B.C.
Posted January 2006
By Bob Brown and Mike Wei: Water Stewardship Division, Ministry of Environment (As featured in the Winter 2005 edition of the BCWWA “Watermark”)
Ground water is one of British Columbia’s most precious natural resources. More than 750,000 British Columbians get their drinking water from wells, and about 75 percent of the ground water extracted in the province is used to support the B.C. economy (e.g., industrial processing, irrigation, aquaculture). Demand continues to grow, and in recent years ground water has even been increasingly used as a viable source of low-temperature geothermal energy for heating and/or cooling.
Despite its importance, the ground water resource has, in the past, lacked adequate legal protection. Some provincial legislation has addressed specific human activities such as waste discharges, siting of water supply wells, and major ground water extraction projects to ensure they do not negatively impact ground water or its users. The Drinking Water Protection Act and Regulation was enacted to protect public drinking water supplies, many of which rely on well water. However, well construction has historically been unregulated, and this has contributed to a number of ground water quantity and quality problems in a number of areas within B.C.
Ground Water Protection Regulation: Phase 1
In June 2004, B.C.’s first-ever Ground Water Protection Regulation: Phase 1 (the regulation) was enacted as part of the province ’s Action Plan for Safe Drinking Water. Initial provisions for the registration of qualified well drillers and well pump installers came into effect November 1st, 2004, and the remainder of Phase 1 (standards for well construction, maintenance and closure, and well identification) came into full effect on November 1st, 2005. The regulation was developed through the recommendations of a six-member board of ground water experts (the Ground Water Advisory Board). Additional regulations are planned for Phases 2 and 3.
The Ground Water Protection Regulation affects wells that supply drinking water supply systems. Owners of water supply systems need to be aware of their responsibilities under the regulation and how the regulation complements the Drinking Water Protection Regulation to more effectively protect public drinking water supplies reliant on wells.
Registration of drillers and pump installers and new well standards
The new regulation establishes standards to ensure wells are properly drilled, sealed, maintained, and closed. Beginning on November 1st, 2005, new water supply wells need to be constructed to minimum standards in accordance with the regulation. For example, all new water supply wells must have:
- A surface seal;
- A secure well cap;
- Adequate stick-up of the well casing and grading to allow surface water to be drained way from the wellhead; and
- A well identification plate to be attached to a new well.
These standards provide sanitary protection for the well and minimize the potential for ground water contamination due to substandard construction, lack of proper maintenance, or poor operational practices.
Qualified drillers and pump installers required to construct wells and install pumps for wells
Water wells must now be constructed by qualified drillers, and pumps for water wells must be installed by qualified well-pump installers. Qualified drillers and well pump installers must have certification from either the Industry Training Authority or the Canadian Ground Water Association, and a minimum of three years fulltime experience. Qualified drillers and pump installers must register with the Ministry of Environment to be able to work without direct supervision.
A grand-parenting provision allows drillers and pump installers without recognized certification to be registered before November 1st, 2006, provided they have an equivalent of five years full-time experience. The registry of qualified drillers and pump installers can be found online by clicking here. Qualified drillers and pump installers who are registered are issued an identification card from the ministry and must carry this identification card with them at work.
Identification of water supply wells
A driller is required to attach a well identification plate to new water supply wells, record the well identification number on the well construction report, and submit the report to the ministry. Owners of existing wells that supply water supply systems must attach a well identification plate to their existing wells by November 1st, 2006, as well as complete and submit Schedule 2 of the regulation to the ministry, which can be obtained online by clicking here. Well identification plates can be obtained from the Ministry of Environment free of charge.
Well owners responsible for maintaining, capping, deactivating, and closing wells
Well owners are responsible under the regulation to maintain their wells to ensure it remains safe and sanitary. This means ensuring the well is securely capped, the surface seal is not disturbed, the wellhead is not altered, and the well identification plate is visible. Owners of existing wells constructed before November 2005 must ensure a secure well cap, or well cap and cover, is installed by October 1st, 2007.
If a well is not in use, the well owner is obligated to deactivate or close the well. Deactivating a well means the well owner must cap, secure, and protect the well while it is not in use. A well that has been deactivated for ten years must be closed. Closing a well means the well owner must fill the well in with backfill and sealant. Qualified well drillers can close wells, and closure reports for water supply wells are to be submitted to the ministry. Standards for deactivating and closing wells apply to all existing wells, except geotechnical wells.
Water supply system owners must flood-proof their wells
The owner of a water supply system must also locate, complete, equip, and maintain a new public water supply well to minimize the risk from that well of damage or contamination from flooding. The engineer (a Ministry of Environment employee appointed as a statutory official under the Water Act) may also require the owner of a water supply system to assess the well for risk of flooding and order the well owner to make alterations to the well to minimize flood risk.
Phases 2 and 3
The Ground Water Advisory Board is currently developing recommendations for Phase 2 of the regulation. Phase 2 will focus on well report requirements (e.g., well construction reports or “well logs”), additional standards for well construction, well pump installation, flow testing, water quality analyses, and flowing artesian wells, all with a view to safeguarding against ground water contamination, protecting public health, and securing critical information on the resource.
Phase 3 will focus on implementing water management plans in designated areas, well operation, drilling authorizations (if necessary), and other measures for aquifer protection, quality, and use. By following this regulation, well owners are protecting their own and their neighbours’ well water supply, as well as keeping groundwater resources healthy and clean for future generations.
For more information on the regulation, contact your local Ministry of Environment office or check online at by clicking here.