What we do...

People ask "what do you do?" never having heard of scientific and technical services for ground water supply and protection. We perform (1) hydrogeology, which is the scientific study of ground water and its earthen framework (hydrology + geology), but which in practice encompasses planning and forensics, and other scientific disciplines, in our case including microbiology and hydrogeochemistry. (2) We also plan, supervise and evaluate the maintenance and rehabilitation of wells and similar hydraulic structures. This is a multidisciplinary field. We work mostly (but hardly exclusively) with public water supply and environmental projects. We also do a lot of writing and training.

What is a hydrogeologic investigation for anyway?

These studies are conducted by researching available published data from government and private sources and conducting additional field work as needed to understand the location. The field work may consist of test drilling, well construction, pumping tests, geophysics, water sampling and other useful analyses.

How will an investigation help in decision making?

Ground Water Science (alias Smith-Comeskey) can provide a full range of hydrogeologic services and investigations. We use state-of-the-art investigation methods and computer modeling to study and analyze your local hydrogeology. We have many years of pump testing, drilling, sampling, aquifer characterization and modeling experience to assist you with a ground water concern, including...

• aquifer testing and analysis: siting new production wells and site characterization
• supervising test, production, and observation well construction
• OEPA (and beyond Ohio!) new public water supply well support
• step-testing and analysis: We insist on doing it right so you benefit from valid results
  
• minimizing well interference and well field maximization
• interpretation of down-hole camera surveys & borehole geophysical logging
• water sampling
• applying appropriate models -- usually improved numerical methods -- to the hydrogeologic setting using our wide experience in well maintenance and optimization and our solid knowledge and experience with fractured rock as well as particulate aquifers.

We can (and frequently do!) supervise well step-tests in BOTH fractured rock AND sand/gravel aquifers and analyze the results to document the performance of your wells. Monitoring changes in well performance provides the data needed by managers to determine the need for well rehabilitation or replacement.

We also conduct long-term aquifer tests to determine aquifer characteristics.These data are used to plan well field expansions, estimate well interference and delineate well head (source water) protection areas.

We can assist in choosing a location for a new well by conducting an investigation to characterize the aquifer at your location. We can assist with specifications for test drilling and construction of test, monitoring and production wells and then supervise the work. Along with our experience with drilling supervision, Ground Water Science is experienced at interpreting borehole geophysical logs and down-hole camera surveys to enhance an understanding of your local geology.

Ground Water Science conducts the well performance tests and sampling required by the Ohio EPA for approval of a new public water supply well -- for the same money, going beyond their requirements to provide you with really valid information -- not just a paper study to fulfill a requirement. We provide you with an analysis of the well's performance to transmit to the state. We love to do school and other small PWS facility projects in Ohio.

Wellfield rehabilitation and maintenance are specialties here at Ground Water Science. We have conducted extensive research, supervised numerous projects cleaning wells and work to get wellfields into "maintenance mode." We work for the well operator. Check out our "Well M&R Gateway" for more information and services. return to top 

