to support the...

Slope stabilization seminar.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
January 1, 2009... The Deep Foundations Institute is sponsoring an educational seminar titled, "Stabilizing Slopes Using Non-Earthwork Methods." The course will be presented Jan. 20 in Oakland, Mar. 3 in Dallas, June 26 in Cincinnati, and will provide an in-depth...

Water reuse trends.
January 1, 2009... Within the past few decades, planning for future potable water supplies has become an increasing concern nationwide. With the growth of communities and rapidly shrinking supplies of potable water, water professionals are looking to alternative...

Coming events.(Calendar)
January 1, 2009... January 5-7 Idaho Ground Water Association Convention Boise, Idaho 208-888-0988 www.igwa.info 8-10 Colorado Water Well Contractors Association Conference Denver 303-759-2294 www.cwwca.org 14-15 Wisconsin Water Well Association...

Single-phase pump motor protection: the fundamentals of pumped water systems.(Tech Topics)
January 1, 2009... Last month's article was the first of a 10-part series on the electrical portion of pumped water systems. We began with single-phase components, talking about pressure switches, two- and three-wire motors, enclosures and general hook-up...

Time to close up shop? Working for someone else would be a better deal for many contractors.(Smart Business)
January 1, 2009... This is not a pleasant article to write, because it has to do with failure. But don't equate failure with being a loser. Thomas Edison failed with thousands of different filaments before finding one able to sustain the light of an incandescent...

A history of geothermal energy in the United States.
January 1, 2009... Archaeological evidence shows that the first human use of geothermal resources in North America occurred more than 10,000 years ago. Paleo-Indians used hot springs for cooking, and for refuge and respite. Hot springs were neutral zones where...

Trading post.
January 1, 2009... Williams Acquires a New Sandvik Williams Well Drilling takes delivery of its new Sandvik T25 KW. Shown with the rig: Brad Williams and George Sherman of Williams Well Drilling, as well as David Owens and Tim Cleveland of Sandvik. ...

Geothermal opportunities--going green.(Porky's Hole Thoughts)
January 1, 2009... Recently, I have been traveling the northeastern part of the United States, and I am finding that due to the lack of new construction, water well drilling is slow. Many of the drillers are diversifying into the abandonment of oil wells, and/or...

A parting shot.
January 1, 2009... Land-Drill Geotechnics Ltd. of Scotland recently purchased four new Ingersoll Rand 17/235 portable compressors to provide compressed air for the company's fleet of drilling and boring machines for site investigation, geothermal, mineral...

The versatile PAC polymer.(Drilling Fluids)
January 1, 2009... In order for drilling fluids to perform all of the necessary functions--such as cooling and lubricating the bit, drill string, etc.; stabilizing the borehole; suspending and transporting drill cuttings (cleaning the borehole); reducing torque...

Raft River project wins EGS grant.(GEOTHERMAL DRILLING TOPICS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] U.S. Geothermal Inc., a renewable energy company focused on the production of electricity from geothermal energy, recently won a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE has chosen U.S. Geothermal's...

More than 190 million acres planned for geothermal power.(GEOTHERMAL DRILLING TOPICS)
January 1, 2009... The U.S. Department of the Interior plans to make more than 190 million acres of federal land in 12 western states available for geothermal energy development. Department of Interior's Final Geothermal Programmatic Environmental Impact...

Virginia's fall meeting highlights geothermal drilling.(GEOTHERMAL DRILLING TOPICS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On Oct. 10, more than 140 drillers and suppliers attending the Virginia Water Well Association Fall Meeting and Field Day were treated to a geothermal drilling and grouting demonstration. Also attending the demo were...

Expeditionary water packaging system.(Water Treatment Topics)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With a large number of busy, thirsty troops in Iraq, it is not surprising that there is a great demand for vast amounts of fresh bottled drinking water to be shipped to bases across the...

Parker buys Aqua Pro.(Water Treatment Topics)(Company overview)
January 1, 2009... Parker Hannifin Corp., a global leader in motion and control technology, has acquired Aqua Pro Inc., a manufacturer of reverse osmosis filtration systems. Aqua Pro sales for fiscal 2008 were $33.0 million. With manufacturing centers in Gardena...

