What do I need to do in order to drill a well?
If this is for a new building lot, the lot must be approved for
building first.
If this for an existing lot or for a lot that has been approved for building, you must come to the Health Department and complete a well permit application and submit the appropriate application fee. For a single-family residence, the 2016 fee is $368.00, for a non-single family the fee is $378, and for a commercial/agriculture well, the site fee is $106.00. The permit fee for a well alteration is $214.00 for a single family residence and $220.00 for a non-single family residence. Bring with you a scaled drawing of your lot and have the location of the new well designated on that plot plan or complete and bring in the site plan page of the application (pdf). Please see Well Distance Handout (pdf) for distance and other additional requirements.
The department may set isolation distance requirements in excess of those set forth in this rule if conditions are known to exist where the distance set forth in this rule is considered insufficient to protect the public health and the private water system from contamination.
No potential source of contamination may be constructed or permanently
placed within the above cited isolation distances from a water supply of
a private water system. A private water system owner shall be responsible
for maintaining isolation.
Before the well is drilled, a stake must be placed at the desired location and marked “Well.” The property owner must contact the Health Department to make an appointment for an inspection of the location. If approved, an approved tag will be placed on the stake so that the well driller knows that they can drill in that location. The well permit will be mailed to you after the site location has been approved.
Call for an inspection after the well has been drilled and the pitless adapter has been installed.
When the plumbing is completed, chlorinate your well and water system. See Chlorination procedure (pdf).
Call for a water sample after the chlorine has been flushed off. Water samples are taken Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.
Water samples shall be collected a minimum of 48 hours after the well has been chlorinated and completely flushed to remove all residual chlorine from the system. Water to be tested shall be checked for the presence of chlorine prior to analysis.
It is best not to flush a great amount of water into the sewage system.
One water sample is included in the well permit fee. There is an additional $100.00 fee for additional water samples. Water Sample Application Information
A negative water sample (4 or less coliform units/ 100 ml) is required before the well can be approved.
If you would like additional sampling done for other parameters, please see Water Sample Fees 2014 (pdf)
Page last updated: 1/25/2016