DRILLING A WELL IN THE FRASER VALLEY

Drilling a Well in the Fraser Valley?
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Fraser Valley Well Drilling & Repair

Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Yarrow, Sardis, Clearbrook, Harrison Lake, Hope, Ladner, Langley, Fort Langley, Aldergrove, Cloverdale, Maple Ridge, Whonnock, Ruskin, Pitt Meadows, Mission, Dewdney, Coquitlam, Burnaby, Surrey, Tsawwassen, & White Rock.

We service Sea-to-Sky, including Squamish, Whistler & Pemberton

How the Water Well Industry Gambles With Your Money

Picture the scene. For three agonizing days, you've watched a drilling crew tear up your property. The constant, thunderous roar of their rig has been the soundtrack to your mounting anxiety as they bore deeper and deeper—400 feet down, with 300 feet straight into what you hope is water-bearing rock.

Then, the moment you've been dreading arrives. The driller walks toward you, his face telling the story before he even speaks. "Sorry," he says, not quite meeting your eyes. "We're at 400 feet and still bone dry."

Your mouth goes dry. Your chest tightens. The mental calculator in your head starts spinning—$85 per foot, $90 per foot, whatever that vague estimate said—multiplied by 400 feet. The number is dizzying. You've just incinerated your budget on a useless hole in the ground, the perfect place to bury what's left of your savings.

Then comes the unbelievable follow-up: "We could move the rig to another spot and try again," he suggests casually, as if offering you a coffee, not proposing to double your already crushing expense.

And in that sickening moment, you realize the terrible truth of the well-drilling industry's dirty secret: they get paid whether you get water or not.

My name is Colleen Roberts, and for over 33 years, I have been a groundwater consultant and well-siting specialist in British Columbia. Over that time, I have sited more than 2,000 wells with a 95% success rate in the toughest locations. I have built my career and reputation on this track record because I've seen the financial and emotional devastation this industry's standard practice leaves behind.

The "Hope & Pray & Get Paid Anyway" method is not bad luck; it's a business model that transfers all the risk from the so-called expert to the unsuspecting property owner. They drill blind, hoping to get lucky, and charge you full price even if they find nothing.

This isn't a rare occurrence. I was recently called to a property where previous drillers had drilled 5 dry holes totaling 3,500 feet of wasted effort. The owners spent a fortune, facing a potential six-figure nightmare, and had nothing to show for it. We were able to locate 15 GPM in just 120 feet, but their story is a cautionary tale of how expensive guesswork can be.

Hundreds, likely thousands, of dry holes are documented in the BC Ministry of Environment database, and many hundreds more go unreported. It's a legalized gamble you are set up to lose. But you never had to take that bet. The story of Ryan McDonald is further proof.

The Langley Disaster: A $70,000 Well That Pumped Only Mud

The Langley Disaster: A $70,000 Well That Pumped Only MudLast winter, I received a call from Ryan McDonald, a property owner on 256 Street in Langley, British Columbia. He had just spent around $2 million building his new dream home. A water well had been drilled on the property before construction began. Once the home was completed and the system was put into service, it didn't take long for him to realize he had a catastrophic problem.
The well was pumping silt—heavily.
Every time the pump demanded more than a bare minimum flow, the water would turn brown in minutes, contaminating the entire system. Between the initial drilling cost of approximately $35,000, plus a water storage system, a new pumping system, and a complex water treatment system, Ryan was into his well for approximately $70,000 or more. And for all that money, he had nothing but problems and unusable water.
He and I spoke on the phone for weeks while he tried to figure out what to do. I was direct with him: based on his description, I would have never chosen to drill the well where it was located. He was on the outside edge of the aquifer, a dirty transition zone where there was no natural separation between the water-bearing gravel and the silt. It was never going to clean up.
An Autopsy of a Failed WellRyan's original well log told the entire story of its failure. Drilled to a total depth of 337 feet, the screen—the part of the well that lets water in while holding back sand and gravel—was set between 317 and 328 feet. The geology, or lithology, was the critical flaw:

0-100 feet: A mix of clays and silty clay, minor gravel.
100-236 feet: Mostly grey silts and fine, silty sand.
236-328 feet: An almost continuous layer of silts and very fine sand.

The screen was placed directly inside this layer of fine silt and sand. With a slot size of 0.025 inches, the screen openings were simply too large to hold back the tiny silt particles. Every time the pump kicked on, it was like a vacuum cleaner sucking dirt through a window screen.
The well was logged as producing 4 gallons per minute (GPM), but even that minimal flow was enough to stir up the formation and turn the water into mud, which would then contaminate his expensive storage tank and clog his treatment filters. It was a textbook example of a well doomed by poor siting.

Request an online estimate for the cost of drilling in the Fraser Valley. We're delighted to help!

