Well Decommissioning

By Jean Meiners 

Technician, Root River SWCD

Do you have an inactive, unused or abandoned well on your property? Every unused well that is not properly sealed poses a safety, health, and environmental threat to your family and community as well as a potential legal risk to the homeowner. Children and small animals can easily fall into an unprotected, open well. Also, accidents can occur when equipment is unsuspectingly driven over a crumbling well or well pit. An unused well can act like a drain, allowing surface water runoff, contaminated water, or improperly disposed waste a direct pathway into drinking water sources. When this occurs, the quality of everyone’s water is threatened. 

Well decommissioning or sealing is used to accomplish one or more of the following purposes: 1) Protect ground water from surface water contamination 2) Protect the aquafer water quality 3) Restore the natural hydrogeologic conditions. 

Minnesota law mandates that a well only be sealed by a Minnesota Department of Health licensed well contractor. The well driller is responsible for submitting the well closure report to the Minnesota Department of Health. You can find a list of licensed well contractors, as well as other well information, on the Minnesota Department of Health website, www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/wells/sealing/abandwel.html

The Root River SWCD has cost share available to help pay for the sealing of abandoned wells. The cost share rate is 75% and is allocated on a first come, first serve basis.