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Why Do We Ne e d a P r o g ra m to H ow D o e s th e U I C Pr o g ram
Reg ulate the P l a c e m e n t o f F l u i d s Re g u l a te th e Ve r y D i f fe r ent Types of
Underg round ? Un d e r g r o u n d I n j e c t i o n ?
Facilities across the nation discharge a variety of United States Enivronmental Protection Agency
hazardous and nonhazardous fluids into underground groups underground injection into five classes for
formations through more than 800,000 injection regulatory control purposes. Each class includes
wells. Our way of life would be quite different without wells with similar functions, and construction and
injection wells. Agribusiness and the chemical and operating features
petroleum industr ies as we know them today, could so that technical
not exist. While treatment technologies exist, it would requirements can be
be cost prohibitive to treat and release to surface applied consistently
waters the trillion s of gallons of wastes that industries to the class.
produce each year. When wells are properly sited, • Class I injects
constructed, and operated, underground injection is hazardous and
an effective and environmentally safe alternative to nonhazardous
surface disposal. fluids (industrial
and municipal
The Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program wastes) into
provides these safeguards so that injection wells do isolated formations
not endanger drinking water. The most accessible beneath the
fresh water is stored in shallow geological formations lowermost
called aquifers and is the most vulnerable to underground
contamination. These aquifers feed our lakes; source of drinking
provide recharge to 41 percent of our streams and water (USDW).
Because they may
rivers, particularly during dry periods; and serve as
inject hazardous
resources for 89 percent of public water systems in waste, Class I
the United States. wells are the most
strictly regulated and are further CL ASS I WELL
regulated under the Resource,
What Is an In j e ct i o n We l l ? Conservation and Recovery Act.
• Class II includes injection of brines and other
An injection well is used for subsurface emplacement fluids associated with oil and gas production.
of fluids. An injection well is a bored, drilled, or • Class III injects fluid associated with solution
driven shaft whose depth is greater than the largest mining of minerals.
surface dimension; or, a dug hole whose depth is • Class IV addresses injection of hazardous or
greater than the largest surface dimension; or, an radioactive wastes into or abov e a USDW and is
improved sinkhole; or, a subsurface fluid distribution banned unless authorized under other statutes for
system. This definition covers a wide variety of ground water remediation.
injection practices that range from more than • Class V includes all underground injection not
140,000 technically sophisticated highly monitored included in Classes I-IV. Generally, most Class V
wells which pump fluids into isolated formations up wells inject nonhazardous fluids into or above a
to two miles below the Earth’s surface, to the far USDW and are on- site disposal systems, such as
more numerous on- site drainage systems, such as floor and sink drains which discharge to dry wells,
septic systems, dry wells, and storm water wells, that septic systems, leach fields, and drainage wells.
discharge fluids a few feet underground. Injection practices or wells which are not covered
by the UIC Program include single family septic
systems and cesspools as well as non-residential
septic systems and cesspools serving fewer than
20 persons that inject ONLY sanitary waste water.
Are A l l I n j e c t i o n We l l s Wa ste T h e U I C Pr o g ra m P r ote c ts More Than
Disp o s a l We l l s ? G r o u n d Wa te r
All injection wells are not waste disposal wells. The UIC Program:
some Class V wells, for example, inject surface • Reduces human exposure to organic and
water to replenish depleted aquifers or to prevent inorganic chemicals and heavy metals by removing
salt water intrusion. Some Class II wells inject fluids them from the environment;
for enhanced recovery of oil and natural gas, and • Eliminates more than nine billion gallons of
others inject liquid hydrocarbons that constitute our hazardous waste and a trillion gallons of oil field
nation’s strategic fuel reserves in times of crisis. But waste from the environment each year;
most injection wel ls have the potential to inject fluids
that may cause a
public water system
to violate National
Drinking Water
Standards. These
standards provide
our safety net
against waterborn e
disease and other
health risks . CL ASS V WELL - Aquifer Remediation Well