AWWA ACE94084

This paper is intended to instruct water utilities that depend on groundwater as the source of all or part of their water supply. Stricter environmental regulations such as the wellhead protection program and the Groundwater Disinfection Rule increase the need to understand well hydraulics and characteristics of aquifers used for public water supplies. Aquifer characteristics may be determined by performing a properly designed and planned pumping test. Site-specific geology and hydrogeology must be understood properly in order to design and plan pumping tests and analyze test data. Aquifer tests, including pumping tests and slug tests, are performed to determine aquifer characteristics. The parameters of aquifer characteristics are then used to determine location or spacing of wells or well fields. An aquifer test is defined as an in situ field investigation aimed at obtaining controlled aquifer system response data. This paper provides guidance for water supply professionals who need to better understand their groundwater resources, and the use of aquifer tests as tools for meeting this need. Emphasis is placed on the practical aspects of development of the conceptual model of the aquifer system, and selection of the appropriate method for analysis of test data.