Borehole Drilling and Associated Services

• Who we are • What we offer • Water Divining • Geological Surveys • Drilling Works • Test Pumping • Pumping Systems • Water Treatment

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Who We AreEstablished in 1992, we pioneered development of ground breaking technologies and have been leading the market with the latest innovations ever since.

Filpumps are acknowledged specialists in the installation, service and maintenance of pumps, drinking water treatment systems and sewage and effluent systems.

Our reputation is important to us, which is why we aim to build a strong working relationship with our customers by the provision of trusted and reliable products and services.

Our principle aim is to deliver an efficient service to our customersand to encourage our staff to maintain a courteous manner.

What we do

Led by the needs of our customers we always strive to provide quality products and solutions to meet their requirements by providing efficient service at the best possible price.

Our main aim has always been to undertake and deliver quality engineered solutions to meet customers requirements. We seek to achieve this by delivering the complete package, a fully functioning system fulfilling the customers expectations and needs.

Our teams install and commission complete turnkey projects and provide a high level of after sales service maintaining the full range of products at the recommended service intervals.

With our own rotary drill rig and trusted sub contractors we can offer a full package of installing a private water supply from finding the source through to pumping and treatment systems.

Manufacturer Support

We benefit from support from leading manufacturers such as DAB, Grundfos and Wellmaster.

It is important to establish potential drilling sites within your site boundary to maximise the potential for finding a sustainable water source. Methods for finding water include water divining and geological surveys.

Water DiviningWater divining is the use of metal divining rods to locate a potential source of water. We exclusively use water diviner Andrew Duguid who has successfully found water throughout Scotland.

Geological SurveysFor a fee, a Water Borehole Prognosis Report can be prepared by the British Geological Survey for the potential borehole site. Information for this report is based on geological and hydrogeological maps and information from their borehole database.

The report describes the geological succession you may encounter if drilling a borehole at a specific point. The British Geological Survey also offers different modules such as water abstraction, ground source heat pumps and site investigations which can be added to tailor your report to your needs.

Prognosis will be carried out at a relevant depth up to a maximum of 150m, with a default of 100m.

Borehole SuppliesNeither of the above methods provide you with a pre-determined drill depth or precise geology which affects borehole drilling materials required such as the steel casing used to protect the aquifer from potential surface water contamination, and to provide support or borehole integrity in soft deposits before rock is encountered.

Any potential drill site should be chosen carefully so as to avoid any obvious means of contamination such as septic tanks soak away to discharge areas. Our drilling prices provided are therefore an estimate and the final cost can only be established after borehole drilling is complete and the quantity of materials required is established and the final drilled depth to find an adequate supply of water.

Borehole SystemIn most cases borehole supplies yield more water than is actually required, therefore the pumping equipment can be installed on a pressurised system and be commissioned to deliver water directly to each outlet that requires a pressurised water supply as well as storage tank filling.

In the instance where the yield of water is below that required, to deliver water to sustain direct fed pressurised outlets then a storage tank would be required to provide up to 24 hours of stored water required for your demands. A secondary booster pump would then be required to re-pressurise the water to each of the outlets requiring water at the peak flow rate required.

Please note that the quantity of water available from the borehole can only be established after drilling. Upon successful drilling and borehole development it is essential that the borehole water is laboratory tested to determine the water quality to ensure it is to potable standard and suitable for human consumption.

It is our policy at Filpumps Ltd not to connect a new borehole water supply to your property or system until we / you have established that the water meets the current private water supply regulations and is therefore safe to consume.

SEPA Best Practice GuidelinesInformation taken from ‘An applicants guide to water supply boreholes’ available at www.sepa.org.uk

Good Practice Bad Practice Objectives

Locations Remote from (at least 50m) and up-slope of any pollution sources.As far as possible from wetlands, springs, abstractions and the coast (you may be required to undertake further investigation if there are any abstractions or water dependant wetlands within the radius of the water features survey)

At low points where contaminated drainage can collect.Close to or down slope of sources of pollution eg – fuel/chemical tanks, storage/handling areas, septic tanks.Close to another abstraction borehole, groundwater dependant wetland or coast.

To minimise the risk of pollution to the abstraction1.

To minimise unacceptable impacts on the environment and other water users.

Water well drilling Drilling fluids should be free from contaminants and, as far as practical, be limited to clean water, air and approved foaming agents.

Use of potentially contaminated equipment, eg may have been used to drill boreholes on contaminated sites or has been lying on ground occupied by livestock.

To minimise the risk of contaminants being introduced by the drilling equipment or fluids.

