Wells shall be grouted and sealed to protect the groundwater resource from degradation caused by movement of waters along the well annulus either from the surface to the aquifer or between aquifers, and to prevent loss of artesian pressure in artesian aquifers. All wells shall be constructed and sealed using a method that ensures an open or unnaturally permeable annular space does not remain when a well is completed. All wells that are constructed in a manner which creates an annular space between the casing and the naturally occurring geologic formations shall be grouted and sealed as set forth in Fl. Admin. Code Chapter 62-532, (February 16, 2012), which is incorporated by reference in subsection 40B-3.035(3), F.A.C.
    (1) Telescoping casings may be used provided that casings of different diameters are joined with an appropriate overlap and any annular space be grouted or sealed with watertight packers.
    (2) Grouting and sealing of well casings not driven or jetted into place shall be accomplished in the following manner unless otherwise authorized by the District in accordance with Florida Statutes § 373.326(1):
    (a) Composition of neat cement grout shall consist of 5.5 to 6.0 gallons of water per cubic foot or 94-pound sack of Portland cement, or a mixture of 6.5 gallons of water per sack of Portland cement, with three to five pounds of Bentonite not to exceed 5% by weight.
    (b) The minimum set time for grouting of casing before drilling operations may continue shall be 12 hours.
    (c) The casing shall be centered in the borehole prior to grouting and sealing.
    (d) Neat cement grout shall be introduced into the annular space from bottom to top.
    (3) In those cases where, during grouting operations, circulation of the neat cement grout is lost so that the annular space being grouted cannot be filled in one continuous operation, a tremie pipe shall be installed in the annular space to a point immediately above the zone of lost circulation; and the annulus shall be filled from that point using clean sand or rock introduced in a manner that prevents bridging within the annular space until a level is reached at which grouting can be continued.
Rulemaking Authority 373.044, 373.171, 373.309 FS. Law Implemented 373.306, 373.308, 373.309, 373.113 FS. History-New 7-1-85, Amended 4-4-91, 10-16-94, 6-22-99, 4-17-23.