PUMPING  TESTS  
On  Completion  of  drilling  prior  to  any  pumping  test,  a  Driller  may  provide  an  
estimate   of   water   supply.   This   is   an   estimate   only.   However   all   wells   should   be  
pump   tested   to   a   greater   or   lesser   extent   dependent   on   the   use   to   which   the  
well  is  intended.  There  are  a  variety  of  reasons  why  it  is  important  to  carry  out  
a  Pumping  Test:  
 
a) To   determine   maximum   sustainable   yield   of   well   and   assess   general  
specifications  of  Source  aquifer.  
b) To  determine  yield  drawdown  behaviour  of  the  well  at  various  pumping  
output  rates.  
c) To  assess  the  impact  of  the  Pumping  Well  on  nearby  springs.  
d) To   facilitate   retrieval   of   water   samples   for   chemical   and   bacteria  
analysis.  
 
Prior  to  discussing  the  detail  of  an  actual  Pumping  Test  the  following  general  
comments  should  be  made:-­‐  
 
1. Summer   Time,  when  the  water  is  low  is  the  most  ideal  time  to  pump  test  a  
well.   The   water   level   in   the   well   should   be   monitored   for   as   long   as  
practicable   to   establish   water   table   fluctuations   in   the   Aquifer   prior   to   the  
test.  
2. Discharge   of   water   away   from   a   Pumping   Test.   It   is   necessary   in   any  
pumping  test  that  all  necessary  precautions  are  taken  to  avoid  pumped  water  
returning   quickly   back   into   the   Aquifer.   The   minimum   distance   from   the   well  
to   the   discharge   point   will   depend   on   subsurface   conditions.   The   shallower  
the   Aquifer,   the   greater   the   danger   of   the   water   being   recycled   (e.g   a   shallow  
grave  aquifer  or  highly  fissured  limestone  with  little  overburden).  In  general  
about   100mtrs   gives   a   safety   margin   provided   that   the   water   is   then  
discharged  to  a  water  source.  
3. Definition  of  Drawdown  and  Specific  Capacity.   Drawdown   in   a   well   is   the  
difference   between   the   initial   static   water   level   (SWL)   before   pumping  
started  and  the  pumping  water  level  (PWL)  (sometimes  called  dynamic  water  
level)   at   any   given   time   during   the   pumping.   The   specific   capacity   of   a   well   is  
the   sustainable   yield   of   water   per   unit   of   drawdown   produced   in   the   well   e.g.  
gallons  per  hour  /  per  foot  of  drawdown  OR  litres  per  second  /  per  metre  of  
drawdown.   Thus   if   a   well   produced   5000   g/ph   for   a   drawdown   of   20-­‐ft,   its  
specific   capacity   is   250gph/ft.   In   a   ‘good’   well   the   specific   capacity   will  
decrease   only   slightly   as   the   pumping   rate   rises.   While   in   a   ‘poor’   well   the  
decrease   will   be   much   sharper.   The   specific   capacity   of   a   well   is   not   a   fixed  
value   but   decreases   as   the   pumping   rate   (and   therefore   drawdown)  
increases.   A   well’s   threshold   will   normally   mark   the   optimum   yield   of   the  
 well,  if  the  pumping  rate  is  increased  further  i.e.  beyond  the  well’s  threshold  
the  efficiency  of  the  well  drops  sharply.  
4. Pump   Setting.   In   general   the   pump   should   be   set   as   high   off   the   bottom   of  
the   well   in   all   but   the   shallowest   wells.   Avoid   setting   the   pump   opposite  
known  fissures  zones  avoiding  aggravating  silt  discharge.  
 
 
ACTUAL  PUMP  TEST  PROCEDURE:    
The  following  is  a  summary  outline  procedure  for  a  pumping  test:-­‐  
 
1.ASSESSMENT   AND   INTERPRETATION   OF   ALL   AVAILABLE   DATA   PRIOR   TO   A  
PUMPING  TEST:  
Well   construction   details,   finished   casing/screen   diameters,   slot   sizes,   drillers  
estimate  of  water  yield  etc.,  also  hydrogeological  log  of  well:  borehole  depth,  water  
strikes,   well   survey   of   area,   water   courses,   site   security   re   operating   generator   to  
provide  power  supply  to  pump  etc.  
 
