SourceLine News & Insights

What monitoring wells do: Monitoring wells are installed near the backfill area of an underground storage tank. They provide visual inspection of the water table and to monitor for groundwater contamination that may be caused by Underground Storage Tank leaks.

How monitoring wells are used: The monitoring wells enable operators to check the level of the water table. If the water table is too high, water can enter tank fill and tank sump areas.

In extreme cases, a high water table can compromise the stability of the tank itself. Automatic or manual leak detection devices may also be used in conjunction with the monitoring wells to help monitor for product releases. Additional information about groundwater monitoring regulations is available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The wells typically feature PVC or PVC-coated steel. They range from 4 inches to 12 inches in diameter, with 9 inches being a popular option. It is important that monitoring wells are clearly marked and secured to prevent a hazardous situation from occurring.

Source solutions: Source is proud to offer well screens and caps and monitoring well manholes from several manufacturers including Boles, Environmental Manufacturing Inc., Franklin Fueling Systems, Morrison Bros. Co., OPW, Pemco and Universal Valve Co. Please visit Source Simple Solutions or call (800) 572-5578.

Pictured in the Diagram:

  1. Monitoring well   

  2. Monitoring well manhole   

  3. Monitoring well cap   

  4. Monitoring well screen