Online Course
Groundwater Wells, Pumps and Treatment Fundamentals
Protect a groundwater source from the aquifer to the tap: how aquifers and wells work, how to keep the wellhead sealed, what the pump and controls are telling you, how to track water levels and well performance, and how to handle quality changes and emergencies.
Course Details
- Certificate
- 1.0 hour
- Time
- About 65 minutes
- To pass
- 80% or better on the final
- Price
- Free in most places. $20, or $150 for a yearly pass in Alabama, Arizona, Idaho and South Carolina. See prices
For You
Pick your state or province to see if this course counts.
Your progress
Checking your course record…
What You'll Learn
- Explain groundwater as a source: recharge, water tables, unconfined and confined aquifers, drawdown, seasonal effects, travel time and operating data.
- Describe well anatomy, casing, screen and grout, the sanitary seal and vent, drainage, wellhead protection, contamination pathways and inspection.
- Explain submersible and vertical-turbine pumps, motors and couplings, check valves, meters and gauges, starters and drives, alarms and backup power.
- Measure static and pumping water levels, calculate and trend drawdown and specific capacity, and recognize well or pump decline before acting.
- Recognize groundwater quality concerns: microbes, iron and manganese, hardness, nitrate, arsenic, sulfide and corrosion, salinity and turbidity.
- Match treatment to the contaminant: aeration, oxidation, filtration and backwashing, softening, adsorption, disinfection and residual monitoring.
- Run inspection routes, collect representative samples, read trends, plan maintenance and rehabilitation, prepare for sanitary surveys and keep records.
- Troubleshoot low flow, lost capacity, short cycling, quality changes, positive microbial results, flooding, power failure and return to service.
What's Inside 8 parts, 72 pages
Groundwater and Aquifer Basics 9 pages
- Groundwater as a Drinking-Water Source
- Recharge and the Water Cycle Underground
- Water Tables and Saturated Zones
- Unconfined and Confined Aquifers
- Wells, Cones of Depression, and Drawdown
- Seasonal and Drought Effects
- Groundwater Movement and Travel Time
- Reading the Source Through Operating Data
- Module 1 Checkpoint
Wells and Wellhead Protection 9 pages
- Public-Supply Well Anatomy
- Casing, Screen, and Grout
- The Sanitary Seal and Well Vent
- Finished Grade and Drainage
- Protecting the Wellhead Area
- Contamination Pathways Near Wells
- Cross-Connections and Flooding Risks
- Routine Wellhead Inspection
- Module 2 Checkpoint
Pumps, Motors, and Controls 9 pages
- How Well Pumps Lift Water
- Submersible Pump Systems
- Vertical-Turbine Pump Systems
- Motors, Shafts, and Couplings
- Check Valves and Backflow Prevention
- Flowmeters, Pressure Gauges, and Level Signals
- Starters, Variable-Frequency Drives, and Controls
- Alarms, Shutdowns, and Backup Power
- Module 3 Checkpoint
Flow, Pressure, and Well Performance 9 pages
- Static Water Level
- Pumping Water Level
- Calculating and Trending Drawdown
- Specific Capacity as a Performance Indicator
- Flow, Pressure, and System Demand
- Pump Runtime and Cycling
- Recognizing Well or Pump Decline
- Confirming Problems Before Corrective Work
- Module 4 Checkpoint
Groundwater Quality Concerns 9 pages
- Why Groundwater Quality Changes
- Microbial Contamination and Vulnerability
- Iron and Manganese
- Hardness and Scale
- Nitrate and Agricultural Influence
- Arsenic and Other Naturally Occurring Contaminants
- Sulfide, Odor, and Corrosive Conditions
- Salinity, Turbidity, and Unexpected Changes
- Module 5 Checkpoint
Treatment and Disinfection 9 pages
- Matching Treatment to the Contaminant
- Aeration and Gas Removal
- Oxidation of Iron and Manganese
- Filtration and Backwashing
- Softening and Scale Control Overview
- Adsorption and Specialized Treatment Overview
- Groundwater Disinfection Systems
- Residual Monitoring and Process Control
- Module 6 Checkpoint
Inspection, Sampling, and Maintenance 9 pages
- Building a Consistent Inspection Route
- Collecting Representative Samples
- Avoiding Sampling Contamination
- Reading Trends Instead of Single Numbers
- Preventive Maintenance for Well Facilities
- Well Cleaning and Rehabilitation Awareness
- Sanitary Surveys and Corrective Actions
- Records, Communication, and Shift Handoffs
- Module 7 Checkpoint
Troubleshooting and Emergency Response 9 pages
- Low Flow or Low Pressure
- Excessive Drawdown or Lost Capacity
- Frequent Starts and Stops
- Sudden Water-Quality Changes
- Positive Microbial Results
- Flooding, Spills, and Wellhead Damage
- Power Failure and Equipment Outage
- Returning a Well to Service
- Module 8 Checkpoint and Course Review
More Details
Who It's For
Drinking water operators who run wells at any level and people studying to become operators. No experience needed.
Format
72 narrated pages with short checks and a final. Built by a working wastewater operator (Washington Group III).
Where Does This Course Count?
A course counts toward your continuing education credit only once your state or province accepts it. Today our courses count in Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, South Carolina, where courses need no pre-approval, and we are asking more states. Ask us to add your state or province.
Do I Need an Account?
Yes, to take the course. Signing in lets us record your time and issue your certificate. This page, the topic pages and the practice questions need no account.
Can I Skip Ahead?
No. Each page has a minimum time before the next one opens, and your time is recorded.
What Do I Get When I Finish?
A certificate of completion from Operator Master for 1.0 hour, once you pass the final with 80% or better. Your operator certificate or license always comes from your state, not from Operator Master.