Environmental Engineering Technician how-to

How to Sample a Groundwater Monitoring Well

Good sampling technique produces data regulators trust.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
Quick answer

Good sampling technique produces data regulators trust. In short: calibrate; measure; purge, then complete the remaining steps below.

Step by step

  1. Calibrate meters and gather clean equipment and bottles.

  2. Measure water level and calculate well volume.

  3. Purge the well until parameters stabilize.

  4. Fill sample bottles in the correct order, without headspace for VOCs.

  5. Label, preserve and chill samples.

  6. Complete field notes and chain of custody.

Safety reminders for environmental engineering technicians

  • Complete HAZWOPER training before hazardous site work
  • Wear PPE and monitor air where contaminants are present
  • Follow traffic and heavy equipment safety on sites
  • Use proper lifting for equipment and coolers

Monitoring well · Purging · Chain of custody · Remediation · Soil vapor extraction · Groundwater: see the full environmental engineering technician glossary.

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