Treatment plant design earns award.(Water Treatment Topics)
January 1, 2009... The Lake Pleasant Water Treatment Plant in Phoenix earned a 2008 National Design-Build Award from the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA). The plant currently serves 400,000 customers with an initial treatment capacity of 80 million...

POU systems are lauded.(Water Treatment Topics)
January 1, 2009... With consumers becoming more aware of contaminants in their drinking water, independent organizations are recommending home-based treatment systems as a solution. Recently, ABC News reported on the issue of pharmaceuticals in water supplies....

Landmark UV facility.(Water Treatment Topics)
January 1, 2009... The world's largest ultraviolet (UV) disinfection facility has begun construction. A joint venture of Malcolm Pirnie/CH2M HILL is serving as the construction management team for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection's...

Pipe and casing spinners.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... The original spinner from Rauch Manufacturing, the 512B, uses two hardened-steel serrated power rollers and one idle roller to handle sizes 23/8 inches to 71/2 inches. Included is a special spring counterweight system that helps reduce thread...

Steady water pressure.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Protector SPS from Perma Tank offers a steady pressure system. Intended to be easy to install, SPS works with any standard well pump from 1/2 HP to 3 HP, making it suitable for a retrofit, or a new installation...

Centralizer and spacer systems.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... KwikZIP produces inert centralizer and spacer systems for use with all types of casing, pipe and screen, including PVC, steel, fiberglass, gravel-packed screen installations and monitor wells. The systems are designed for rapid on-site assembly...

More tank sizes offered.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Flexcon Industries has added two new sizes for its Flow-thru tank line--the FT8 and FT66. The FT8 is a 2-gallon tank, which is used with various constant-pressure pump systems and VFD pump systems. This tank features...

Borehole viewing system.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With R-cam 1000 by Laval Underground Surveys, you can inspect the condition of any water well or borehole. The system comes with a professional-grade color camera and monitor, on-screen depth counter, and powered...

Well water treatment.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... Big Brand Water Filter Spring Water Series Big Blue filtration systems are particularly useful for well water treatment. Big Brand has a variety of cartridges available to suit your well water treatment application. Big Brand has string-wound...

Handbook for water well professionals.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... The third edition of Groundwater & Wells finally has arrived. This handbook by Johnson Screens focuses on the practical aspects of design, maintenance and drilling methods with the emphasis on useful, everyday application. Specific chapters are...

Grout Mixer.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... The new AD500E Magnum grout mixer from Atlantic Drill is designed to mix most grout recipes used in the drilling and foundation industries. Silo-fed, 2.5 Cu.-Yd. batches are said to be mixed quickly and accurately. The 50-HP electric motor...

Natural UV water purification.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The UV-700 System from Wyckomar Inc. is suitable for any residential water system, and is particularly useful on private wells. This system offers a dual filtration system, and is guaranteed to protect the water...

New well drilling book.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] American Water Works Association offers a new well drilling book, Siting, Drilling, and Construction of Water Supply Wells. It makes a suitable desk reference for questions regarding water wells, including siting,...

Reverse osmosis.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The newest product from Crane Environmental is the EPRO Series 1X440E/2X440E, a (1 or 2) 4-in.-by-40-inch membrane reverse osmosis system. The system is capable of producing up to 2,200 (4,400 with the 2X440E)...

New 3-inch submersibles.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Well Pumps S.A. announces its new range of 3-inch high-speed submersible pumps. Based on the all-stainless high-speed 4-inch submersibles, the WPS 3-inch pump is made entirely out of stainless steel, and comes...

Company makes addition to product line.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] American Granby now offers the new Industrial Liquid Wrench and Industrial Gunk brand group of products. These multi-use penetrating oils, greases, silicones and lubricants also include a line of aerosol contact...

