Proper Siting, Construction and Abandoning of Wells

by Tom Christopherson
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

Protecting precious groundwater and finding the proper spot to construct a productive drinking water well are two things that can go hand-in-hand.

Proper siting of a domestic water well includes drilling the well at least 100 feet from any known or suspected source of contamination. For example, a livestock feedlot, where manure accumulates and plants don't grow, normall would be considered a suspected source of contamination. You wouldn't want to locate your well any closer than 100 feet from it.

Proper siting also means that the well be located away from natural runoff and not in a drainage ditch.

Wells used for public water supply systems have more stringent requirements. A public water supply well can't be within 500 feet of a sewage system lateral or within 1,000 feet of a well not intended to pump water for human consumption (such as an irrigation well).

Construction

Proper construction of water wells requires that a seal be placed between the well casing and the drilled hole that will seal off contamination that might flow down along the outside of the casing. Using approved materials to build the well also will help prevent introduction of contaminants and any well used for human consumption must be disinfected before it can be used.

Abandoning Wells

Unused water wells should be properly decommissioned (or plugged) when they are no longer in use. Old wells that are in poor condition can act like a funnel to the groundwater below them. In some cases, a well may be reconstructed and be put back into use. But when it becomes impossible to rebuild a well so that contamination cannot pollute the groundwater, then the well must be plugged, or decommissioned.

In Nebraska siting, construction and abandoning of wells is regulated by Nebraska's Water Well Standards and Contractors Licensing Act of 1986.

Agencies providing additional information and assistance in siting, constructing and abandoning wells include the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (Regulation and Licensure division); University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension; local city and county health departments; your local Natural Resources District (NRD) office; and the Nebraska Well Drillers Association or local well drillers.