Permanent casing: Type British Standard, oil industry (API) standard or water-well standard casing2.

Drainage or sewer pipes. To seal off shallow, unstable or contaminated ground.

To seal off and to prevent tracking shallow groundwater and surface water via the borehole to the water table.

To prevent interconnection of different aquifer layers.

To prevent uncontrolled artesian discharges.

Permanent casing: Material Steel3/waterwell grade plastic. Plastic casing if installed in holeswhich may be liable to collapse.

Permanent casing: Jointing Welded, screwed and socketed. Push-fit.

Permanent casing: Diameter Large enough to allow installation of dip tube(s) as well as rising main and power cable.

Too small to allow installation of dip tube(s).Too large to allow effective pressure grouting of annulus between casing and borehole wall.

Permanent casing: Depth Normally to penetrate unconsolidated materials and inserted at least 3m into solid rock. A greater depth may be necessary to seal off unstable or contaminated ground or different aquifer units.

Casing too shallow so that ingress of water from contaminated horizons occurs.

Flange/Seals Threaded joint. Square-cut casing, welded flange. Flange and bolted borehole cap with neoprene seal6.

No seal/flange plate/rough cut casing. Cut off too close to base of chamber.

Completion Above ground either in a pump house or protected area not subject to traffic.

Below ground, and not sealed. To prevent water or contaminated drainage accumulation in the manhole chamber, by minimising water entry and providing drainage out of the manhole chamber.

Manhole: Chamber8/Base Concrete, 150mm thick. Concrete <100mm or natural ground.

Manhole: Sides Precast concrete sections, engineering brick or waterproof rendered brick/blockwork (bonded to base).

Brick or blockwork, not waterproofed.

Manhole: Cover Load bearing to suit traffic. Cover frame haunched and bonded to sides. Water-tight seal.

Lightweight cover (potentially damaged by traffic). Frame not sealed to sides.

Manhole: Drain 25mm ID min diameter with vermin screen, leading to surface outlet or effective soakway9.

No drain, no soakaway, blocked drain or manhole constructed below the water table or in waterlogged or poorly drained ground.

Manhole: Chamber backfill Low permeability material such as clay. High porosity material in waterlogged and poorly drained ground.

1The Environmental Health Department of the local authority has responsibility for checking the quality of private water supplies, and has powers to condemn sources unfit for human consumption.2The casing strength should be designed to suit the ground conditions and installation depth.3Steel is more rigid, robust and does not bend.6Essential if the borehole is artesian.8Where an above ground completion is not possible.9A soakaway will not work effectively if the manhole chamber is constructed in low permeability ground or below the water table.

SEPA Best Practice GuidelinesInformation taken from ‘An applicants guide to water supply boreholes’ available at www.sepa.org.uk

Good Practice Bad Practice Objectives

Locations Remote from (at least 50m) and up-slope of any pollution sources.As far as possible from wetlands, springs, abstractions and the coast (you may be required to undertake further investigation if there are any abstractions or water dependant wetlands within the radius of the water features survey)

At low points where contaminated drainage can collect.Close to or down slope of sources of pollution eg – fuel/chemical tanks, storage/handling areas, septic tanks.Close to another abstraction borehole, groundwater dependant wetland or coast.

To minimise the risk of pollution to the abstraction1.

To minimise unacceptable impacts on the environment and other water users.

Water well drilling Drilling fluids should be free from contaminants and, as far as practical, be limited to clean water, air and approved foaming agents.

Use of potentially contaminated equipment, eg may have been used to drill boreholes on contaminated sites or has been lying on ground occupied by livestock.

To minimise the risk of contaminants being introduced by the drilling equipment or fluids.

Permanent casing: Type British Standard, oil industry (API) standard or water-well standard casing2.

Drainage or sewer pipes. To seal off shallow, unstable or contaminated ground.

To seal off and to prevent tracking shallow groundwater and surface water via the borehole to the water table.

To prevent interconnection of different aquifer layers.

To prevent uncontrolled artesian discharges.

Permanent casing: Material Steel3/waterwell grade plastic. Plastic casing if installed in holeswhich may be liable to collapse.

Permanent casing: Jointing Welded, screwed and socketed. Push-fit.

Permanent casing: Diameter Large enough to allow installation of dip tube(s) as well as rising main and power cable.

Too small to allow installation of dip tube(s).Too large to allow effective pressure grouting of annulus between casing and borehole wall.

Permanent casing: Depth Normally to penetrate unconsolidated materials and inserted at least 3m into solid rock. A greater depth may be necessary to seal off unstable or contaminated ground or different aquifer units.

