Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling
Confidential National Energy Production and Transmission Company • Midwestern United States
Solution Overview
Client:
Confidential national energy production and transmission company
Business Challenge:
- Groundwater sampling provided at client sites throughout the Midwest
- Effective water resource management in accordance with compliance requirements
Solution:
- Long-term partnership to ensure consistent and reliable support
- Data management through ARTEMIS® to optimize sampling and maintenance activities
Results:
- Compliance with reporting and regulatory requirements, resulting in no fines or penalties for the client
Challenge
With millions of customers across the country, this energy company owns over 50K megawatts (MW) of generation in the US, and as such, has significant water use and environmental monitoring and support needs. Since 2002, Apex Companies' environmental technicians and scientists have provided groundwater sampling services at the client’s sites in the Midwest, including four generating stations and an ash landfill facility.
Solution
Apex’s responsibilities include coordination with corporate and site representatives, coordination with the analytical laboratory (including maintaining chain of custody records), performing field monitoring activities and routine well maintenance, and preparing sampling reports to document activities and field data. Field monitoring activities performed at these sites include groundwater level measurements, monitoring well purging, obtaining field measurements of indicator parameters, and collection of groundwater samples. Field filtering of samples is performed as required. Additional samples are collected in accordance with the quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) requirements specific to each site.
Results
Our staff are experienced utilizing numerous groundwater purging and sample collection methods. Methods utilized at these sites vary based on site-specific conditions and requirements, and the availability of dedicated sampling equipment. These methods include low-flow purging techniques using dedicated or portable pumps, use of electric or pneumatic pumps, and volume-based purging and sampling using pumps or manual bailing techniques. Apex staff are also collecting surface water samples where required, including at six surface water locations at the ash landfill. Non-routine activities associated with this work includes redevelopment of wells to improve sample quality, use of small diameter equipment for collecting samples at compromised locations, and implementation of procedures for recovery of wells inundated by flood conditions. Apex also oversees maintenance activities on vegetation at the site to allow access to the majority of the monitoring locations.