Joe Samples Well Drilling has been providing quality groundwater in East Tennessee for over 50 years. We realize the importance of not only obtaining, but alwo protecting one of our most precious resources -- WATER. Serving 23 counties in East Tennessee, we have gained the knowledge, experience, and expertise necessary to serve your groundwater needs.

• We operate under state license #264 which allows water well drilling, pump installation, and water treatment device installation. As well as, water well rehabilitation and comprehensive water testing
• We are fully insured and certified including general liability insurance to protect your interests on site
• We have a computer database for retrieval of historical information regarding well/pump/water treatmen systems dating back to 1969t
• We provide on-site well consultation to determine optimum location and answer any questions
• We utilize drilling contracts to inform you up front of the work we are to provide
• We stay abreast of the latest technology through our membership in the Tennessee Water Well Association, National Ground Water Association, and continuing education
• Our Modern fleet of drilling equipment and service trucks help us to provide the most reliable service in the industry
• Our employees are paid by the hour, not by the foot. This insures that well depth isn't increased so weekly footage bonuses can be met
• Our service trucks are dispatched via mobile phones to allow the fastest service possible
• Our trained employees are courteous and understanding of the needs of our customers
• We accept major credit cards: VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express

The Air-Rotary Method

The type of drilling that Joe Samples Well Drilling performs is called Air rotary. This is made possible by a large compressor which is mounted on a rotary drilling rig. Our rigs are about 40 feet long, 8 feet wide and weight around 60,000 lbs. fully loaded.

The air rotary method of drilling uses compressed air to power a bit that works in a rotary motion. When down, pressure is applied to the drill stem, hammer, and bit (by large hydraulic pistons) the bit is compressed and begins to hammer many times a second. This hammer/rotary motion chips or grinds away at the formation to gain footage. Water is also sent down the drill stem under pressure to help cool the bit and to wash the cuttings to the surface.

The Drilling Process

1. Due to the size of the drilling equipment, a company representative will meet with you on-site to discuss the location of the new well. State regulations require that the well location must be at least:
   • 25 ft. from property lines
   • 50 ft. from septic tank, sewer lines, and drain fields
   • 5 ft. from building foundations
   • 100 ft. from animal pens (feed lots)
   We also collect global positioning data in order to have the precise location of the well for our records as well as state registration.
   
   
2. Once the well location has been selected, we will review costs and go through our drilling contract. Once the contract has been signed and the state forms are completed, we will submit all information to the state in order to register your well. A $75.00 check made payable to the State of Tennessee will be due at this time.
   
3. The actual drilling process begins by boring through loose and broken formation in order to find solid bedrock. Once solid bedrock is round, .188 wall steel casing is installed in order to prevent contaminants from entering the well and to insure the structural integrity of the borehole. Casing will not be required for the full well depth, only to solid rock. Your casing will then be externally sealed with a NSF approved material called bentonite. This material is used at the bottom of the casing as well as the top 10 feet of backfill. This will form a protective barrier against contaminated waters entering your well from the surface of undesirable aquifers.
   
   
4. A smaller drill bit is then inserted inside the casing and the search for water begins. Once the desired amount of yield is obtained, the well is then developed in order to clean the well of drill cuttings and to circulate the water supply. After completion of the drilling and development of the well, the well is then sanitized to insure that bacteria were not introduced during the drilling process. We then place a water-tight well cap on the top of the well casing to further protect your water supply.
   
   
5. A well log is then completed to provide detailed information about formations encountered and water-bearing zones. Our technicians use this information to size a pumping system that is specific to the parameters of your well and designed to meet your water usage demands. Once your water system has been designed, we will provide you with cost and also schedule an installation date.