FAQ

A well is placed making sure all set-backs are met, by maintaining proper distances from barns, lagoons, waterways property lines, roads, sewers, powerlines, houses, and buildings. It is also important to consider flood areas.

Before drilling, we utilize our resources and over 40+ years of experience to estimate what the flow rate and quality of the water will be. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees for how much water will be available until the drilling is complete. At that time an aquifer test is conducted to determine flow and samples are taken to determine hardness and iron levels.

Abandoned wells can be a hazard to groundwater resources. Alberta Environment requires all abandoned wells to be decommissioned as per the Alberta Water Act. Landowners can be held responsible for ensuring abandoned wells are properly decommissioned.

A water well is considered “abandoned” when

• It is no longer in use and there is no plan to use it in the future.
• It is no longer being maintained with annual disinfection treatments.
• It cannot be repaired
• It no longer produces water

Before a well can be abandoned, it must have the pumping equipment removed, be blown out to remove debris, and be disinfected, it can be plugged off with a suitable material such as Bentonite or Cement.

The process of plugging a well can be complex and hazardous. It is recommended to contact a licensed water well driller. A licensed contractor will then file your decommissioning report with Alberta Environment.

Yes. Our quotes are always detailed and transparent. We will spell out everything that we will do and the parts we use. There is no second guessing with our quotes.

Gone are the days of lump-sum billing. We have found our clients appreciate our transparent and detailed quotes. Clients are able to see the details of how we expect to design their well with specific detail on materials and quantities. Specific details are available on depth, casing size, casing material and pumping system requirements.

Smells can be tricky to eliminate! There are so many things that can stink up your supply. This list includes Hot Water Tank, H2s, soft water, and bacteria. At Darcy’s Drilling, we will work with you to eliminate the source.

If you have recently replaced your Hot water tank – the sacrificial anode can react with the well water producing a “rotten-egg” smell. We recommend a Corro-protec Powered Anode https://www.corroprotec.com/powered-anode-rod/

As bleach is corrosive, pouring chlorine bleach down a well can harm the structure of your well and ruin the pumping components, such as the submersible pump, fittings, pipe, and wire. Bleach has also been found ineffective in killing bacteria due to shelf life and the PH of the water.

Unless you are familiar with water wells and are comfortable with handling chemical, please leave this process to a licensed water well-drilling contractor.

The process is designed to inactivate harmful bacteria in your water supply. Annual disinfection is a maintenance tool that reduces the chances of further issues and costs associated with an overgrowth of bacteria.

Alberta Environment recommends that wells be disinfected every year. This process is also usually required for real-estate sales.

• Upon completion of a new well
• Before returning a well to service after it has sat unused for an extended period of time
• Annual water sample test indicates a presence of bacteria
• After the surrounding of the well have flooded
• If the water has a slime or odor