Client Success

Challenge

The corrosive salty water of the Atlantic Coast and high-capacity demands made it important for South Island Public Service District (SIPSD) of Hilton Head Island, SC, the water and wastewater utility, to use a non-metallic water well casing available in a large diameter size.

Application

SIPSD hired Rowe Drilling Company Inc. of Savannah, GA, to drill the three wells at 620 feet deep and install 500-550 feet of PVC casing in each well. Working with Certa-Lok well casing for the first time, Rowe Drilling Company was pleased with the product.

“The project went well and the Certa-Lok casing went together like it was supposed to,” said Blake Hare, district manager for Rowe Drilling Company’s Savannah office. “We liked how the casing was assembled—you don’t have to weld it together. Plus, it’s always nice to give your customer a well casing that is resistant to corrosion, chlorides and other chemical properties to ensure a longer product life.”

Solution

For this application, the project’s hydraulic engineer, ASR Systems LLC of Gainesville, FL., specified the 24-inch-diameter Certa-Lok well casing product for the new ASR wells. Made of high-grade PVC, the product is immune to electrolytic and galvanic corrosion, unlike cast iron or steel casing, and is listed as safe for use with potable water by NSF International.

Certa-Lok well casing utilizes a proprietary spline-locking design to form a full-strength joint instantly in all weather conditions without the use of solvents, arc welding or reinforcement screw attachments. The solvent-free joint is environmentally sound and ideal for monitoring well applications.

“Any well drilled on Hilton Head Island—especially a short well—is subject to salt water intrusion and any metallic well casing is going to corrode,” said Brad O’Keefe, operations manager for SIPSD. “A thermoplastic casing is the way to go. The Certa-Lok well casing met our needs for high water capacity and corrosion resistance.”