Water Well Driller

A Guide to Course Content

Water Well Drillers monitor and services wells, interpret water analyses and operate
drilling rigs and associated equipment.

Training Requirements: 3600 hours (2 years) including two 6-week training sessions
at Red Deer College in Red Deer, Alberta. An apprentice must successfully complete
the required technical training and compile enough on-the-job experience to total at
least 1800 hours each year.

Entrance Requirements: Individuals must be working in the trade and under the
supervision of a certified tradesperson.

Your grade twelve diploma (with no modified classes) or GED 12 is your guarantee that
you meet the educational entrance requirements for apprenticeship in Saskatchewan.
In fact, employers prefer and recommend apprentices who have completed high school.
This ensures the individual has all of the necessary skills required to successfully
complete the apprenticeship program, and receive journeyperson certification.
Individuals with “modified” or “general” classes are required to take an entrance
examination prescribed by the SATCC.

The information contained in this pamphlet serves as a guide for employers and
apprentices. The pamphlet briefly summarizes the training delivered at each level of
apprenticeship training. An apprentice spends approximately 15% of the apprenticeship
term in a technical training institute learning the technical and theoretical aspects of the
trade. The hours and percentages of technical and practical training may vary
according to class needs and progress.

The content of the technical training components is subject to change without notice.

11/12
Level One - 6 weeks

Water Well Industry Roles and Associations

 scope of industry
 training/education
 Water Well Drillers Association

Occupational Health and Safety

 regulation interpretation/study
 safe use of guards, chemicals
 contact with toxic chemicals and sour gases
 combustible materials
 WHMIS
 shop and field safety hazards
 personal protective equipment
 fire prevention

Basic Tools and Skills

 care and use of hand tools
 care and use of power tools
 electrical testing and service equipment

Gasoline and Diesel Engines

 internal combustion engines
 cooling systems
 lubrication systems
 fuel systems
 electrical systems
 servicing and trouble shooting

Hydraulic and Air Operated Equipment

 basic hydraulics
 hydraulic systems
 air systems
 air systems - high capacity (drilling air)

Welding

Electrical

Standards and Regulations of Water Well Drilling

 provincial and federal acts and regulations

Ground Water Geology

 introduction to geology
 water sources
 lithology
 maps

Well Construction and Design

 design and construction considerations
 well casing
 formations
 screens
 filter packs
 sealing, grouting and cementing casings
Drilling Systems
 percussion drilling, cable tool
 rotary, air rotary and air hammer drilling
 auger, boring or rotary bucket drilling
 other drilling systems
 drilling safety

Well Pumping Systems

 pump types and installation

Level Two - 6 weeks

Ground Water Geology
 types of formations
 maps and reports

Exploration for Ground Water

 basic consideration
 sample procedures and sample logging

Ground Water Flow

 basic concepts
 aquifer tests
 procedure
 interpretation

Drilling Systems
 cable tool drilling
 mud rotary, air rotary and air hammer drilling
 auger, boring and rotary bucket drilling

Well Construction and Design

 design consideration
 water systems
 cost estimating

Well Development
 theory of well development
 methods of development
 equipment requirements
 disinfecting wells and piping
 testing well efficiency

Well Pumping Systems

 pump types and related technology
 pump size and installation
 pump maintenance
 common pollution problems and solutions

Well Maintenance
 well failure causes
 equipment failure
 relationship of failure causes
 recovering/reinstalling well screens
 well efficiency
 common pollution problems
Chemical Aspects of Ground Water
 ground water chemistry
 water treatment

Well Drilling Records and Specifications

 records at well site
 contracts and agreements
 well reports

Metric in Water Well Drilling and Specifications

 understanding
 metric units
 symbols

Introduction to Natural Gas Occurrence in Domestic Water Wells

 licensing
 equipment
 domestic gas servicing

Ground Water Monitoring

 ground water contamination sources
 contaminant movement
 locating monitoring wells
 monitor well construction and design
 safety at monitoring sites

Saskatchewan Apprenticeship & Trade Certification Commission

2140 Hamilton St Regina SK S4P 2E3
Tel: (306) 787-2444
Fax: (306) 787-5105
Toll Free: 1-877-363-0536
web site: www.saskapprenticeship.ca

District Offices
Estevan (306) 637-4930
La Ronge (306) 425-4385
Moose Jaw (306) 694-3735
North Battleford (306) 446-7409
Prince Albert (306) 953-2632
Saskatoon (306) 933-8476
Swift Current (306) 778-8945
Yorkton (306) 786-1394