Cincinnati Sprinkler Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. Evaluate and test pump the performance of the water supply well. Mercer County Home, Celina, OH (with K. Strickland, Wright State). Brief report with recommendations. Ron Billman. Very early! January 1984
WW Engineering & Science, Columbus, Ohio (formerly EGS and Ohio Ground Water Consultants, now Earth Tech, who won't give a darn about us, we're sure). 1) Develop research plan for and conduct of ground water quality sampling for a construction-related hydrogeologic study, Catawba Twp., Ottawa County, Ohio. Quarterly analysis of 90 wells and one-time analysis of over 1000 wells, assistance in publishing results. Field work start up December 1988. Glen Hartzell. 1989-19912) Sampling and analysis field work, Michigan landfill. Steve Thacker. December 1989-January 1990.
 Village of Ada, Ada, Ohio. 1) Hydrogeologic well performance testing and well field condition review, including examination of samples, equipment and down-hole TV. Produced to date: geologic well log profile, well maintenance requirement report and constant rate time-drawdown tests (1991). 2) Geologic assistance with sludge land application permit (1992).  3) Assist with well and pump repair and rehabilitation specifications and evaluation. May 1994-present. 4) Delineate wellhead protection area and develop well head protection plan. April 1994-present. WHPP fully endorsed (first in northwest Ohio AND earned Ohio AWWA Model Wellhead Protection Award) Also previous work.
Village of Beverly, Beverly, Ohio. Richard McNabb, W/WW Spt. File and field sampling study to define the location and extent of PCE contamination in aquifer in vicinity of municipal well field. May - August 1991.
Village of Dunkirk, Ohio. Hank Baily, Supt. 1) Consult and assist with well upgrade to avoid GWUI designation (plans for and supervising casing lengthening 7/93). 2) Well head protection planning, (from 9/95). 3) Planning proposed wellfield. January 1993 - present.
Wilson Sporting Goods Co., Chicago, Illinios. Perform Level I ESA on Ada, Ohio (home of the NFL football) industrial property. April 1994.
Allen East Local School District, Harrod, Ohio. 1) Plans, specifications, and testing for a new well for Harrod school buildings. February 1995-July 1995. 2) Bacteriological troubleshooting. November 1995. 3)) Plans, specifications, and testing for a new well for Lafayette school buildings. December 1995-June 1996.
Mohawk Local Schools, Sycamore, Ohio. Randy Chamberlain. Conducted pumping tests on two new public water supply wells, collected required water samples and provided brief reports in compliance with Ohio EPA New Public Water Supply Well regulations. July 1996 - January 1997.
Village of Coldwater, Coldwater, Ohio. Brian Wilcox, Tom Ault. 1) Supervised step-testing and rehabilitation of several municipal wells. Develop specifications, supervise work, collect biological samples and analyze step-tests results to document effectiveness of rehabilitation and resulting well performance. 2) Analyzed interference among all village wells and proposed a pumping scenario to maximize wellfield efficiency. 3) Provided guidance on locating future production wells, and provided specifications for drilling and testing of the new wells (new wells completed 2004). 4) Performing numerical model of wellfields to delineate well head protection area. WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA ENDORSED WITH NO MODIFICATION and UNDER BUDGET. Source water protection plan ongoing. August 1996 -present.
Village of Ottoville, Ohio. Planned new deep well to replace older ones with corroded casings. Wellhead protection area delineation being endorsed by Ohio EPA. New wells installed 2001-2002. 1997-ongoing.
Village of Spencerville, Spencerville, Ohio. 1) Reviewed geologic reports and provided village with assesment of posible impacts on village wells by additional ground-water development in area. 2) Assessing wellfield performance and area of influence to guide future expansion and delineate well head protection area, 3) Delineation WHPA (finished and endorsed, March 1998). 4) Testing of well capacity and wellfield performance under way. October 1996-present.
City of Oxford, Ohio. Dave Weihrauch, Lead WTP Operator. 1) Delineate WHPA for Seven Mile Creek aquifer wellfield, involving calculation of surface water-ground water interactions in a glacio-fluvial aquifer with complex layering. ENDORSED in what must be RECORD TIME in January 1998. 2) Hydrogeologic supervision, tests in Hueston Woods, 1998. 3) Upgrades of Seven Mile Creek wellfield in progress.
City of Hamilton, Ohio. Analyze well testing data from Jackson & Sons, well contractor for the city, to estimate well performance and establish well parameters. Conduct hydrologic analysis and modeling in support of wellfield capacity planning. Supervise and document new wells for water treatment plant and power plant (very high capacity) including working around a Superfund site remediation. 2000-ongoing.

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What is well head protection?

Well head protection is protecting a public well, wellfield or spring from contamination by identifying the area (a well head protection area) through which a contaminant may travel to reach the well, wellfield or spring. This is the part of Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) dealing with ground water supplies.

Usually the well head (or ground water source water) protection area is is based on the amount of time a contaminant may take to travel through the area to reach the water source, often 1 and 5 years, and in some states, 10 or more years. The 1 and 5 year travel time areas allow a supplier at least a little time to react to a problem should one occur. Within the well head protection area, monitoring of the groung water is regularly conducted to determine if a contaminant is migrating towards the water supply. Also, some activities may be regulated within the area to preclude some contaminants from threatening the water supply. The source water protection plan consiste of of the well head protection area, an inventory of possible sources of contamination, vulnerability assessment, and an emergency contigency plan should a contaminant threaten the water supply.

Why is Wellhead Protection Important -- And Why do it Properly?
See also Why WHPA Delineation is Not a Video Game

The U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act (similar to legislation in other nations such as Canada) was amended in 1996 to mandate well head protection areas to protect public water supply wells, wellfields and springs from contamination. Also, the costs of completing and implementing a well head protection plan, monitoring and regulating some activities are far less than the costs of emergency procedures, such as providing an emergency water supply or remediating the ground water, should the public well become contaminated.

What are the approaches to well head protection?

There are several approaches to delineating the well head protection area that range from very simple to complex. The simplest method requires no input other than political consensus on the area to be protected and requires little time to develop. At the other end of the range is numerical aquifer modeling which requires a knowledge of hydrogeology and much data about the aquifer system as input. States can do generalized SWAP studies, but at least from the Ohio model, these are NO SUBSTITUTE for a localized wellfield source protection plan because they offer insufficient detail -- and besides, a good wellfield model has many uses, it is not just for pleasing the EPA.

The available methods for delineating well head protection areas also vary as to how well they simulate the actual behavior of the aquifer. There is some "false economy" in advice (sometimes coming from regulators and some public water supplier organizations) on WHPA delineation choices. (See WHPA delineation is not a video game....)

The simplest methods often do not represent the ground water flow system well at all. This is especially true for rock aquifers and any aquifer more complex than a sand filter -- in which there is laminar flow. The drawback to employing methods that do not adequately simulate the flow system within the aquifer is that the resulting well head protection area will over-protect some areas and under-protect others. Money will be wasted monitoring and regulating areas that do not part of the flow system to the well while other areas will be left vulnerable.

