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Contractor Licensing · S.14

Louisiana Contractor Water Well Drilling Trade Examination Practice Test

Water well drilling involves constructing a borehole that can produce groundwater while protecting the aquifer and maintaining well integrity. Practice questions address well screens and casing, water-bearing formations, artesian conditions, borehole stability, sanitary seals, and the placement of pump intakes relative to sediment.

Exam overview

Exam providerLouisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors
Exam codeS.14
CategoryContractor Licensing

About the Louisiana Contractor Water Well Drilling Trade Examination Exam

Well construction requires interpreting what the formation and borehole reveal as drilling proceeds. Identifying the depth where water enters helps characterize the water-bearing zone, while recognizing pressure in a confined aquifer can signal artesian flow. In unconsolidated or unstable formations, casing and other hole-support methods help prevent collapse before permanent construction is complete. Screen selection and placement affect how water enters the well and how sediment is controlled. Drillers also need to protect the completed well from surface contamination with suitable caps or seals, position pump intakes clear of the bottom, and collect bacteriological samples without introducing contaminants. Pumping-test observations such as drawdown help describe the well’s response to pumping. Site preparation and environmental care include locating underground utilities before drilling and disposing of chlorinated disinfection water without releasing it to waterways or storm drains.

Sample Practice Questions

Review a selection from this exam's published US Practice Tests practice bank.

Question 1

What is the main function of a well screen in an unconsolidated sand aquifer?

  1. ATo admit water while limiting entry of formation sediment
  2. BTo raise the aquifer's natural pressure
  3. CTo prevent water from contacting the pump
  4. DTo chemically disinfect water as it enters
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A properly selected screen allows groundwater to enter the well while retaining most formation grains. Screen selection and surrounding development are important to control sand production.

Question 2

What is the primary purpose of installing a sanitary well seal or cap at the top of a water well?

  1. ATo prevent surface contaminants and insects from entering the well
  2. BTo increase the natural yield of the aquifer
  3. CTo remove dissolved minerals from the water
  4. DTo prevent the casing from settling deeper
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A properly fitted sanitary seal closes the well opening against contaminants, insects, and other foreign material while allowing necessary piping and wiring to pass through in a protected manner.

Question 3

What is the purpose of checking that a pump intake is positioned with adequate clearance from the well bottom and accumulated sediment?

  1. ATo reduce the chance of drawing sediment into the pump and causing damage or wear
  2. BTo increase the well's casing diameter
  3. CTo prevent the aquifer from recharging
  4. DTo make water-level measurements unnecessary
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Adequate clearance helps avoid entraining settled material that can abrade or clog pump components. The proper placement depends on well construction and operating conditions; it does not change casing size or eliminate monitoring.

Question 4

A well is being drilled through a confined aquifer that lies beneath a clay layer. What condition can indicate that water in the aquifer is under artesian pressure?

  1. AWater in the borehole rises above the top of the aquifer after it is penetrated
  2. BThe drilling fluid becomes more viscous as drilling continues
  3. CThe borehole diameter decreases below the casing
  4. DCuttings become finer near the surface
Show answerCorrect answer: A

In a confined aquifer, pressure can cause water to rise in the borehole above the aquifer’s upper boundary. Whether it reaches ground surface depends on the pressure head and land elevation.

Question 5

A driller records the depth at which water first enters a borehole. What does this observation most directly indicate?

  1. AThe well's final pumping rate
  2. BThe depth of the static water level after the well recovers
  3. CA water-bearing zone encountered during drilling
  4. DThe total depth of the competent bedrock
Show answerCorrect answer: C

Water observed entering during drilling identifies an encountered water-bearing zone. The static water level is measured after drilling and recovery, while pumping rate requires a controlled test.

Question 6

Before drilling begins, why should the driller review available utility-location information and have underground utilities located at the site?

  1. ATo determine the aquifer's expected yield
  2. BTo reduce the risk of striking buried services such as gas, electric, or water lines
  3. CTo select the pump's final operating speed
  4. DTo establish the well's static water level
Show answerCorrect answer: B

Locating buried utilities before excavation or drilling helps prevent injury, service disruption, and damage to underground infrastructure. Utility-location information does not determine aquifer yield or pump settings.

Question 7

During a pumping test, what does drawdown generally describe?

  1. AThe vertical distance the water level falls from its pre-pumping level
  2. BThe total depth of the borehole below ground surface
  3. CThe volume of drilling fluid lost during construction
  4. DThe height of the pump above the well bottom
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Drawdown is the decline in water level attributable to pumping, measured relative to the relevant static or pre-pumping level. It is distinct from borehole depth, fluid loss, and pump placement.

How to use this practice test

The free practice bank contains 50 questions; each session presents up to 20 random questions and shows results afterward. Use a session to check how well you apply well-construction concepts to field situations, then revisit any missed topics, such as borehole stability, sanitary protection, or pumping-test observations.

Preparation tips

  • Compare the roles of casing, well screens, and sanitary seals, and connect each component to the well condition it addresses.
  • Practice interpreting water-entry depth, confined-aquifer pressure, and drawdown as distinct observations made during drilling or testing.
  • Review how unstable formations can be supported until permanent casing is installed, and consider how screen placement affects sediment entry.
  • Work through contamination-control steps for bacteriological sampling, well disinfection, utility locating, and chlorinated-water disposal.
  • Check pump-intake placement against well-bottom clearance and possible sediment accumulation.
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