Field Groundwater Purging, Monitoring and Sampling

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Plan and execute groundwater monitoring and sampling programs that align with project objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Select appropriate field methods, equipment, and sampling approaches to collect representative groundwater data.
• Apply groundwater level measurement, purging, sampling, and preservation techniques to improve data quality and reliability.
• Implement effective QA/QC procedures to minimize bias and support defensible environmental decision-making.
• Develop cost-effective groundwater monitoring programs that support long-term environmental assessment, compliance, and resource management.

Description

Obtaining reliable groundwater data is essential for environmental assessment, regulatory compliance, resource protection, and long-term monitoring programs. However, collecting representative groundwater samples can be challenging when field conditions, sampling methods, equipment selection, and quality control requirements all influence the accuracy and defensibility of results.

This course provides practical guidance on designing and implementing effective groundwater monitoring and sampling programs. You will explore proven approaches for groundwater level measurement, purging, low-flow sampling, sample collection, preservation, documentation, and chain-of-custody procedures. Emphasis is placed on selecting appropriate field equipment, improving data quality, and applying quality assurance and quality control practices to reduce errors and uncertainty.

Through practical examples, field-based scenarios, and a hands-on case study, you will develop the knowledge required to plan, execute, and manage groundwater sampling activities with greater confidence. The course focuses on practical techniques that can be applied immediately to support environmental investigations, monitoring programs, regulatory requirements, and sustainable groundwater resource management.

Who This Course Is For

This course is designed for:

• Environmental engineers and engineering technologists
• Hydrogeologists and groundwater practitioners
• Environmental consultants and field technicians
• Project managers responsible for environmental investigations and monitoring programs
• Regulatory and compliance professionals
• Utility, municipal, and conservation authority personnel
• Professionals responsible for groundwater monitoring, sampling, and environmental data collection

Welcome, Introduction, Course Preview, Learning Outcomes and the Assessment Method

Section 1)

• Introduction to monitoring well installation drilling methods
• Advantages and disadvantages of drilling methods used for various ground conditions

Section 2)

• Monitoring well installation
• Requirements to consider for the installation of a monitoring well
• Advantages and disadvantages of different monitoring well materials

Section 3)

• Planning groundwater sampling event
• Field equipment requirement
• Objectives of groundwater sampling
• Well selection for groundwater sampling

Section 2)

• Groundwater level measurement
• The objective of groundwater level measurement
• Methods of groundwater level measurement
• Factors affecting groundwater level measurement accuracy
• Procedures of groundwater level measurement

Section 3)

• Purging
• Objectives of purging
• Standard traditional purging
• Purging volumes calculation
• The exception to the 3 well Volumes Rule

Section 4)

• Purging and sampling devices
• Advantages and disadvantages of sampling devices
• Portable versus dedicated sampling devices (pump)

Section 5)

• Monitoring field parameters
• Monitoring of parameters of stabilization
• Parameters of stabilization criteria

Section 6)

• Groundwater sampling procedures
• Groundwater sampling methods
• Monitoring and sampling procedures

Section 7)
Sample Collection

• general chemistry
• metals
• pesticides
• volatile organics and phenols

Section 8)

• Filtration and preservation of groundwater samples
• Sample filtration
• Sample preservation

Section 9)

• Field Quality Assurance/Quality Control Program (QA/QC)
• Why Quality Assurance and Quality Control are important?
• What are accuracy and precision?
• What is bias?
• Areas of quality assurance concern

Section 10)

• Components of field Quality Control samples:
• Equipment blanks, trip blanks, field blanks, temperature blanks, duplicate samples

Section 11)
Equipment Decontamination:

• Objectives of equipment decontamination
• Portable equipment decontamination
• Chemical decontamination options
• Which equipment needs decontamination?
• Minimum decontamination procedures
• More rigorous decontamination

Section 12)
Sample Shipment and Handling

• Sample chain of custody (COC)
• Selecting shipment method

Section 13)

• Low-flow purging and sampling
• Low-flow vs traditional purging
• Advantages of low-flow sampling
• Low-flow sampling requirement for dedicated pumps
• Low-flow sampling requirement for portable pumps

Section 14)

• Post sampling documentation

Section 15)

• Collection of drinking water samples

Section 16)

• Video Presentation of low-flow purging and sampling groundwater

The students are divided into two or three groups (depending on the number of students) and assigned to practice a case study in order to be familiar with the steps such as calculating the volume of purged water from a well, water level measurement, monitoring the parameters of stabilization as well as other activities in the field.

The video presentation will be shown in the morning of the next day's Course, followed by questions and answers.

Questions and Answers and Feedback to Participants on Achievement of Learning Outcomes