Water Well Contractor Licensing

AUDIENCE: Homeowners/governmental officials/building contractors

BACKGROUND: Fifty-two percent of the U.S. population uses ground water for their drinking water source. Approximately 95 percent of rural residents depend entirely on this resource for their domestic uses. Census figures indicate that during 1990 there were 15,123,730 households served by private water wells. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act's provisions, which are intended to protect public drinking water, do not extend to private household wells.

As a means of protecting the public, 39 states have instituted statewide programs to license individuals installing wells. Although specific requirements for these programs vary from state to state, generally some combination of testing, years of experience or some other criteria are used to measure the competence and knowledge of the contractor regarding water well construction techniques. These laws also provide the states with an enforcement tool to assure compliance with applicable construction codes.

ISSUE: Should states license water well contractors to help ensure that homeowners are provided with a safe drinking water supply and the ground water resource is protected?

POSITION: There is nothing more basic to human survival than provision for an adequate water supply. The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) endorses the administration of a fair and equitable licensing program that is properly enforced in order to assure:

• Increased protection for the homeowner who uses ground water as a drinking water source.
• A public that has confidence in the contractor as a licensed professional.
• The protection of the ground water resource through adherence to proper water well construction standards.
• A minimum level of competence among water well contractors

In order to maintain the level of competence, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the initial license test and to assure that advances in technology and science are applied in the field, NGWA also endorses the concept of proof of continuing education as prerequisite to license renewal.

CONTACT:
Chris Reimer
NGWA
601 Dempsey Road, Westerville, Ohio 43081-8978
Phone: 614-898-7791
Fax: 614-898-7786
E-Mail: h2o@ngwa.org

REFERENCES: National Water Well Association, United States Water Well Marketplace p. B7, 1986.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ground Water Protection Strategy, p. 11, 1984.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Manual of Water Well Construction Practices, 1977.