The problem that was facing Public Works Director Sutherland and his crew would not be a “quick fix.” The video inspection of the well was able to clearly identify the problem: a seven-foot-long tear in the conical screen filter 97 feet into the well allowing sand and gravel to partially clog the filter. The amount of water going to the pump was severely reduced.

Sutherland had experienced some smaller well and pump problems prior to coming to Chillicothe, but this event was much more complex. One might think that the repair could be made by simply replacing the damaged screen. However, the well had been in use for eighty-two years and to repair the damage to the well would be very costly and could collapse the well. Sutherland contacted Mike Stoddard of Cahoy Wells, Inc. of Lincoln, Nebraska to help determine the most efficient way to solve the problem. After thorough study and research of possible repairs, they determined that the cost of just replacing the damaged screen and resealing the well was too expensive. Sutherland and Stoddard came up with a plan that would give the City a new well and still be able to draw upon the old well for water when needed. They then consulted the Brotcke Well Drilling Company of Nebraska for a professional assessment of the situation and a review of the alternate plan Sutherland and Stoddard had developed. 

Brotcke Well and Pump Company of Fenton, Missouri brought in geologists and specialists to determine if the old well could be repaired or if a new well and pump house should be constructed. The Sutherland and Stoddard plan was determined a reasonable solution and could provide a sizeable cost containment benefit. The plan would provide a new well and limited use of the old well while not having to construct a new pump house and all new plumbing. The plan would allow the existing piping and pumps to remain in service. 

The geological strata that exist in Chillicothe is the result of the receding Ice Cap during the Wisconsin Ice Age and is composed of large stones, gravel, and sand. This material is difficult for well drilling just as it is for constructing bridges and large buildings. Bridge pylons must be stable and anchored to bedrock to ensure a bridge is safe. The BNSF (formerly Santa Fe) Rail Road was routed through Peoria County because bedrock was found under the Illinois River at seventy feet below the surface. Well Six well shaft had been drilled through boulder-sized rocks, large stones, and sand as well as a shelf-like layer of stone to a depth of 110 feet.

A new well would have to be drilled near the original well shaft in order to utilize the existing pump and water lines. Once the solution was chosen, the next big hurdle facing Sutherland was determining the cost to drill a new well. Sutherland presented the problem to the City Council, and he issued a request for proposal to well drilling companies to find the cost of the project. The Brotcke Well and Pump Company (BWP Co.) of Fenton Missouri proposal was selected to drill a new well and to do the plumbing work to return Well Six to operational condition. The financial aspect of the project was equally daunting. The City Council had to figure a way to pay for an unexpected expense that would approach $500,000. The solution was to drill a new well but integrate it into the existing pump system plumbing thus avoiding the cost of building an entirely new pump house.  

The Drilling Begins
Preparation to drill the new well began January 2023 under Project Manager Nick Verlinden, A Civil engineer. Besides being Project Manager for this job, he also worked with other Brotcke teams at other locations where it provides pump and well maintenance services throughout the mid-west.

Verlinden explained the process of sinking a new water well. All wells are not alike and vary in construction and design to meet different purposes and conditions. Wells can be vertical, horizontal, or slanted wells depending upon the geological makeup up the topography or proximity to a water source. The same can be true for oil and gas wells. Each need must be determined. In this case, the need had already been determined, and a vertical well was clearly the right choice. The location of the new well had to be close to the original well in order to integrate the plumbing systems into the existing pump house. The new well site was located approximately 25 feet north of the original well. 

What You Saw but Now You Don’t 
In order to drill a well, there has to be a means to remove the aggregate material from the hole as the drill head grinds into the ground. A pit had to be dug adjacent to the well. That pit is commonly called the “mud pit.” As the drill rod goes deeper into the ground, water is pumped into the bored hole, flushing loosened gravel upward and into a pump which is then poured into the mud pit. 

The well drilling rig is composed of several parts that are mounted on a large semi-trailer frame. The main part is the gantry-style frame that is raised to a very tall vertical position. It is used to house the drill rods that connect to a large drill bit. A diesel engine is used to power and rotate the drill bit, as it grinds through the earth. Twenty-foot-long drill rods are bolted together as the drill goes deeper until the desired depth is reached. The drill bit bores a hole large enough to allow a thirty-six-inch diameter steel cylinder wall to be forced down into the hole, forming the well’s outer retaining wall.

To draw water out of the well a pump is attached to another steel cylinder called a casing that is sixteen inches in diameter. The casing is stabilized in the center of the well by pouring gravel and sand (called gravel pack) into the area surrounding the sixteen-inch casing and the outer wall. A grout seal is poured on top of the gravel pack. A pump with a shaft extending into the well is positioned on top of the sixteen-inch casing. The pump shaft has a bulb attached to the bottom of the shaft with bulb several feet below the natural level of the water table. The water table level could be as much as thirty feet above the bottom of the well. Fresh water enters the bulb and is pumped upward into the pump. When the well was finished, it was plumbed to connect to the existing pump house pipes. Through a series of valves, water can be drawn from either well, since filters are still in place. The pump and pump motor are all that are seen above the ground.

Once the project was completed, a lengthy period of testing was run to arrive at the water quality level required by the Illinois Water Use Act of 1983 administered by the Illinois EPA. The recent fire that destroyed the Sweet Finds building was the first true challenge for the water system in Chillicothe. Because of the kind of fire that it was, the Fire Protection District had five fire engines pumping water simultaneously during the peak of the fire. Director Sutherland immediately turned on all seven pumps to provide the volume of water to quell the fire. That was accomplished without any reduction of drinking quality water to the rest of the city. Director Sutherland met the challenge of the failing well, and the City came out the winner.