OpenExamsFREE PRACTICE — ANY EXAM

Free Water Well Contractor Examination Part 3 — Experience in the Construction of Water Wells Practice Questions

75 free questions · Answer explanations · No signup required

View examination details, outline and sources

Loading selected examination banks…

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the Water Well Contractor Examination Part 3 — Experience in the Construction of Water Wells practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

  1. 1Before choosing a target aquifer, what system requirement should the driller compare with available aquifer information?

    1. A. The proposed water-system demand
    2. B. The rig's highway speed
    3. C. The permit fee schedule
    4. D. The casing supplier's delivery route

    Answer: A

    Explanation: The manual directs the contractor to evaluate aquifers "to determine which aquifer(s) will be available to satisfy the demand of the proposed water well system."

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 5, Preliminary Water Well Design

  2. 2Before moving a drilling rig onto a site, what underground condition must first be addressed?

    1. A. All underground utilities must be located
    2. B. The permanent pump must be installed
    3. C. The borehole must be chlorinated
    4. D. The formation log must be finalized

    Answer: A

    Explanation: The safety guidance says "all underground utilities must be located prior to beginning any work."

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 16, Preparation to Construct Water Well

  3. 3In an in-ground mud-pit system, what carries returning mud from the borehole to the pit?

    1. A. A gravity-flow trench
    2. B. A pressure-tank line
    3. C. A grout tremie
    4. D. A vent pipe

    Answer: A

    Explanation: The manual says a trench from the borehole to the pit lets returning mud "flow, by gravity, to the mud pit."

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 17, rotary mud containment

  4. 4What are the base components of drilling mud described in the IDPH contractor manual?

    1. A. Water and bentonite clay material
    2. B. Cement and limestone chips
    3. C. Water and pea gravel
    4. D. Sand and calcium hypochlorite

    Answer: A

    Explanation: The manual states, "Drilling mud is a mixture of water and any bentonite clay material."

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 20, Mixing Drilling Fluids

  5. 5What preparation should precede selecting a screen slot size for a sand aquifer?

    1. A. Sieve the formation sand
    2. B. Measure the rig wheelbase
    3. C. Weigh the pressure tank
    4. D. Inspect the permit seal

    Answer: A

    Explanation: The contractor manual says, "The sand material should always be sieved to determine the proper size of well screen to use."

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 21, Drilling in Unconsolidated Formations

  6. 6When estimated formation information is entered on a permit application, how should the driller treat it during actual drilling?

    1. A. As a best estimate that may change with actual geology
    2. B. As a fixed completion depth that cannot change
    3. C. As a substitute for collecting cuttings
    4. D. As proof of final well yield

    Answer: A

    Explanation: IDPH calls the proposed aquifer "just a best estimate" and notes that completion in a different formation can be acceptable.

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 11, permit application aquifer entry

  7. 7What bentonite-and-water mix does the manual use as its example for a 20-percent active-solids grout slurry?

    1. A. One 50-pound sack with 24 gallons of water
    2. B. One 50-pound sack with 6 gallons of water
    3. C. One 94-pound sack with 24 gallons of water
    4. D. One 94-pound sack with 40 gallons of water

    Answer: A

    Explanation: The recommended example is "a 50 pound sack of bentonite to 24 gallons of water to make a 20% active solids slurry."

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 26, Grouting a Rotary Drilled Water Well

  8. 8What part of a cable-tool drill string provides a useful indication that the rig is level?

    1. A. The drill string acting as a plumb bob
    2. B. The mud pit baffle
    3. C. The screen K-packer
    4. D. The grout return hose

    Answer: A

    Explanation: The cable-tool guidance says, "The drill string is a superb plumb bob for the leveling of the drill rig."

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 32, Cable Drilling Process

  9. 9What is the first formation-related objective of air development around a newly positioned screen?

    1. A. Disinfect the casing and screen assembly
    2. B. Break down mud cake around the screen
    3. C. Measure the stabilized pumping level
    4. D. Place filter-pack material around the screen

    Answer: B

    Explanation: The manual says development is used "to break down the mud cake in the formation so the unconsolidated material will collapse around the screen."

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 22, Air Rotary Development

  10. 10Where do reported formation descriptions from drill cuttings become part of the permanent record?

    1. A. The State of Illinois Water Well Registry
    2. B. The contractor's equipment-maintenance log
    3. C. The casing manufacturer's material record
    4. D. The pump installer's electrical service record

    Answer: A

    Explanation: The manual says this information will "become part of the State of Illinois Water Well Registry" and assist future drillers and scientists.

    Reference: Study Manual for the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractors License Examinations — page 19, Rotary Drilling Process

Topics in this practice bank

These topics describe the available practice for Water Well Contractor Examination Part 3 — Experience in the Construction of Water Wells. Review the examination outline and its sources for scope and allocation details.

  • Site assessment and preliminary design
    • Siting, aquifer information, demand, and preliminary well design
  • Safety and mobilization
    • Utility clearance, ground conditions, rig setup, blocking, and leveling
  • Rotary drilling operations
    • Pits, circulation, bits, stabilizers, pumps, and cuttings removal
  • Drilling fluids
    • Mud composition, mixing, pH, viscosity, testing, and adjustment
  • Casing, screens, and gravel packs
    • Formation sampling, screen selection, installation, packers, and gravel placement
  • Geology, sampling, and drilling logs
    • Cuttings collection, formation identification, water-bearing intervals, and field records
  • Grout materials and placement methods
    • Mix design, quantity, density, bottom-up placement, and approved methods
  • Cable-tool and bored-well construction
    • Starting holes, drive shoes, bailers, casing advance, bored-well design, and completion
  • Well development, yield, and disinfection
    • Development methods, completion criteria, yield tests, and chlorination
  • Construction reports and completion records
    • Report timing, construction details, geologic logs, signatures, and variance samples

How to use these free practice questions

Choose an answer, check the explanation, and review your progress by chapter. Practice questions and explanations are free to access without signing up.

These are independent study questions, not actual examination items. For examination requirements and official information, view Water Well Contractor Examination Part 3 — Experience in the Construction of Water Wells details.