Assorted industry happenings and events.

Water Well Drilling Industry Statistics

A brand-new report from IBISWorld concludes that revenue within the very mature water well drilling industry is volatile, reflecting wide annual fluctuations in the value of construction put into place of water wells and water supply infrastructure. More recently, the combination of ground and surface water resulting from floods is understood to have led to an immediate surge in demand for water well drilling and testing services.

The full 38-page report is available at www.ibisworld.com, and costs $650. It covers key statistics and trends, market characteristics and industry conditions with detailed data and analyses.

Geothermal Conference

The International Ground Source Heat Pump Association’s Technical Conference and Expo 2008 takes place Oct. 1-2 in Nashville. The ground source heat pump industry continues to grow through new technologies and industry training, and this event will give you the information you need to become or remain a competitive member of the industry. The conference will focus on expanding the ground source heat pump market and overcoming the challenges the industry faces. The conference will also feature project updates and an exhibitor showcase. Training workshops begin Sept. 29. The conference will include presentations from respected leaders in the business. This is an opportunity to develop relationships with some of the premier members of this industry. For complete details, visit www.igshpa.okstate.edu, or call 405-744-5175.

Washington State Seminars

The Washington State Ground Water Association presents several educational opportunities this fall. The Annual Fall Con-vention being held Sept. 25-27 at the Mirabeau Hotel in Spokane will include classes for drillers and pump installers, along with manufacturer and supplier booths, dinner and an auction.

One-day driller and pump installer classes take place Oct. 24 at the Pasco Red Lion in Pasco, Nov. 7 at the LaQuinta in Tacoma, and Nov. 8 at Kelso Red Lion in Kelso.

For complete details, contact Colleen Zetty at 206-351-6384.

Pentair/GE Joint Venture

Pentair Inc. and GE Water & Process Technologies have announced a joint venture to combine their respective global water softener and residential water filtration businesses. With the formation of this joint venture, “Pentair and GE expect to be better positioned to serve residential customers with technical applications in the areas of water conditioning, whole-house filtration, point-of-use water management and water sustainability,” says Randall Hogan, Pentair chairman.

Under the terms of the agreement, Pentair has an 80 percent ownership stake, and GE has a 20 percent stake of the joint venture – Pentair Residential Filtration. In 2007, the combined residential and commercial net sales of the parent companies were approximately $450 million.

Pentair Residential Filtration will serve as the primary sales channel for Pentair’s and GE’s respective global residential water filtration and water softener businesses. It will also serve as the manufacturing arm for residential and commercial tanks, valves and some limited filtration products for the parent companies. Pentair and GE will continue to serve existing municipal, commercial and industrial water treatment customers separately, sourcing select products from the joint venture as needed. Pentair Residential Filtration will bring together approximately 1,100 employees from Pentair and GE in 15 facilities in the United States, Europe and China.

We've Got Mail

Dear Mr. Schmitt,

Thanks for the cable tool column (“Another Seldom-used Drilling Method,” June 2008). We drill a lot of small cable tool wells here. I didn’t think it was unusual. We once did a lot of big cable tool wells, but the rotaries have taken all those.

I am 60 years old, and I suppose that when we old guys are gone, the cable tools will be gone, too. I see that you do know about cable tools; please write more. I had a difficult time explaining to a person why it was not a good idea to drill (cable tool) a 1,000-foot, 4-inch well. I gave him your article, and I believe he understands now.

Sincerely,
Harris E. Cannon
Harris Cannon Well Drilling
Myakka City, Fla.

On the Legislative Front

Passed on by the inimitable Caroline Mims:

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing a rule to clarify that permits are not required for transfers of water from one body of water to another. Such transfers include routing water through tunnels, channels or natural stream courses for public water supplies, irrigation, power generation, flood control and environmental restoration.
  
  
• The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has announced two new provisions regarding privately owned wells. Only licensed well drillers or pump installers or their employees may fill and seal unused wells, and if a drinking water well inspection is performed for a real estate transfer, it must be done by a licensed well driller or pump installer (they also are to search for other unsealed wells that might be on the property).
  
  
• Legislation in Vermont declares that ground water a public trust, and sets up a permitting process for those who want to make large water withdrawals. It is meant to protect against water-shortage problems, and to prevent problems Vermont has seen with wells going dry, streams losing flow and neighbors having little control over projects that might affect them.
  
  
• Ohio state lawmakers moved to make Ohio the sixth state to approve an agreement aimed at protecting the Great Lakes. Ohio had been a major obstacle to the pact because of a disagreement over whether the plan would inadvertently violate property rights for ground water on privately owned land.

ND