Groundwater investigation: Alternatives to conventional wells

Groundwater investigations can be costly as drilling wells is no small task. In this article we look at two technologies that can be used as an alternative to conventional monitoring wells: drive point piezometers and multi levels.

Solinst has been manufacturing high-quality stainless-steel Drive-Point Piezometers with single monitoring points for years.

In 2021, they developed the model 615ML Multilevel Drive-Point Piezometer. This technology provides an affordable method to obtain shallow groundwater and soil vapor samples. Dual barb stems allow the connection of 3/8” OD (9.5mm) or ¼” OD (6mm) tubing to create up to 3 or 6 monitoring zones, respectively. Drive-Point Multilevel Systems require very few tools to construct and can be installed simply using direct push methods, including a manual slide hammer.

Advantages of Multilevel Drive-Points:

• Up to 6 depth-discrete zones in a single drive.
• Low cost and made from durable materials, some accessories available locally.
• Easy to assemble and installs quickly using direct push methods or a manual slide hammer.

Multilevel Drive-Point Applications:

• High-resolution vertical subsurface profiling.
• Groundwater sampling, including VOCs.
• Water level monitoring.
• Soil gas sampling.
• Multilevel groundwater monitoring.
• Contaminant plume delineations.
• Low cost and minimal disturbance site assessment.

The importance of Multilevel Monitoring:

Multilevel groundwater monitoring involves creating a series of discrete isolated intervals at various depths in a single borehole. It provides many advantages such as:

• Detailed subsurface data for accurate 3D site assessments.
  

  Source: https://www.solinst.com/products/direct-push-equipment/615ml-multilevel-drive-point-piezometers/datasheet/615ml.php

• Short multilevel screens overcome issues created by long screens.
• Ambient flow between different zones in a well is avoided with properly isolated multilevels.
• Low cost, less permits and time required on site.
• Improves remediation strategies.

Check out this awesome technology on our website via the link below:

Solinst 615ML Multilevel Drive-Point System