Water Well Journal

February 2015

Water Well Journal

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In this ISSUE T he February issue of Water Well Journal focuses on ground source heat pumps and contains two feature articles and a column on the subject. The first feature article is designed to aid geothermal system installers in figuring out what system is best for their customers. Authored by Jeff Persons, CGD, the ar- ticle is the first in a two-part series and is titled "Open Loop Geothermal System Survey." It begins on page 15. Persons goes over items every system designer must do and then provides a sur- vey of questions that must be answered to ensure the best system will be installed for its owner. Among his tips are reviewing well logs, going over the construction of the well and the formation it was drilled in, and reviewing the water quality. The questions he asks in his survey are related to water quality. Among them are: Is there a water softener? Is there a filter canister before the water softener? Are there any spent filters available for viewing? Freelance writer Jennifer Strawn authors the feature article titled "Don't Lose Your Shirt" on page 19. It states what many contractors working in geothermal already know—that when bidding on a job it is easy to have a competitor swoop in with a bid significantly lower than yours. She cautions in the race to get jobs it can be easy to overlook costly details, lead- ing you to lose money. She then goes over five mistakes you don't want to make when you're getting ready to bid a job. Not doing your homework and ignoring hidden costs are among the mistakes she cites. She provides details and talks to contractors from around the country about each. The latest installment of the Engineering Your Business column also covers geo- thermal. Columnist Ed Butts, PE, CPI, begins a two-part series with an article titled "Geothermal Supply and Recovery System Using a Groundwater Source" on page 36. The two articles will detail a project Butts' company worked on. The project involved a community with a variety of housing types where ground- water could be the sole water supply for a parallel configuration of water-to-air heat pumps in each individual residence and large facilities, such as a greenhouse and community center, for heating and cooling purposes, as well as retaining the groundwater for irrigation and potentially for potable water supply. This article goes over the planning of the job and the investiga- tion of the existing water supply. The investigation included video surveys of an existing well on the property, determination of the well's physical characteristics, aquifer analysis, and water quality testing. A feature story by Tom Moffitt details a project recap where contractors had to use environmentally responsible drilling practices because they were in a threatened species habitat area. In "When a Tortoise Needs More Than a Shell for Protec- tion" on page 26, Moffitt tells the story of AZCA Drilling & Pump Inc., which had a job in southeastern California for a solar energy provider where it had to drill carefully as it was in the home of desert tortoises. Drilling in a threatened species habitat in a California Desert Conservation Area administered by the federal Bureau of Land Management meant heavy restrictions on AZCA's site access and drilling techniques. Senior Editor Mike Price recaps the 2014 NGWA ® Groundwater Expo and Annual Meeting, which was back in Las Vegas and took place December 9-12. The 66th NGWA Expo drew a total attendance of 5245 and spanned all sectors of the groundwater industry—water well contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, and scientists and engi- neers. In "What a Return" on page 30, Price details how the Expo achieved its strongest show since 2008, speaking with attendees, exhibitors, and NGWA staff about the groundwater industry's largest event. Disclaimer Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association provide information for guid- ance and information purposes only. This publi- cation is not intended to provide investment, tax, or legal advice. The information contained herein has been compiled from sources deemed reliable and it is accurate to the best of our knowledge and belief; however, Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association cannot guarantee as to its accuracy, completeness, and validity and cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions. All information contained herein should be independently verified and confirmed. Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association do not accept any liability for any loss or damage howsoever caused in reliance upon such information. Reader agrees to assume all risk resulting from the application of any of the information provided by Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association. Trademarks and copyrights mentioned within Water Well Journal are the ownership of their respective companies. The names of products and services presented are used only in an edu- cational fashion and to the benefit of the trade- mark and copyright owner, with no intention of infringing on trademarks or copyrights. No endorsement of any third-party products or services is expressed or implied by any infor- mation, material, or content referred to in the Water Well Journal. Subscriptions/Back Issues For questions, changes or problems with your subscription call Katie Neer. Subscriptions: Water well contractors and other qualified groundwater industry personnel in U.S. and Canada — free; others in U.S. — $115 per year; $15 per copy. Canada – $135 per year; $24 per copy. International: $150 per year; $35 per copy. Subscriptions available through NGWA offices only. We reserve the right to re- fuse subscriptions to anyone not directly en- gaged in the groundwater industry. Claims for missing issues must be made in writing within three months of publication and will be subject to the availability of back issues. Advertising Disclaimer Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for all content (including text, repre- sentation, and illustrations) of advertisements printed and also assume responsibility for any claims arising therefrom made against the pub- lisher. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising that it believes is not in keeping with the publication's standards or is deemed unsuitable or misleading. Ed Butts, PE, CPI Mike Price WWJ February 2015 7 Twitter @WaterWellJournl

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