What are conduit wells? Are they a problem?
Most water supply wells have casing perforations extending over large intervals and across multiple aquifers to maximize water production. When the wells are not pumping, the open perforated interval of these wells provides a conduit for water movement between aquifer zones within the wellbore. In the NIBW Site there is typically a downward gradient or driving force for groundwater movement. As such, these water supply wells become conduit wells under non-pumping conditions because they can cause migration of groundwater and any dissolved substances like TCE from upper intervals to lower intervals of the aquifer.