Casing too shallow so that ingress of water from contaminated horizons occurs.

Flange/Seals Threaded joint. Square-cut casing, welded flange. Flange and bolted borehole cap with neoprene seal6.

No seal/flange plate/rough cut casing. Cut off too close to base of chamber.

Completion Above ground either in a pump house or protected area not subject to traffic.

Below ground, and not sealed. To prevent water or contaminated drainage accumulation in the manhole chamber, by minimising water entry and providing drainage out of the manhole chamber.

Manhole: Chamber8/Base Concrete, 150mm thick. Concrete <100mm or natural ground.

Manhole: Sides Precast concrete sections, engineering brick or waterproof rendered brick/blockwork (bonded to base).

Brick or blockwork, not waterproofed.

Manhole: Cover Load bearing to suit traffic. Cover frame haunched and bonded to sides. Water-tight seal.

Lightweight cover (potentially damaged by traffic). Frame not sealed to sides.

Manhole: Drain 25mm ID min diameter with vermin screen, leading to surface outlet or effective soakway9.

No drain, no soakaway, blocked drain or manhole constructed below the water table or in waterlogged or poorly drained ground.

Manhole: Chamber backfill Low permeability material such as clay. High porosity material in waterlogged and poorly drained ground.

1The Environmental Health Department of the local authority has responsibility for checking the quality of private water supplies, and has powers to condemn sources unfit for human consumption.2The casing strength should be designed to suit the ground conditions and installation depth.3Steel is more rigid, robust and does not bend.6Essential if the borehole is artesian.8Where an above ground completion is not possible.9A soakaway will not work effectively if the manhole chamber is constructed in low permeability ground or below the water table.

Once the borehole has been drilled and the test pumping completed, Filpumps can complete your system with a pump installation and water treatment if necessary.

• Supply and installation of a fixed or variable speed constant pressure borehole pump, riser pipe, stainless steel wire for suspending pump, sealed well cap including fittings and glands, pump controller and pressure control equipment.

• Chemical Treatment if required.

• Bacteriological treatment, supply and installation of a sediment pre-filter and ultraviolet steriliser.

• Storage or secondary pumping if required. Supply and installation of above or below ground storage tank, booster pump and pressure control equipment.

• Service Agreements for regular servicing and maintenance with preferential rates.

*This equipment size and specification depends on the site requirements.

Drilling WorksFilpumps organises, oversees and installs the complete drilling works including -

• Mobilisation of drill rig and equipment to and from site.

• Setting up of the drilling plant.

• Drilling borehole in superficial deposits and weathered rock.

• Supply and installation of mild steel or stainless steel casing.

• Drilling in rock or mud drilling using a down the hole hammer in conjunction with an air flush.

• Airflift development or well using drill rods.

• Supply and install uPVC wellscreen and casing.

• Supply and install 2-6mm gravel formation stabilizer (if required if soft ground is encountered.)

• Drill to total depth (30-300 meters) including steel casing to the rock head and plastic well screen to total depth.

Test PumpingFilpumps can carry out test pumping which can be from one day to several if required, which can determine the presence of water and also the expected yield (amount) of water.

The pump test is a controlled test whereby the borehole is pumped at a controlled rate and the water level response is measured and recorded.

This information is used to determine the size of pump that will be permanently fitted to the borehole, it can also be used as a future reference point should the performance of the borehole or pump deteriorate.

Water analysis is taken at the end of the test and sent to the lab for UKAS accredited testing and reporting, this will determine the filtration equipment to be installed.

Pump Installation and Treatment Systems

PRICEMATCH

Filpumps Borehole Drilling Price Match

We will match any* genuine comparable written quotation.

*Terms and Conditions apply

Filpumps Borehole Drilling Price Match Terms and Conditions

• The quote must be comparable in terms of borehole location, diameter, materials specification and depth.

• A copy of the alternative quote must be provided to verify that it is comparable.

• The quote must have the alternative quoted price clearly listed.

• The quote must clearly include fixed cost for mobilisation.

• The alternative quote must be from a bona-fide company.

• Quoted prices are compared excluding Value Added Tax (VAT).

• Price match is not valid against sales or other promotions.

• Price match is limited to North East Scotland.

• Price match is only valid prior to any work being carried out.

• Price match is not valid once quote acceptance has been signed.

• Price match is based on the drilling rates offered which will be subject to change based on actual drilled depth and materials required charged on a pro-rata basis.

• We reserve the right to withdraw our offer of price match if in our opinion our specific terms and conditions have not been satisfied.