What is the cost of drilling a well in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia

Water Increase is Not Proportional to the Increased Diameter of a Drilled Water Well
in the Fraser Valley

With our unparalleled expertise in the water well industry, Fraser Valley Well Drilling is positioned to guide you through the complexities and significance of well drilling across various applications.

For property owners in the Fraser Valley, drilling an 8-inch-diameter water well instead of a 6-inch well may seem like a logical choice for increased water yield. However, designing, drilling, and constructing a water well requires meticulous planning, and selecting the correct diameter for a new well can sometimes be challenging.

Let us explain how we determine the most suitable well diameter for your Fraser Valley property.

What is the Normal Diameter of a Water Well in the Fraser Valley?:

The required water volume and the well's intended use are the main determinants of the diameter of a drilled water well. Additionally, the well's diameter directly affects the size of the submersible pump and, consequently, the overall cost of the well pump. Installing a water well pump in a 6-inch well is considerably more economical than in an 8-inch well, presenting a more cost-effective choice.
Bigger Is Not Always Better When Drilling A Well:

The capacity of the aquifer to supply water, rather than the well's diameter, determines the yield of a water well. While increasing the diameter of a well would significantly increase the amount of water extracted from the well, the actual increase in yield is often marginal.

The marginal increase is because the limiting factor is the aquifer's transmissivity, which is the ability of the aquifer to transmit water. The example of doubling the well's diameter from 6 to 12 inches, resulting in only a 10% increase in yield, illustrates this point well.

The exact percentage of increased water will vary based on specific aquifer characteristics and other factors.

Aquifer capacity: An aquifer's permeability and hydraulic gradient, which are inherent to the aquifer and are unaffected by the diameter of the water well, are the main factors influencing its ability to supply water.
Well Diameter and Yield: Increasing the well's diameter can reduce the velocity of water entering the well through the aquifer, which can slightly enhance the efficiency of the well by reducing losses due to friction. However, this efficiency gain does not translate into a proportional increase in yield because the aquifer's capacity to supply water remains the same.
Marginal Yield Increase: The marginal increase in yield from increasing a drilled well's diameter is because the well can only draw as much water as the aquifer can replenish. Beyond a certain point, making the well larger does not increase the amount of water that flows into it from the surrounding aquifer.

Water Well Drilling Cost in the Fraser Valley: Given the marginal benefits of increasing well diameter on yield, there are economic and practical considerations. By understanding these factors, you can make an informed decision that balances cost and yield.

Domestic vs. Production Wells: It is important to note the difference between domestic water wells and larger production wells. Domestic wells typically have a diameter of around 6 inches and are designed to provide lower yields suitable for residential use. On the other hand, production wells are engineered to provide much higher yields to meet commercial or agricultural needs.

Drilling Diameter and Yield: The drilling process and the subsequent development of the well significantly impact the well's yield. Disturbances to the formation during drilling can lead to the plugging of pore spaces, affecting the well's efficiency.
Drilling Method and Well Development: The choice of drilling method and the well development process are crucial factors in determining the well's yield, more so than the well's diameter. Different drilling methods and fluids can have varying impacts on the formation and, consequently, on the well's ability to produce water.

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Quality Water Well Systems

Fraser Valley Well Drilling is transparent and up-front with our well drilling quotes. We completely refrain from drilling practices that are not in the best interest of our clients or their neighbours. We greatly value integrity and are focused on serving our local property owners!

Fraser Valley Well Drilling offers comprehensive management of water well systems from inception to completion. Whether drilling a new water well for an existing property, engineering a well for a building permit application in the Fraser Valley, or installing and commissioning wells for local subdivisions, we are your go-to solution. Our team boasts extensive experience, with most members having over 30 years in the groundwater industry. Rest assured, if there's a question one of us can't answer, another team member will have the expertise to do so.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We return all phone calls promptly, we're here to serve you and our beautiful Fraser Valley.

Contact Fraser Valley Well Drilling
Phone: 604-670-3033

Search WELLS Database BC

British Columbia Ministry of Environment
WELLS Database Fraser Valley

wells database fraser valley - ministry of environment

Fraser Valley Water Well Regulations

Fraser Valley Well Drilling Regulations for Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Yarrow, Sardis, Clearbrook, Harrison Lake, Hope, Ladner, Langley, Fort Langley, Aldergrove, Cloverdale, Maple Ridge, Whonnock, Ruskin, Pitt Meadows, Mission, Dewdney Area, Coquitlam, Burnaby, Surrey, Tsawwassen, White Rock, Squamish and Whistler in British Columbia.

Fraser Valley WELLS Database BC is provided and managed by BC Ministry of Environment, and the water well resource is available province wide.

Along with the Fraser Valley Water Well Regulations and Resources and Water Well Search Tool you will find land use bylaws, setbacks, Fraser Health Regulations and other important local water well information.