Filtration system.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... The AquaNue system from Lancaster Water Treatment is an air-injection filtration system that removes iron deposits (stains) and hydrogen sulfide gas (rotten-egg odor) from water, without using any chemicals. The system works by aerating the...

Light commercial RO systems.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Reo-Pure LP-ES Series is a light commercial reverse osmosis (RO) system designed for robust operation. Standard features have been selected to provide accurate system monitoring, minimal operator involvement and...

Threaded drop pipe for submersibles.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CertainTeed Corp. offers a full line of KWIK-SET SCH80 and SCH120 threaded drop pipe for submersible pumps. With KWIK-SET, contractors can assemble 20-foot joints simply by screwing the pipes together. Separately...

Portable water-analysis test kits available.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CHEMetrics Inc. manufactures portable water-analysis test kits in both visual and instrumental formats. The V-2000 Multi-Analyte Photometer is pre-programmed to test more than 40 analytes, including chloride,...

Residential water treatment system.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Res-Kem Corp. has introduced its new Homestead System residential water treatment system product line. Sold through a network of dealers, these systems treat common water treatment problems, including hardness,...

Simple wireless pump control.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Remote Control Technology's wireless switch systems are said to be a simple solution for wireless pump control. Simply replace the wire that runs from the tank to the pump, and the system is ready for wireless pump...

Water-testing kit.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... Industrial Test Systems' eXact EZ Well Drillers Kit is said to offer immediate lab-quality water test results in the field. The kit includes the eXact EZ advanced photometer and six test parameters (free chlorine, total chlorine, pH, calcium...

Drilling and repair tools.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... J&K Tool Co. offers tools for drilling and repair. The Kwik Klamp 1 or 2 can be used on PVC, stainless and galvanized pipe. The company also manufactures PVC casing elevators for bell-end pipe sizes 1 inch to 16 inches, and heavy-duty elevators...

Control for electric pumps.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mascontrol is a device providing control for electric pumps used in residential, domestic irrigation and booster systems. Mascontrol monitors both pressure and flow, automatically controlling the operation of the...

Casing installation tools.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... The short-profile 48-inch casing driver model DND VH 6-12 from Drill an Drive Inc. installs 6- to 12-inch casing simultaneously as drilling takes place. The tools utilize the rotation and down-pressure of the drill stem to provide hammer impact...

Drill rods.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... Kingsland drill specializes in drill rods for all applications, whether you are drilling 60 feet or 6,000 feet deep to provide water, a sound foundation, blasthole or gas well, straight holes or directional. Kingsland Drill International, Card...

UV disinfection.(BEST OF 2008)
January 1, 2009... TrojanUV offers ultraviolet light disinfection. The TrojanUVMax line of residential and commercial products treats water for the whole home, eliminating 99.99 percent of bacteria, viruses and chlorine-resistant cysts such as Cryptosporidium and...

Geothermal drilling.(The World According To Wayne)
January 1, 2009... With the recent housing downturn, a lot of drillers are expanding their horizons and looking for work different than what grandpa did. Geothermal drilling is one example. Actually, the better name would be geo-exchange drilling. Geothermal...

Water treatment buyers' guide.(Water Treatment Topics)(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A valuable reference, National Driller's Water Treatment Buyers' Guide is available online at www.nationaldriller.com (click on "Directories"). Whether you're in the market for dry pellet chlorinators or disposable...

WEFTEC's growth continues.(Water Treatment Topics)
January 1, 2009... Record-setting numbers of 21,950 attendees and 1,111 companies using 290,000 net square feet of exhibit space have designated WEFTEC.08--the Water Environment Federation's (WEF) Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference--as the largest event...

Drinking water research grants.(Water Treatment Topics)
January 1, 2009... The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the award of $3.6 million in research grants to four universities, one non-profit, and one research institute to improve the detection of known and emerging drinking water contaminants,...

Soil sampling with direct-push technology.
January 1, 2009... Direct-push technology (DPT) devices are investigation tools that drive or push small-diameter rods and tools (typically not exceeding four inches in diameter) into the subsurface by hydraulic or percussive methods. Specialized direct-push...