Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 391 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES › Chapter 391-3 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Subject 391-3-5 - RULES FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER › Rule 391-3-5-.07 - Wells

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27,
				2024
(1)
Approval
. No person shall construct a well as a source of water
				supply for a public water system without having first obtained approval from
				the Division. This requirement may be waived by the Director during emergency
				situations. Any well that is constructed and does not meet the rules of this
				Chapter shall not later be used as a drinking water source for a public water
				system.
(2)
Prohibited
				Wells
. Dug, bored, or jetted wells are prohibited for all new public
				water systems.
(3)
Protection
				from Contamination
. Each well must be protected from contamination by
				surface waters and other sources of contamination. The location of wells must
				be in compliance with the latest edition of the Division's "Minimum Standards
				for Public Water Systems."
(4)
Fill, Plug and Seal
. Whenever a bore hole of any depth is
				excavated for, but not used as a source of water supply it shall be the
				supplier's responsibility to fill, plug and seal the hole within thirty (30)
				days of the excavation in a manner approved by the Division to restore as
				nearly as possible the natural earth condition existing before the hole was
				excavated and to protect against contamination of the ground water. This
				paragraph shall not apply where some other use is made of the ground water from
				the well hole.
(5)
Well
				Construction Standards
. All wells must be constructed as hereinafter
				provided, however, deviations from these rules may be permitted or required by
				the Division due to the variable conditions of the subsurface and ground water
				quality in a specific area.
(a) Drilling
				fluids must be from an uncontaminated source or must be disinfected.
(b) All permanent casing, liners, screens and
				other manufactured material used in the well installation must be new and
				adequate to protect the well against entrance of contaminants during the
				expected life of the well. All casing and liner pipe joints shall be water
				tight the entire length in drilled wells.
1.
				Steel pipe well casing shall conform to American Society for Testing and
				Materials (ASTM) Specification A 53, American Petroleum Institute (API)
				Specification 5L, or equal standard, and meet the following minimum wall
				thickness unless otherwise approved by the Division.
Nominal Casing Diameter
							 (inches)
Minimum Wall Thickness
							 (inches)
4*
0.188
5*
0.188
6
0.280
8
0.322
10
0.365
12
0.375
14
0.375
16
0.375
18
0.375
20
0.375
24
0.500
26
0.500
* not recommended for use in corrosive or high alkalinity
				  water
2. The use of plastic
				well casing and screens must be approved by the Division prior to well
				installation. The well casing and couplings shall meet the requirements of the
				ASTM Standard F 480 or equal standard and the National Sanitation Foundation
				for use with potable water. When approved for use by the Division, plastic well
				casing shall conform to the following minimum wall thickness. However, plastic
				well casing diameters of 12 inches or greater or deep wells may require greater
				wall thickness to meet the collapse strength requirements.
Nominal Casing Diameter
							 (inches)
Minimum Wall Thickness
							 (inches)
4
0.265
4.5
0.291
6
0.390
8
0.508
10
0.632
12
0.750
Plastic well casing and screen shall not extend to a depth of
				  greater than 300 feet below the ground surface.
(c) The outer, permanent, protective casing
				shall extend at least five (5) feet into the first solid, unweathered or
				impervious subsurface rock strata encountered, and shall have a minimum length
				of twenty-five (25) feet from the ground surface into a well excavated into
				water-bearing formations in crystalline rocks and fifty (50) feet in a well
				excavated into sedimentary water-bearing formations. The outer, permanent,
				protective casing shall be cement grouted its entire length with a cement
				slurry consisting of not more than six (6) gallons of water to one cubic foot
				cement, plus standard additives, when necessary, to facilitate placing or
				setting and shall be placed under pressure from the bottom of the annular space
				to be grouted upward until the grout is extruded at the earth's surface. The
				wall thickness of the cement grout surrounding the outer, permanent, protective
				casing shall be not less than one and one-half (1-1/2) inches at any point.
				Subsurface well construction shall cease for at least twenty-four (24) hours
				after grouting. Other grouting materials for sealing the annular space may be
				used upon the approval of the Division prior to well construction.
(d) Any ground water of unacceptable quality
				encountered during the well construction must be sealed off.
(e) The gravel for gravel-packed wells must
				be washed, free of organic matter, and composed of well rounded
				particles.