Fraser Health - Water Well Drilling and Health Regulations, Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines are available in the Fraser Valley Well Drilling water well resource library.

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British Columbia Water Well Requirements:
Water Well Setback Regulations for Fraser Valley

Fraser Valley: New Water Wells Should Not Be:

1) Within a horizontal distance of 3 m (10') of an existing building;
2) Within a horizontal distance of 30 m (100') of any probable source of contamination or point of waste discharge to the ground, such as a privy vault, cesspool, septic effluent field, manure heap, stable or pig; or
3) Within a horizontal distance of 120 m (400') of any cemetery or dumping ground.

Not all water wells are drilled deep in the Fraser Valley; many wells may be less than 200' in depth, and if located near possible sources of contamination, a well can become contaminated and possibly cause serious illness.

The regulated BC Ministry of Environment water well set-backs are in place to protect water wells from becoming contaminated from many possible sources. For comparable water well drilling depths in your neighborhood and Ministry of Environment set-backs, please refer to all local resources, including well drilling reports. resources are available at WELLS BC Database

Some potential sources of water well contamination include waste discharge to the ground, such as a privy vault (also known as an outhouse or pit toilet), cesspool (“overflow” pits), underground storage tanks, septic tanks, an effluent field, a stable or pigsty, a manure heap, fertilizers and pesticides, runoff from urban areas, a cemetery, or landfill sites.

A water well drilled in the Fraser Valley should be located on higher ground when possible to protect the wellhead from normal or seasonal flooding and possible surface drainage. Shallow wells and deep wells in the Fraser Valley may be vulnerable and should always be located away from surface drainage ditches and other potential sources of contamination.

Fraser Valley Well Drilling & Water Well Requirements
Local Bylaws - Water Well Regulations - Municipal - Government

Chilliwack Well Drilling & Water Well Regulations - Local Bylaws
Water Wells City of Chilliwack Groundwater Protection
Well Drilling Chilliwack - Environment - Groundwater & Bylaws

Yarrow Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Local Bylaws
Well Drilling Yarrow - Environmental - Groundwater & Bylaws

Sardis Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Sardis Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Sardis - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Harrison Lake Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Sardis Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Harrison Lake - Environmental - Groundwater & Bylaws

Harrison Lake Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Local Bylaws
Well Drilling Hope - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Abbotsford Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Abbotsford Bylaws
Well Drilling Abbotsford - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Clearbrook Well Drilling - Regulations - Abbotsford Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Clearbrook - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Langley Well Drilling - Langley Bylaws - Water Well Regulations
Well Drilling Langley - Environmental - Groundwater & Langley Bylaws

Fort Langley Well Drilling - Local Fort Langley Bylaws - Regulations
Water Well Drilling Fort Langley - Environment Groundwater & Local Bylaws

Aldergrove Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Bylaws for Aldergrove
Water Well Drilling Aldergrove - Environment - Groundwater & Bylaws Aldergrove

Cloverdale Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Cloverdale Bylaws
Well Drilling Cloverdale - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Maple Ridge Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Maple Ridge Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Maple Ridge - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws for Maple Ridge

Pitt Meadows Well Drilling - Regulations for Water Wells - Pitt Meadows Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Pitt Meadows - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Whonnock Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Whonnock Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Whonnock - Environmental - Groundwater & Bylaws

Ruskin Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Bylaws for Ruskin
Water Well Drilling Ruskin - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Mission Well Drilling - Regulations for Water Well - Bylaws for Mission
Water Well Drilling Mission - Environment Groundwater & Mission Bylaws

Lake Errock Well Drilling - Lake Errock Water Well Regulations - Local Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Lake Errock - Environment - Groundwater Bylaws

Delta Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Delta Bylaws
Well Drilling Delta - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Ladner Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations & Ladner Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Ladner - Environmental Groundwater & Bylaws for Ladner

Tsawwassen Well Drilling - Local Bylaws - Water Well Regulations
Well Drilling Tsawwassen - Groundwater & Tsawwassen Bylaws

White Rock Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - White Rock Bylaws
Well Drilling White Rock - Environmental - Groundwater & Bylaws

Richmond Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Richmond Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Richmond - Groundwater & Bylaws for Richmond

Aldergrove Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Bylaws for Aldergrove
Well Drilling Aldergrove - Environment - Groundwater & Aldergrove Bylaws

Surrey Well Drilling - Surrey Bylaws - Local Water Well Regulations
Water Well Drilling Surrey - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Lions Bay Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Lions Bay Bylaws
Well Drilling Lions Bay - Environment - Groundwater & Bylaws for Lions Bay

Squamish Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations & Local Bylaws for Squamish
Water Well Drilling Squamish - Environment Groundwater & Bylaws

Whistler Well Drilling - Water Well Regulations - Whistler Bylaws
Water Well Drilling Whistler - Environment - Groundwater & Local Bylaws