reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 1 - Registering Water Wells › Section I-101 - Authorization

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The Louisiana
				Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Public Works revised
				the rules, regulations and standards for water well registration, construction,
				plugging and abandonment, installation of control devises on free flowing wells
				and licensing of water well contractors and other drillers under the authority
				given in R.S. 38:2091-38:3098.8.
B.
				Effective January 1, 2010, in accordance with Act 437 of 2009, The Department
				of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, hereafter referred to as
				"department," is responsible for registering water wells and holes in
				Louisiana.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with R.S.
				  38:3091-38:3098.8.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 1 - Registering Water Wells › Section I-103 - Purpose

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The purpose of
				the rules, regulations and procedures for registering water wells and holes,
				stated herein, is to ensure that water wells and holes are properly
				constructed; to collect, catalog and store water well construction and drilling
				data; and to gather data on water resources of the state. The data obtained
				from the registration forms are stored on computer files and are readily
				available for use by hydrologists, engineers, geologists, drillers and others
				who are involved in the administration, development, protection, and the wise
				use of the ground water resources of the state.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with R.S.
				  38:2091-38:3098.8.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 1 - Registering Water Wells › Section I-105 - Registration of Water Wells and Holes Completed on or after November 1, 1985

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The contractor
				who drills or constructs a well or hole on or after November 1, 1985 shall be
				responsible for registering that well or hole by submitting to the department a
				completed water well registration Form within 30 calendar days after completing
				such well or hole. Registration requirements shall apply to all water wells,
				regardless of yield or use, including but not limited to, public supply,
				domestic, irrigation/agriculture, power generation, rig-supply, observation,
				dewatering, monitoring, and heat pump supply wells, as well as test holes,
				abandoned pilot holes, and heat pump holes. For glossary of terms, refer to
				§113 of this Chapter.
B. Exemption from Registration. The following
				wells and holes shall be exempt from registration requirements:
1. wells producing saline water in connection
				with oil or gas production;
2.
				driven wells or wells dug by use of hand auger;
3. geotechnical boreholes.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 1 - Registering Water Wells › Section I-107 - Registration of Water Wells Completed Prior to November 1, 1985

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Because many
				water wells have already been inventoried by the department, the procedures for
				registering wells completed prior to November 1, 1985 are dependent on whether
				or not the wells have been inventoried and their records are available to the
				department.
B. Registration of
				Inventoried Water Wells Completed Prior to November 1, 1985 Whose Records Are
				Available to the Department
1. The department
				will obtain from available data a listing, by owner, of wells and pertinent
				data. A copy of the list will either be sent to the owner for checking and
				updating, or will be checked and updated by a representative of the department
				with assistance from the owner.
2.
				If the list is sent to the owner for checking and updating, the owner shall be
				responsible for updating the list by indicating the current status of each
				registered well, by adding wells not on the list and by indicating wells that
				have been abandoned. The owner shall then certify the list as current and
				correct and shall return the list to the department within 30 calendar days
				after receiving the list. When the corrected and certified list is received by
				the department, the wells added to the list by the owner shall be inventoried
				and registered by a representative of the department.
3. If, in the opinion of the department, a
				visit or telephone contact by a representative of the department is preferable
				and more convenient to the owner than sending a list of wells, a field visit or
				telephone contact will be made by a representative of the department. After the
				data are verified and the well locations are checked, any well not on the list
				will be inventoried and registered by the representative of the
				department.
4. Upon request, the
				owner will be sent an updated listing of registered wells for which he is
				responsible.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 1 - Registering Water Wells › Section I-109 - Use of Information Obtained from Registration Forms

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Information obtained from registration
				forms will be available to all persons upon request. The well data will be
				coded and entered into the department's computerized data file and will be
				integrated with water well data systems operated by other governmental agencies
				and research groups, as needed. Copies of the registration forms or
				computerized listings of the registered wells should fulfill the need of water
				districts, commissions or other state agencies; thus eliminating the need for a
				second set of registration forms.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with R.S.
				  38:2091-38:3098.8.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 1 - Registering Water Wells › Section I-111 - Enforcement Actions

