Municipal Deep Injection Wells
Municipalities rely on IPT Well Solutions to evaluate, permit, and execute Class I deep injection wells as a safe, permanent waste-disposal solution. We bring decades of subsurface engineering, reservoir modeling, and regulatory expertise to help cities manage biosolids, PFAS, and wastewater streams while ensuring full EPA UIC compliance and long-term environmental protection.
View Case Study
300+
Disposal Wells
38+
Counties
9+
States
I’ve been impressed by the expertise and partnership provided by IPT Well Solutions in supporting NGL Water Solutions’ underground injection control (UIC) regulatory compliance across Colorado and New Mexico. Their insightful guidance on interpreting and adhering to both established and emerging regulations has seamlessly integrated with our robust internal frameworks, enabling us to maintain the highest standards of operational excellence while effectively optimizing compliance-related costs. IPT’s collaborative approach has truly added value to our team, and I highly recommend their services to others in the industry.
Doug White,
EVP, NGL Energy Partners
What Are Municipal Deep Injection Wells?
Municipal deep injection wells are engineered wells used to dispose of treated liquid waste by injecting it thousands of feet underground into deep, isolated geologic formations located far below drinking-water aquifers. They are regulated under the EPA’s Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program, most commonly as Class I wells.
How Deep Injection Wells Work
These wells are vertical, cased, and cemented structures that penetrate impermeable rock layers and discharge treated municipal wastewater streams into porous formations (e.g., sandstone) that are confined by impermeable strata such as shale or clay. These confining layers prevent upward migration of the injected waste.
Typical Waste Streams Disposed of in Municipal Injection Wells
Typical waste streams include:
Concentrated brine from wastewater treatment
Treated wastewater residuals
Biosolid liquids or slurries
Reverse-osmosis concentrate
Biosolids and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are often disposed of via deep-well injection because they are not well-suited for landfills.
Why Biosolids Are Not Good Landfill Candidates
Biosolids, which are approximately 70–85% water:
Are heavy
Occupy large landfill volume
Generate substantial leachate, which ultimately must be disposed of, often through injection
Why PFAS (“Forever Chemicals”) Are Injected
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) are similarly poor candidates for landfilling because they can migrate into leachate and require additional treatment or injection.
Deep-well injection isolates these contaminants from human and ecological exposure.