If you are looking to drill a well, repair a well, or abandon a well, please click here for the application. 

DRILLING A WELL
After the application and fee is submitted to Environmental Health, an Environmental Health Specialist will visit your property and determine the best location for a new well to be drilled.  Many factors are evaluated in determining a well site.  Factors include the following:

• Distance to potential sources of contamination, such as septic systems, creeks or streams, ponds or lakes, petroleum fuel underground storage tanks, landfills, etc.
• Topography and landscape position, such as gullies, low-lying areas subject to flooding, areas in close proximity to overhead power lines, etc.
• Available space

Once a well site is determined, the Environmental Health Specialist will issue a well construction permit.  Please be aware that in some cases a well may not be able to be permitted.  Sometimes additional paperwork (i.e., variance) may be necessary from another government agency (e.g., Division of Water Quality, Division of Environmental Health).  A well construction permit is valid for a period of five years.

After receiving a well construction permit, you must hire a North Carolina Certified Well Contractor to drill the well.  This Well Contractor must also be registered in Alamance County.  The Well Contractor will need a copy of your well construction permit prior to drilling the well.

Galvanized steel casing vs. Thermoplastic casing

After getting a well construction permit and choosing your Well Contractor, another important decision must be made.  With the assistance of your Well Contractor, you must decide whether you would like galvanized steel casing or thermoplastic casing used in your well. 

Casing is the pipe that is installed in the drilling hole that prevents the hole from caving and prevents the entry of contamination.  Casing is usually set in consolidated rock formations, which are formations in which groundwater can be found.  In Alamance County, you will normally see casing extending about 12 inches out of the ground, and is usually about 6 inches in diameter.

Galvanized steel casing is most commonly used in Alamance County.  This type of casing can be driven into consolidated rock formations without any harm to the casing.  Galvanized steel is prone to rusting, however.

Thermoplastic casing can also be used in Alamance County.  This type of casing cannot be driven into consolidated rock formations.  Doing so can hurt the integrity of the casing, creating the potential for contamination of the well.  In Alamance County, the use of thermoplastic casing requires an additional fee.  This additional fee is for Environmental Health staff to inspect the casing with the use of a downhole well camera.  Staff will meet your Well Contractor at the well site and inspect the inside of the casing.  If the thermoplastic casing has been damaged during the drilling process, the Well Contractor will be responsible for repairing the well.

REPAIRING A WELL
A well repair means any work performed on a well which results in breaking or opening the well seal (except for disinfection and pump repairs or replacement).  Any time you repair a well, a permit is required prior to repair.  Examples of well repair work include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Deepening a well
• Lining a well (very commonly done to seal off leaks in the existing casing or to aid in iron reduction)
• Redeveloping a well
• Hydrofracturing
• Cleaning
• Using a well camera

Please keep in mind that only a North Carolina Certified Well Contractor can perform well repairs.

ABANDONING A WELL
The act of sealing a well for the purpose of discontinuing its use is called a well abandoment.  A permit is required to abandon a well.  In addition, only a North Carolina Certified Well Contractor or the owner of the well can abadon a well.

The following rule is located in 15A NCAC 02C .0113 and outlines the proper methods of abandoning wells in North Carolina:

(a)  Any well which has been temporarily abandoned, shall be abandoned in accordance with one of the following procedures:

1. Upon temporary removal from service or prior to being put into service, the well shall be sealed with a water?tight cap or seal compatible with casing and installed so that it cannot be removed easily by hand.
2. The well shall be maintained whereby it is not a source or channel of contamination during temporary abandonment.
3. Every temporarily abandoned well shall be protected with a casing.

(b)  Any well which has been abandoned permanently shall be abandoned in accordance with the following procedures:

1. Procedures for permanent abandonment of wells, other than bored and hand dug wells:

       (C)  Using a hypochlorite solution (such as HTH), disinfect the well in accordance with 15A NCAC 2C .0111. Do not use a common commercial household liquid bleach, as this is too weak a solution to ensure proper disinfection.

       (D)  In the case of gravel?packed wells in which the casing and screens have not been removed, neat?cement, or bentonite grout shall be injected into the well completely filling it from the bottom of the casing to the top.

       (E)  Wells, other than "bored" wells, constructed in unconsolidated formations shall be completely filled with cement grout, or bentonite grout by introducing it through a pipe extending to the bottom of the well which can be raised as the well is filled.

       (F)  Wells constructed in consolidated rock formations or that penetrate zones of consolidated rock may be filled with cement grout, bentonite grout, sand, gravel or drill cuttings opposite the zones of consolidated rock.  The top of the cement grout, bentonite grout, sand, gravel or cutting fill shall terminate at least 10 feet below the top of the consolidated rock or five feet below the bottom of casing. Cement grout or bentonite grout shall be placed beginning 10 feet below the top of the consolidated rock or five feet below the bottom of casing and extend five feet above the top of consolidated rock.  The remainder of the well, above the upper zone of consolidated rock, shall be filled with cement grout or bentonite grout up to land surface.  For any well in which the depth of casing or the depth of the bedrock is not known or cannot be confirmed, then the entire length of the well shall be filled with cement grout or bentonite grout up to land surface.

       (G)  Temporary wells or monitor wells:

              (i)  less than 20 feet in depth which do not penetrate the water table shall be abandoned by filling the entire well up to land surface with cement grout, dry clay, bentonite grout, or material excavated during drilling of the well and then compacted in place; and

             (ii)  that penetrate the water table shall be abandoned by completely filling with a bentonite or cement - type grout.

 2.   For bored wells or hand dug wells, constructed into unconsolidated   material:

       (A)  For wells that do not have standing water in them at any time during the year:

              (i)  Remove all plumbing or piping entering the well, along with any obstructions in the well;

             (ii)  Remove as much of the well casing as possible and then fill the entire well up to land surface with cement grout, concrete grout, bentonite grout, dry clay, or material excavated during drilling of the well and then compacted in place.

       (B)  For wells that do have standing water in them during all or part of the year:

             (i)  Remove all plumbing or piping into the well, along with any obstructions inside the well; and

             (ii)  Remove as much of the well tile casing as possible, but no less than to a depth of three feet below land surface;

            (iii)  Remove all soil or other subsurface material present down to the top of the remaining well casing, and extending to a width of at least 12 inches outside of the well casing on all sides;

            (iv)  Using a hypochlorite solution (such as HTH), disinfect the well in accordance with 15A NCAC 2C .0111 of this Subchapter. Do not use a common commercial household liquid bleach, as this is too weak a solution to ensure proper disinfection;

             (v)  Fill the well up to the top of the remaining casing with cement grout, concrete grout, bentonite grout, dry clay, or material excavated during drilling of the well and then compacted in place;

            (vi)  Pour a one foot thick concrete grout or cement grout plug that fills the entire excavated area above the top of the casing, including the area extending on all sides of the casing out to a width of at least 12 inches on all sides; and

           (vii)  Complete the abandonment process by filling the remainder of the well above the concrete or cement plug with additional concrete grout, cement grout, or soil.

(c)  Any well which acts as a source or channel of contamination shall be repaired or permanently abandoned within 30 days of receipt of notice from the department.

(d)  The drilling contractor shall permanently abandon any well in which the casing has not been installed or from which the casing has been removed, prior to removing his equipment from the site.

(e)  The owner shall be responsible for permanent abandonment of a well except that:

1. the well driller is responsible for well abandonment if abandonment is required because the driller improperly locates, constructs, repairs or completes the well; or
2. the person who installs, repairs or removes the well pump is responsible for well abandonment if that abandonment is required because of improper well pump installation, repair or removal.