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Current McEllhiney Lecturer

2012 McEllhiney Lecturer

2012 McEllhiney Lecture: Life-Cycle Economic Analysis of Water Wells — Considerations for Design and Construction

presented by Marvin F. Glotfelty, RG

By attending the 2012 McEllhiney Lecture presentation, you will be shown how seemingly more expensive initial water well costs may actually pay for themselves in the early life of the well, in addition to providing ongoing dividends in value and economics for many subsequent years.

You will learn how:

The total cost of the well can significantly increase by using the least expensive “low-bid” approach to well construction in some cases
Some well construction materials or methods that appear to be beneficial and cost-efficient may have “hidden” costs that can actually increase O&M costs or reduce the useful life of a well
Analytical methods and techniques can maximize water production and water quality in both new and existing wells.

Several elements of well design/construction that impact the total (life cycle) cost of water wells including screen type, construction material, well development method, and frequency of well cleaning will be discussed.

An example life-cycle economic analysis comparing low-carbon steel vs. stainless steel well screen will be presented. The analysis includes consideration of the actual construction cost of more than 70 municipal wells installed between 1993 and 2010. This analysis was independently performed in 2003, 2008, and 2010, with essentially identical results. Economic elements include:

Initial capital cost
Energy requirements for water pumping
Operations and maintenance costs
Probable well longevity
Replacement schedules.

The McEllhiney Lecture Series in Water Well Technology is made possible by a grant from Franklin Electric Co.

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