2.PRELIMINARY   TEST:   This   is   a   short   test   giving   an   approximate   indication   of   the  
well  yield  so  that  a  more  comprehensive  test  can  be  properly  planned  and  resourced  
later.  It  will  usually  be  carried  out  by  either:  
 
a) Airlift  facility  of  a  pneumatic-­‐powered  Drill  rig  eg  using  a  V-­‐notch  type  weir  
(See  picture  at  the  start  of  this  Topic)  OR  
 
b) Installing   an   appropriate   pump.   The   discharge   rate   should   be   measured   as  
accurately   as   possible   and   the   drawdown   should   be   measured   at   intervals  
throughout  the  test  
 
3.STEP  TEST;  From  the  results  of  the  preliminary  test,  a  pump  of  suitable  capacity  
can   be   chosen   for   the   STEP   TEST   and   appropriate   pumping   rates   decided   on.   The  
maximum   drawdown   in   the   well   should   not   exceed   80%   of   the   available   drawdown  
i.e.  80%  of  the  depth  from  the  static  water  level  to  the  pump  intake.  Regulating  the  
pumping  rate  is  best  achieved  by  means  of  a  gate-­‐valve.  Any  experimentation  to  find  
correct  settings  of  value  for  given  pumping  rates  should  proceed  actual  step  testing.  
At   least   3   to   4   steps   should   be   used   in   roughly   equal   increments   eg   1000,   2000,  
3000,  4000/gls  per  hour.  The  steps  maybe  run  consequently  or  discontinuously,  ie.  
with   or   without   breaks   between   each   step   test   and   normally   in   ascending  
incremental   order.   In   general   a   step   should   be   between   1   to   3   hours   in   length  
though   this   is   not   essential.   The   aim   is   to   achieve   or   approach   steady   state  
conditions   e.g.   a   stable   water   level.   If   steady   state   is   not   achieved   be   prepared   to  
extend   the   period   beyond   3   hours.   The   recovery   after   each   Step   should   be   carefully  
measured.   Recovery   often   takes   longer   than   the   test   itself.   It   is   worthwhile  
measuring  recovery  until  it  is  within  a  few  centimetres  of  initial  static  water  level.  
 
       4.  CONSTANT  RATE  TEST:  In  Ireland  72  hours  has  become  standard  practice  as  an  
adequate   period   to   pump   test   a   well   provided   that   the   constant   rate   can   be  
maintained  without  interruption  for  this  period.  This  test  should  not  be  started  until  
the  water  level  in  the  well  has  recovered  from  previous  testing.  At  a  minimum  the  
well  should  be  pumped  at  a  constant  rate  for  at  least  24  hours  without  interruption.  
 Picture  shows  Flow  Metre    measuring  Water  output  from  a  pumped  well.  
 

 
 
A   water   sample   could   be   taken   towards   the   end   of   the   test   and   sent   for  
analysis.   See   pump   test   record   sheet   at   end   of   this   information   leaflet   as   an  
example  of  a  preliminary  Pumping  Test  Data  Recording  Sheet.  
 
CONCLUSION:  
Records   of   pumping   test   results   should   be   accurately   logged   throughout   all  
pumping  test  procedures  and  referenced  and  filed  appropriately.  In  addition  a  
copy  of  all  results  and  interpretation  should  be  forwarded  to  Geological  Survey  
of  Ireland  Office  for  their  records.  
 
Acknowledgements:    Wright,  G.    GSI  Information  Circular  86/2;  Pumping  Tests;  A  
Guide  to  the  testing  of  Water  Wells  for  Public,  Industrial  and  Farm  Supplies  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
PUMP  TEST  RECORD  
 
 
LOCATION:  __________________________              DATE:  
_____________________________    
Borehole  Reference  No:  ________________            Type  of  Test:  
_______________________    
Commencement  Time  of  Test:  ___________              Subcontractor:  
_____________________  
Page  _______  of  _____________                                                      Static  water  level  before  test:  
_________  
Weather____________________                                                      Pump  Intake  setting  in  well  
___________  
Discharge  Distance  of  layflat  pipe  from  well  _____  
Date/Time   Meter   Pumping  well   Monitoring    
Reading   Drawdown     well  Drawdown  Water  
desc            
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
 
REMARKS:  
 
 
Pumping  Test  Data  Recording  Sheet