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Provisions
				addressing enforcement of this Chapter appear in
				R.S. 38:3096,
				as follows.
1. Whoever knowingly and
				willingly violates a provision of this Chapter, or a rule, regulation or order
				of the director or a board hereunder, shall be subject to a civil penalty of
				not more than $1,000 a day for each day of violation and for each act of
				violation if a penalty for the violation is not otherwise provided in this
				Chapter.
a. The place of suit to recover this
				penalty shall be selected by the director or board, as may be appropriate, in
				the district court of the parish in which any one of the defendants resides, or
				in the district court of the parish where the violation took place.
b. Suit shall be at the direction of the
				director or board, as may be appropriate, and shall be instituted and conducted
				in his or its name by the attorney general or by the district attorney of the
				district under the direction of the attorney general.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 1 - Registering Water Wells › Section I-115 - References

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Campbell, M. D.
				and Lehr, H., Jr., 1973,
Water Well Technology
. McGraw-Hill,
				New, N. Y.
B. Gary, M.; McAfee, R.,
				Jr. and Wolf, C. L., editors, 1972
Glossary of Geology
,
				American Geological Institute, Washington, D.C.
C. Gibson, U. P. and Singer, R. D., 1971,
Water Well Manual
. Premier Press, Berkeley, CA.
D. Ingra, W. T., et al.; editors, 1969,
				Glossary of Water and Waste-Water Control Engineering.
E. Lohman, S. W., et. al.; 1972. Definitions
				of Selected Ground-water Terms-Revisions and Conceptual Refinements: U.S.
				Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper, 1988.
F.Public Law 93-523, 93rd Congress, December
				16, 1974, 34p.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3098-38:3098.8.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 1 - Registering Water Wells › Section I-117 - Water Well Registration (Long Form)

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The Water Well Registration Long Form
				(DNR-GW-1) and detailed instructions for properly completing and distributing
				the form are available by contacting department staff at (225) 342-8244 or by
				accessing the department's website at www.dnr.louisiana.gov/gwater. A copy is
				to be mailed, or delivered by an Office of Conservation approved electronic
				delivery system, by the water well contractor within 30 days after the well has
				been completed. If by mail, send to:
Department of Natural Resources
Office of Conservation
P.O. Box 94275
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9275
B. A copy of the form is to be retained by
				the water well contractor for their files, and another copy is to be given to
				the well owner immediately upon completion of the work. The commissioner will
				consider and encourages the electronic submission of registration, data or
				reports required under this section.
C. Although most of the information needed to
				complete the form is available to the water well contractor, the following
				explanation will provide clarification of intent for selected items and
				uniformity of reporting.
D. Owner
				Information. List the name of the legal owner of the property on which the well
				is located or the person or company holding a long-term lease on the property.
				If the owner or lessee is an individual, list first and last names and middle
				initial of individual. List area code and telephone number of owner in the
				spaces provided.
1. Address. The address
				should be that of the owner. If the well is owned by an industry, the local
				address of the firm is preferred in order that additional data on the well may
				be easily obtained by the state or a regional water district or
				commission.
2. Owner's Well Number.
				Many cities, institutions, industrial plants, and large farms have their own
				system of designating or identifying wells by number and/or name. This
				information is useful when locating the well and should be entered on the
				form.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 1 - Registering Water Wells › Section I-119 - Water Well Registration (Short Form)

