Ainsworth, Iowa continued...
It was decided that the capabilities of the Mississippian limestone would not sustain the facility any longer. In the Ainsworth area, this means that the next water available to a consumer, that is fit for human consumption with feasible treatment costs, is the Prairie Du Chien aquifer. In Washington County, this aquifer is 1,400' below the surface. Due to the nature of the formations between the Mississippian and the Prairie Du Chien, Gingerich Well proposed using PVC casing as an alternative to the typical steel casing construction. Experience gained over the previous 10 or 12 years in installing similar wells for hog facilities, dairies, and other large livestock facilities was drawn on to design the system. Ed Brittan from MMS Consultants in Iowa City was employed to obtain the proper permits with the Iowa DNR for constructing the public well.
The design/build relationship of the contractor and the engineer worked beautifully. MMS Consultants initiated discussions with DNR to start the permitting process. At first, the DNR was hesitant to issue the permit for the first "deep public PVC-cased well," but convincing arguments for viability, past success stories, and performance characteristics proved that success was possible. While still hesitant, a permit was granted based on the fact that this public water supply was privately owned. Construction was started immediately after approval of the permit. The Iowa DNR sent a delegate to investigate during the grouting phase, and the entire operation was held in compliance by MMS. The final result was exactly as proposed - a public drinking water supply to a depth of 1,400 feet entirely cased with PVC. Within 30 days the new system was operating and online. Final work was done the following spring including the installation of larger water lines to the facility, and increasing the size of the treatment facility.
Data gained by the DNR during this project was vital in the approval of the forthcoming Richland, Iowa project permit approval.
Once again, Gingerich Well & Pump Service's advances led the way to developing the water resources of Iowa.