To be a water well driller today, most states require you to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to drive the equipment and a state well driller’s license for the states that you drill in, as well as current continuing education classes.

My son “Piglet” and myself present state-approved continuing education classes for several states so we try to attend all of the drilling and pump classes possible near us to keep up to date on new technologies, regulations and what’s happening in the groundwater industry.

In October of this year, we attended the Virginia Fall Field Day near Exmore, Va. Bundick Well & Pump hosted the day of demonstrations that included the construction of a 4.5-inch coastal plain well for the Christian Shore Academy located near Exmore.

The day consisted of demonstrations appropriate for the fulfillment of the Groundwater Withdrawal Permit issued from the Department of Environmental Quality. Permits are required for projects within the Eastern Groundwater Management Area of Virginia.

The registration started at 7:00 a.m. with breakfast and the day ended at 5:00 p.m.

Lunch was provided, in addition to fun activities such as a turkey shoot for a prize and a coordinate game with the Department of Environmental Quality. Attendees were asked to bring their GPS locating devices or their smartphones to interact with DEQ’s mapping software in real-time.

Hunting and fishing retailer Eastern Shore Outfitters supplied a crossbow for a shoot and they displayed some of their other goods. There was also a “Black Powder Gun Raffle.”

I feel the day’s event was professionally presented and I want to offer a special thanks to Bundick Well & Pump and their employees for seeing that this day went smoothly. The event was well attended by many drillers and pump installers from all over Virginia.

NOTICE: For those who weren’t able to attend to obtain their continuing education hours, all is not lost. We present a one-day (8-hour) class each third Friday of the month. We suggest you call to preregister your space. For five or more people we can also schedule a course and come to your location. Our class covers CEPs for Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Delaware. Our course can probably be approved for your state as well.

For those that weren’t grandfathered and need a 40-hour school to obtain their Virginia “Master Certified Water Well Systems Provider,” we present a pre-approved 40-hour school (at your location). For more details, call 757- 418-2036 or email porkyva@cox.net to register or schedule an event.

If you are currently a licensed well driller, be aware of your renewal deadline. You probably won’t be notified by the regulators. Also have your current CEPs in hand. It’s the driller’s responsibility to keep up with his license.