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The Water Well Registration Short Form
				(DNR-GW-1S) and detailed instructions for properly completing and distributing
				the form are available by contacting department staff at (225) 342-8244 or by
				accessing the department's website at
www.dnr.louisiana.gov/gwater
. A copy
				is to be mailed, or delivered by an Office of Conservation approved electronic
				delivery system, by the water well contractor within 30 days after the well has
				been completed. If by mail, send to:
Department of Natural Resources
Office of Conservation
P.O. Box 94275
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9275
B. A copy of the form shall be retained by
				the water well contractor for their files and another copy shall be given to
				the well owner immediately upon completion of the work. The commissioner will
				consider and encourages the electronic submission of registration, data or
				reports required under this section.
C. Although most of the information needed to
				complete the form is available to the water well contractor, the following
				explanation will provide clarification of intent for selected items and
				uniformity of reporting:
1. Use of Well. The
				principal purpose for which the well is used should be indicated by checking
				the appropriate box on the form. If the well is used for more than one purpose,
				only the principal or primary use should be shown.
a. Domestic Well. A water well used
				exclusively to supply the household needs of the owner/lessee and his family.
				Uses may include drinking, cooking, washing, sanitary purposes, lawn and
				garden, watering and caring for pets.
b. Rig Supply Well. A water well drilled at
				an oil or gas drilling site to supply water for drilling and/or other field
				related activities.
c. Monitoring
				Well. A well used to obtain hydrologic and water quality data, usually
				installed at or near a known or potential source of ground water
				contamination.
d. Heat Pump Supply.
				A water well which supplies ground water to a heat pump heat
				exchanger.
e. Heat Pump Hole. A
				hole drilled to install piping (tubing) material for an earth-coupled water
				source heat pump system, also known as a vertical closed-loop system.
f. Abandoned Pilot Hole. A hole drilled with
				the intent to install casing and to produce water but had to be abandoned
				because of problems related to drilling operations or encountering
				unsatisfactory formations.
g.
				Other. A well used for a purpose that does not fit into either the above
				categories or those requiring a long form (DNR-GW-1).
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-301 - Preamble

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. As announced in
				the October 1985 issue of the
Louisiana Register
, the rules,
				regulations and standards for constructing water wells and holes were prepared
				by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), Office of
				Public Works, in accordance with
				R.S.
				38:3091 through
				38:3098.8.
				Effective January 1, 2010, in accordance with Act 437 of 2009, The Department
				of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, hereafter referred to as
department
, is responsible for water well construction in
				Louisiana.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:3098.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-303 - Purpose

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The purpose of
				the rules, regulations, and standards stated herein is to minimize the chances
				of contaminating the state's ground water resources via improperly constructed
				water wells and holes and to minimize health and safety hazards associated with
				construction of wells and holes. The rules, regulations and standards shall
				apply to all water wells and holes, including but not limited to, public
				supply, domestic, irrigation/agriculture, industrial, power generation,
				rig-supply, observation, dewatering, monitor, and heat pump supply, as well as
				pilot holes, test holes, geotechnical boreholes and heat pump holes (closed
				loop system). For glossary of terms refer to §113. A of this Part.
B. All work related to environmental
				boreholes and monitoring systems shall conform to the requirements of this
				chapter. A resource available to drillers as reference material of common
				industry practices for installation of environmental boreholes and monitoring
				systems is the
Guidance Manual for Environmental Boreholes and
				Monitoring Systems
, dated November 2021, available online at:
http://www.dnr.louisiana.gov/guidance-manual
.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:309.8.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-305 - Approval of Plans and Specifications for Public Water Supply Systems