• Under no circumstances do we have a legal obligation to provide a price match

• Our price match is subject to change or withdrawal without notice at any time.

When our standby private water supply ceased flowing it was time to consider the use of a Borehole. Trawling the net offered the choice of several companies willing to provide the service, however we chose to go with ‘Filpumps’ in Inverurie as eight years before when we working on our primary private water supply, they had proved patient and supportive to our then project.

Spoke to Filpumps enquiring “What’s involved in getting a water supply from a Borehole?” There followed a brief but detailed overview of necessary subsequent actions. Next we received an acceptable quote and battle commenced.

A couple of days later Alan (project leader) arrived with Andrew (water divining expert) to conduct an on-site survey and locate a water source. Like most people I lacked faith in the concept of water divining (how wrong I was!) Andrew trudged through our back garden, occasionally stopping to assess the situation and then continue in the most determined fashion, until finally he ground to a halt stating “Here is water!” Alan promptly hammered in a marking stake so that ‘X’ marked the spot. Andrew noting the expression on my face offered me the two rods to try; amazingly as I trudged around our back garden the rods took on a life of their own and slavishly continued to point towards Andrew’s marker stake (definitely spooky). On standing directly over the wooden stake both rods then dropped and pointed directly at the stake (even more spooky). We had water but at what depth, volume and quality had yet to be determined. The only way to find out was to drill.

Several days later Alan rang me and confirmed that their current project had been completed earlier than expected and could they start drilling our Borehole tomorrow. I promptly agreed. Early next morning Russell (Filpumps director and drilling machine controller) plus Mike (driller of vast experience) centred their very hi-tech drilling machine on to the exact spot marked by Andrew and Alan’s marking stake and promptly commenced drilling.

Borehole DrillingTestimonial from customer - Hamilton Smith Forgie

Andrew had already verified that there were four separate water bearing fissures pouring into our ‘X’ marks the spot position at differing depths. Sure enough at 29 meters the drill bit found our first water (albeit just a trickle but equivalent to our current primary water supply). At 38 meters they found their second source of water with a satisfyingly vast increase volume than that found so far and finally at 43 meters they penetrated the third fissure, which thanks to its even more increased volume surged up the Borehole, past drill pipe and clarted a very animated Russell and Mike from head to foot (plus drilling machine) in a second skin of waves of surging muddy water. Mike, looking at a very busy Russell, who was totally unconcerned by the unconventional shower enveloping him said proudly to me “He is one of our directors” ....... no accolade was ever better deserved. Within minutes the mud from the run-off water dissipated to be replaced by volumes of crystal clear liquid. Success after only five hours drilling! Resisting the temptation to hug mud coated Russell and Mike when they suggested that based on the water we already have, we really don’t need to drill further, (thus saving me time and money). Naturally I readily fell in with their suggestion.

The following week Willie arrived to conduct the Borehole water yield test (1445 gallons per hour - not that we will ever use anything near that) and water quality test (verified by an independent laboratory analysis) which proved excellent with a little help from Ph and UV filters.

Alan provided me with an acceptable quote for the fitting of the permanent Borehole pump, wellhead completion, trenching for pipe and electrical cable ground works and installation of controller and water treatment filters etc.

Soon afterwards got a call from Peter who was tasked with digging the trenches and laying the water supply and return pipes which was completed with the minimum of fuss or disruption (on a Sunday). Next day Peter was joined by Willie, who whilst Peter was back-filling the trenches with his usual consummate machine skills (which would turn a Concorde aircraft pilot green with envy), set about translating Alan’s excellent design for the Borehole pump control mechanisms into a functional work of art. Willie conducted the final system commissioning tests (throughout this period he had being battling with an pretty intense chest infection but he wouldn’t let it divert him from his objective to get the job done - right) Actually the same applied to Peter, who was also suffering. Needless to say Filpumps completed the (very professional) project perfectly to our satisfaction and on time.

Whilst the above was happening, a couple of miles away in another field, my son had noticed another company (certainly not Filpumps) were boring their third Borehole with what results I know not! Guess it is expedient to get the right project team for this job.

• Installation • Servicing • Repairs • Pumps • Pump Controls • Water Treatment • Private Water Supplies • Borehole Drilling • Sewage Treatment • Storage Tanks

• Pipes • Hoses • Fittings

Thainstone Business ParkInverurie

AberdeenshireAB515GT

Tel 01467 623010Fax 01467 623011

info@filpumps.co.ukwww.filpumps.co.uk

Information is correct to the best of our knowledge at time of printing. Information is subject to change at any time without prior notice.

Members of