Village of Cohocton Replacement Well

LaBella has assisted the Village of Cohocton with various municipal water system upgrades, including one involving the installation and testing of a replacement mechanical backup well. The New York State Department of Health requires that community public water systems have a minimum of two sources of groundwater, with the total groundwater capacity equaling or exceeding the peak daily demand with the largest producing well out of service. Due to occasionally elevated nitrate levels, the Village of Cohocton did not meet this requirement.

After conducting a nitrate removal feasibility and cost study, LaBella concluded that the recommended solution was to construct a new replacement well adjacent to an existing well that historically has proven over time to have nitrate levels consistently below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). Working with our water supply engineers, LaBella hydrogeologists sited a new well location and solicited bids for a test drilling program at the new well location. LaBella then supervised test drilling and collection of soil samples. Based upon the results of sieve analyses, we designed a naturally-developed water well screen and oversaw drilling and installation of the large-diameter production well.

Following well screen development, LaBella oversaw a prolonged pumping test. This included monitoring of the new well, adjacent residential wells, and the Cohocton River. Results of the test indicated that the new well can safely sustain a pumping rate of over 200 gallons per minute (gpm) with negligible impact on the local aquifer. Off-site monitoring identified no impacts on surrounding private wells and the Cohocton River. Nitrate levels in the replacement supply well were comparable to nitrate ranges detected in the adjacent well, far below the MCL. The resultant hydrogeologic report is supportive of permitting of the new well as a successful replacement water supply source for the Village.