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.R.S.
				38:3094(A)(3), authorizes
				the department to:
"Establish regulations governing standards for the
				  construction of all water wells drilled after the effective date of this
				  Act..."
B.R.S.
				40:4(A)(8), of Section 4
				(Sanitary Code) states:
"In order to protect the public against disease from water
				  supplied for drinking, culinary, and ablutionary purposes, the state health
				  officer shall prepare and promulgate all rules and regulations necessary to
				  insure that water supplied to the public by public water supplies is obtained
				  from safe and sanitary sources and that such sources are properly protected; is
				  treated, stored and conveyed in a safe and sanitary manner; and is safe and
				  potable for human use..."
C. In accordance with these legislative
				directives, the rules, regulations and standards governing construction of
				public supply water wells were prepared by the DOTD in close cooperation with
				the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health
				(LDHH-OPH), and they are intended to eliminate duplication of efforts and
				requirements by the two agencies, thereby minimizing cost and optimizing
				operating efficiencies.
D. Part XII
				of the State Sanitary Code (LAC 51:XII) requires that no public water supply
				shall be constructed, operated or modified without review and approval of the
				state health officer. Detailed plans and specifications shall be submitted to
				the appropriate Department of Health and Hospitals regional office by the
				person having responsible charge for a municipally owned water supply or by the
				owner of a privately owned public water supply for review and approval before
				construction, modification, or operation of such system has
				commenced.
E. The water well
				contractor shall construct the well in accordance with the applicable
				provisions of this Chapter and shall submit a Water Well Registration Long Form
				(DNR-GW-1) to the department within 30 calendar days after completing the well,
				as required by Subsection B of the rules, regulations and procedures for
				registering water wells and holes.
F. All questions relating to the quality of
				water, as it pertains to its effect on human health, shall be referred by the
				owner, engineer or water well contractor to the following:
Department of Health and Hospitals
Office of Public Health
P.O. Box 4489
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4489
Phone: (225) 342-7499
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:3098.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-307 - Licensing Requirements

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The
				following wells and holes shall be drilled or constructed by a licensed
				contractor (driller) who is duly licensed by the department in accordance with
				the rules and regulations stated in LAC 46:LXXXIX:
1. all water wells, regardless of use or
				type;
2. monitoring
				wells;
3. heat pump wells and
				holes;
4. geotechnical
				boreholes;
5. test holes and pilot
				holes.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-309 - Registration Requirements

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Every
				water well or hole drilled in the state of Louisiana shall be registered with
				the department in accordance with the requirements of LAC 56:I.Chapter
				1.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:309.8.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-311 - Variance Requests

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Requests to
				vary from the rules, regulations and standards for constructing water wells and
				holes shall be addressed to the department as follows:
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
Office of Conservation
P.O. Box 94275
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9275
Phone: (225) 342-8244
B. The request must demonstrate that
				compliance is impractical and must outline a satisfactory alternative. The
				department may prescribe, in writing, alternate requirements that are
				equivalent to the regulations and standards stated herein relating to the
				protection of aquifer and prevention of ground water contamination.
C. Requests to vary from the provisions of
				the State Sanitary Code (LAC 51) relating to the sanitary features of the
				public supply water systems, and for questions related to the quality of water
				as it pertains to human health, shall be addressed to the following:
Department of Health and Hospitals
Office of Public Health
P.O. Box 4489
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4489
Phone: (225) 342-7499
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:3098.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-313 - Minimum Distance Requirements for Locating a Water Well

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Provided that all other applicable rules
				and regulations are complied with, the minimum distance requirements for
				locating a water well shall be in accordance with the following
				Sections.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:309.8.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-315 - Location in Relation to Possible Sources of Contamination

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The horizontal distance between any water
				well and any possible sources of contamination shall be as great as possible
				but in no case less than the following minimum distances.
Possible Sources of Contamination
Minimum Distance (in feet)
Septic Tanks
50
Storm or Sanitary Sewer
501
Cesspools, outdoor privies, oxidation ponds,
							 subsurface absorption fields, pits, etc.
1002
Sanitary landfills, feed lots, manure piles,
							 solid-waste dumps and similar installations
100
Another water well
253
Drainage canal, ditch, stream, pond or lake
504
1  This distance may be
							 reduced to 30 feet if the sewer is of cast iron with leaded joints or schedule
							 40 plastic pipe with water-tight joints.
2  For domestic water
							 wells, this distance may be reduced to 50 feet.
3  This minimum distance
							 requirement does not take into consideration the effects of interference from
							 pumping nearby wells in the same aquifer.
4  Horizontally measured
							 from the water edge to the well at the highest water level which may have
							 occurred in a 10 year period.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:309.8.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-317 - Location in Relation to Levees

