NR 812.11(12) (12) Gravel packs. Gravel or coarse sand to be used for a gravel pack shall be uniformly graded, well rounded, washed, and sterilized silica-based rock gravel or coarse sand, shall be free from other material, and shall comply with the requirements of AWWA A100. The size of the gravel pack shall be based on a sieve analysis of the aquifer material. The 70% retained size of the gravel pack shall be 4 to 6 times greater than the 70% retained size of the aquifer sample.

NR 812.11(13) (13) Packers. Packers used to retain grout or reduce water flow shall be made of durable, nontoxic material. Lead and burlap packers may not be used.

NR 812.11(14) (14) Drilling water. Water used in the construction, reconstruction, or redevelopment of wells shall be clear water obtained from an uncontaminated source. The water shall be disinfected with chlorine with a residual of 100 mg/L (parts per million). The chlorine concentration may be mixed according to Table D in s. NR 812.12. The drilling fluid shall be maintained with a free-chlorine residual of 10 mg/L (parts per million) during drilling.

NR 812.11(15) (15) Grouting and sealing materials. All grouting and sealing materials shall be approved for use under s. NR 812.091. Water used for mixing grouting or sealing material shall be clear water obtained from an uncontaminated source. When allowed in ss. NR 812.13, 812.14, 812.151, 812.152 and 812.26, a well driller or well constructor may use any of the following material to grout an annular space or fill and seal a well or borehole:

NR 812.11(15)(b) (b) Neat cement. Neat cement grout shall consist of a mixture of cement and water in the following proportion: one 94-pound bag of Portland cement, labeled as meeting ASTM C 150, Type I or API-10A, Class A or ASTM C595, Type IL; and 5 to 6 gallons of water. Ingredients to increase fluidity or control shrinkage or time of set may be used only with a variance. Neat cement shall have a density of 15.0 to 15.8 pounds per gallon. Neat cement shall have a uniform consistency with no lumps and any commercially prepared grout shall be screened by the well driller or well constructor prior to pumping. Grout densities for neat cement mixes are provided in Table C.

NR 812.11(15)(c) (c) Cement-bentonite. Cement-bentonite grout shall consist of a mixture of powdered bentonite, cement and water and shall meet the following requirements.

NR 812.11(15)(c)1. 1. Powdered bentonite may be added to the mixture described in par. (b) up to a ratio of 5 pounds per 94-pound bag of cement.

NR 812.11(15)(c)2. 2. An additional 0.65 gallons of water per bag of cement may be added to the mix.

NR 812.11(15)(c)3. 3. Cement-bentonite grout shall have a minimum density of 13.8 pounds per gallon. Grout densities for cement-bentonite mixes are provided in Table C.

NR 812.11(15)(d) (d) Sand-cement. Sand-cement grout shall consist of a mixture of cement, sand, and water in the proportion of one 94-pound bag of Portland cement, labeled as meeting ASTM C 150, Type I or API-10A, Class A or ASTM C595, Type IL; a cubic foot of dry sand; and 5 to 6 gallons of water. The sand shall meet the specifications for use in Portland cement concrete.

NR 812.11(15)(e) (e) Concrete. Concrete shall consist of a mixture of cement, water, sand, and gravel in the following proportion: one 94-pound bag of Portland cement, labeled as meeting ASTM C 150, Type I or API-10A, Class A or ASTM C595, Type IL; an equal measure of sand and an equal measure of gravel, by weight or by volume; and not more than 6 gallons of water. As an alternative, a commercially prepared mix may be used if the mix has at least 6 bags of cement per cubic yard and the gravel size does not exceed 1/3 of the inside diameter of the tremie pipe used for filling and sealing the well or drillhole.

NR 812.11(15)(f) (f) Sodium bentonite. Sodium bentonite grout shall be a mixture of sodium bentonite and water that results in a grout containing 20 percent solids, or greater, by weight and shall be mixed according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

NR 812.11(15)(g) (g) Drilling mud and cuttings. Drilling mud and cuttings is a mixture of native clay slurry or bentonite drilling mud mixed with drill cuttings. When allowed as an annular space seal, the mixture of drilling mud and cuttings shall have a mud weight of at least 11 pounds per gallon.

NR 812.11(15)(h) (h) Sodium bentonite-sand. Sodium bentonite-sand grout shall consist of a mixture of sodium bentonite mixed with clean silica sand up to a ratio of a 5 to 1 mixture of clean silica sand to bentonite grout. The clean silica sand used for this mix shall consist of silica sand with 80 percent or more of the sand smaller than 0.0117 inch (passing U.S. Sieve #50) in size.

NR 812.11(15)(i) (i) Bentonite chips. Bentonite chips shall be commercially prepared and packaged angular fragments of 85% sodium montmorillonite.

NR 812.11(15)(j) (j) Bentonite pellets. Bentonite pellets shall be a commercially prepared and packaged pelletized bentonite product that is coated to delay hydration.

NR 812.11(15)(k) (k) Bentonite granules. Bentonite granules shall be a commercially prepared and packaged bentonite product consisting of 8 mesh pure bentonite, without additives.

NR 812.11(15)(L) (L) Carbon-bentonite. Carbon-bentonite grout shall be a carbon-bentonite premix product that is mixed and used following the manufacturer’s specifications. Carbon-bentonite grout shall only be used as a sealing material for heat exchange or anode drillholes.

- See PDF for table

NR 812.11 Note Note: Copies of ASTM C150 and ASTM C595, published July 26, 2023, may be obtained directly from ASTM’s website at https://www.astm.org/products-services/standards-and-publications.html and are on file at the legislative reference bureau. A copy of API-10A, published September 2019, may be obtained directly from the American Petroleum Institute at https://www.api.org/products-and-services/standards and is on file at the legislative reference bureau.

NR 812.11(16) (16) Drilling aids. A well driller or well constructor may not use a drilling aid for well and heat exchange drillhole construction and reconstruction unless the drilling aid is approved for use under s. NR 812.091.

NR 812.11 Note Note: A list of approved drilling aids is available on the department’s website at https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Wells/drillerPumpInstall.html.

NR 812.11 Note Note: Copies of ASTM standards may be obtained directly from ASTM’s website at https://www.astm.org/products-services/standards-and-publications.html. Copies of API standards may be obtained directly from API’s website at https://www.api.org/products-and-services/standards. Copies of AWWA standards may be obtained directly from AWWA’s website at https://www.awwa.org/publications/standards.aspx. Copies are also on file at the legislative reference bureau.

NR 812.11 History History: CR 18-095: r. and recr. Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7-1-20; correction in (6) (c) 4., (15) (i) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register June 2020 No. 774; EmR2301: emerg. am. (15) (b), (d), (e), eff. 1-12-23; CR 23-004: am. (15) (b), (d), (e) Register October 2023 No. 814, eff. 11-1-23.

NR 812.12 NR 812.12 General drilled type well construction requirements.

NR 812.12(1) (1) Planning. A well driller or well constructor shall plan and construct each well to comply with all of the following requirements:

NR 812.12(1)(a) (a) The well shall be adapted to the geologic and groundwater conditions of the proposed well site to ensure full utilization of every natural protection against contamination of the water bearing formation or formations and to exclude possible sources of contamination.

NR 812.12(1)(b) (b) The well shall provide an adequate and contaminant free water supply, where the natural geologic and groundwater conditions allow.

NR 812.12(1)(c) (c) The well shall conserve groundwater.