Numerical modeling, however, can reasonably simulate the flow system within all kinds of aquifers at the scale of a WHPA. This kind of modeling takes into account geologic data about the aquifer and determines which areas to protect and which areas not to protect. Done properly (a key qualification), common numerical models do a good job even with fractured sedimentary rock aquifers such as sandstones and limestones, as well as properly modeling features such as surface-ground water boundaries.

Analytical methods done properly (again, a key qualification) can be useful for delineating a "first-step" WHPA where budgets are so tight that the work might not be done at all, or where hydrogeologic data are inadequate for developing a numerical model. Such WHPA delineations should be followed up in the future.

Why have Ground Water Science perform your well head protection planning?

• the state won't get your delineation done in time - to avoid contamination in place
• real-world experience and qualifications
• works with you for most acceptable methods employs valid modeling methods for your aquifer situation
• conducts thorough hydrogeologic investigations
• cost effective: "More bang for the buck" because, with us, you get:
• personal attention by the partners in YOUR job (the experienced partners don't just wave their hand over your report -- they do the testing, the modeling, the report, and the interaction with YOU)
• Relationship and track record with regulatory agencies
• active participation in national ground water protection activities such as the Groundwater Guardian Program
• More company qualifications.

Some Representative Projects:

Village of Dunkirk, Dunkirk, Ohio. Hank Baily, Supt. 1) Consult and assist with well upgrade to avoid GWUI designation (plans casing lengthening 7/93). 2) Well head protection planning, (from 9/95). 3) Planning proposed well field. January 1993 - present. Wellhead protection plan entirely endorsed in 1999.

Village of Ada, Ada, Ohio. 1) Assist with well and pump repair and rehabilitation specifications and evaluation. May 1994-present. 2) Delineate wellhead protection area and develop well head protection plan. April 1994-present. WHPP entirely endorsed -- Winner of Ohio Section AWWA WHP Award, Small Town Division, 1997. Also previous work.

Village of Forest, Forest, Ohio. Delineate wellhead protection area and develop well head protection plan. WHPA Endorsed.

Village of Coldwater, Coldwater, Ohio. Finished detailed numerical model of wellfields to delineate well head protection area. This model is also being used for wellfield design planning. August 1996 -present. We hope you caught our paper at the Ohio Section AWWA meeting in September 1997. WHPA endorsed.

Village of Convoy, Ohio. Delineate wellhead protection area. Another model to be used for well placement and sizing planning. WHPA ENDORSED 1998.

City of Oxford, Ohio. Delineate Seven-Mile aquifer wellfield protection area and develop maintenance plans. June 1997 to present. WHPA Endorsed in RECORD TIME.

Village of Carey, Ohio. Even after Ohio EPA decides it will delineate all SWAP "for free" (EPA funds as a way to pay Ohio staff), some towns come to private-sector professionals. Using site-specific (actually measured!) head, aquifer test, and lithologic data, we delineate a wellhead protection area using a simulation in MODFLOW-MODPATH that is sensitive to and can account for head relationships. Ohio EPA decides that (based on no evidence) our recharge is too high (even when a major recharge area is karst!) and the delineation "looks wierd", so they make their own. You can't win them all, especially if you can't appeal a decision of one person to another level of hydrogeologists. At least the village has a valid model for future planning. 

More project experience
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Our commitment to our clients: Satisfaction - We at Ground Water Science believe that our most important measure of success is client satisfaction. We are committed to providing services to our clients that provide value, and do our best to consistently offer an ability to anticipate, as well as meet, client expectations.

• Fiscal and business - Ground Water Science (a firm privately held by its operating professionals, and not other corporations) recognizes the concern for quality and cost with respect to work being performed. We understand that funds assigned to ground-water and environmental projects are expenditures ultimately borne by the community as taxes or consumer costs.  In other words, we know we are working for other people's hard-earned money. We are committed to assisting communities, corporations and other agencies to identify and (where possible, given needs) minimize costs associated with water supply development, management and maintenance.
• Technical - Ground Water Science's ability to provide innovative, cost-effective solutions to client issues is founded on the principle of providing the best people available. From that comes the ability to bring to bear whatever technical solutions are needed.  Our own people and contractors are experts in the fields related to the issues addressed.
• Professional - Ground Water Science commits to maintaining the highest level of ethical and professional standards. We stand by the professional ethics of our certifications and what our moms and dads and Sunday School teachers taught us about treating other people right, being honest and providing an honest day's work for a day's pay. If you think you get anything less from us or our contractors, tell us. And please - Don't ask us to bend our work to your desired result.
• Contractual - Although written contracts and agreements are part of the way our business is conducted, our philosophy is that a verbal promise and a handshake still represent a commitment. We try to keep it simple and fair, and that's all we ask of you.
• Cost Control - We do all we can to deliver our agreed-upon results within the established price and schedule, but do not compromise quality - which represents cost control in the long run.

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