Wells which are no longer in use, or “abandoned,” can be a potential threat to health, safety, and the environment. Until a well is properly sealed, a building, addition, deck, or other structure may not be built over the well.
What Is A Well? Basically, a well is a hole drilled into the ground to access water contained in an aquifer. A pipe and a pump are used to pull water out of the ground, and a screen filters out unwanted particles that could clog the pipe.
Individual private well owners may also be advised by a laboratory to boil their water if test results show bacteria are present in the well water. The water can still be used, without additional treatment, for bathing, showering, laundry and washing dishes.
Whenever it is warm out, there is a chance of your private well running dry. Most wells flow without problem through warmer months, but in areas of drought and a low level of groundwater there is a chance for them to run dry. Read on to learn about the signs of a dry well and what can be done to fix one.
Keep hazardous chemicals, such as paint, fertilizer, pesticides and motor oil away from your well. Periodically check the well cover or well cap on top of the casing (well) to ensure it is in good repair. Always maintain proper separation between your well and buildings, waste systems, or chemical storage facilities.
Should You Buy a House With a Well? Well water might taste better than city water, but minerals and contamination could affect your health. You also need to consider the costs of maintenance, repairs, testing and a generator.
Homeowners with private wells should have their well water tested every 3 to 5 years for some contaminants, including bacteria. If these tests turn up positive for bacteria, chlorinating the well may be a way to resolve the problem.
It costs about $1,000 to replace and install a pump and related components in a shallow-bored well. For a drilled well, the price may approach $2,000, depending on shaft depth and pump horsepower. Older or shallow wells may use an above-ground jet pump to pull water from the well.
Drilling a well costs $5,500 for an average depth of 150 feet. Most projects range between $1,500 and $12,000. Expect to pay between $15 and $30 per foot of depth, or up to $50 for difficult terrain.
Access the
city water pipe in front of your house. Dig a trench for the pipe. Install a pipe from the
water supply to your
water pump.
This includes:
- Getting a permit for the work.
- Signing up with your city for water service.
- Repairing the yard after the trench is filled back in.
Well water typically tastes better due to the lack of added chemicals (ask anyone). Public water is treated with chlorine, fluoride, and other harsh and dangerous chemicals. Well water travels straight up from the ground; you get all the health benefits of clean water with none of the harsh chemical additives.
If there is an abandoned well on property you own, no matter the age of the well, you are responsible for the proper decommissioning of this well. If you do not have it properly sealed you are liable for any damage to person or property caused by this well.
The Groundwater Quality Control Act, Part 127, 1978 PA 368 defines an abandoned water well as a well which: has its use permanently discontinued. is in such disrepair that its continued use for obtaining groundwater is impractical. is a threat to groundwater resources.
When drilling a water well on your own property for your own consumptive use no more than once every two years. The well must meet all well construction regulation standards and be constructed by the actual property owner. A property owner must hire a licensed Washington state well driller.
How Can the Person Abandoning a Well Request and Obtain a Written Consent From the Director?
- in writing to Wells Help Desk, Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, 125 Resources Road, Toronto, ON M9P 3V6,
- by fax at: 416-235-5960, or.
- by e-mail at Wellshelpdesk@ontario.ca.