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.
				Wells or holes as defined in Part I, except relief wells, shall not be drilled
				within 250 feet of the levees [R.S.
				38:225(6)]. The department
				interprets this statute to mean that the well or wells shall be at least 250
				feet from the land side toe of the levee. For this agency to consider any
				exception to the above, written approval from the appropriate local authorities
				such as levee boards or the Corps of Engineers is necessary and should be
				submitted with the variance request.
B. When wells are to be drilled within 1,500
				feet of any state or federal flood control levee or structure, the owner or
				driller must first obtain permission from the appropriate levee board. The
				Corps of Engineers requires that drilling commence and casing be set and
				cemented in place to a specified depth while the stage of the Mississippi River
				is below 11.0 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) on the Carrollton
				Gage, New Orleans, Louisiana, unless a waiver to this restriction is granted.
				Requests to vary from their requirements must be sent to the appropriate levee
				board and the Corps of Engineers. For specific information concerning river
				stages and drilling wells near levees, the owner, engineer or water well
				contractor should contact the following:
U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers
New Orleans District
Box 60267
New Orleans, LA 70160
Phone: (504) 862-2204
U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers
Vicksburg District
Box 60
Vicksburg, MS 39180-0060
Phone: (601) 634-5000
C. Requirements for relief wells located
				within 250 feet from the land side toe of the levee include:
1. Written approval from the Corps of
				Engineers and the local levee authority, if applicable, and;
2. Minimum construction standards for
				grouting down to at least 10 feet from the ground surface and a one-way check
				valve.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-319 - Location in Relation to Flood Water

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Locations subject to flooding should be
				avoided, if possible. If a reasonable alternate site does not exist, the well
				may be constructed in flood-prone areas provided the top of the casing is at
				least 2 feet above the highest flood level which may have occurred in a 10-year
				period but in no case less than 2 feet above the ground surface, except when
				located in coastal areas along the Gulf of Mexico prone to direct impact of
				storm surge events. Wells with a casing size of 4 inches or less located in
				coastal areas prone to direct impact of storm surge events shall be constructed
				with:
1. well casing material strength of
				S/40 PVC or greater and a maximum casing height of 24 inches above ground
				surface;
2. protective casing
				material strength of S/80 PVC or greater with a diameter size providing a
				minimum 3 inch space between the well casing outer diameter and the outer
				diameter of the protective casing;
3. protective casing height of 20 to 22
				inches above ground surface and a minimum depth below ground surface to 38
				inches or greater;
4. spacing
				between the protective casing and the well casing filled with Portland cement;
				and
5. grouting down to a depth of
				at least 50 feet below ground surface.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-321 - Location in Relation to Buildings and Other Structures

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. A well shall be located far enough from a
				building to allow reworking or rehabilitation with a drilling rig. A well shall
				not be located below ground surface, such as in pits and basements, and shall
				not be located within the foundation of a building, except a building
				constructed solely to house pumping and water system equipment.
B. For drilling rig supply wells, if the well
				is located on the constructed work pad for drilling operations or within the
				ring levee system, it must be surrounded with four protective corner posts. If
				the well is located outside the ring levee system and will be transferred for
				some other future use or will not be plugged and abandoned within six months of
				completion of associated oil and gas well drilling activity, it must be
				surrounded by four protective corner posts. The corner posts shall be
				constructed of four inch diameter metal pipe not less than schedule 40 and
				shall be concreted below the ground surface not less than four feet and shall
				extend above the ground surface not less than three feet.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:3098.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-323 - Drilling and Construction

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.
				Geologic conditions in Louisiana permit the use of two methods of drilling: the
				rotary method and reverse circulation method. Regardless of the method used,
				every precaution should be taken to prevent ground water contamination during
				drilling operations.
B. Water used
				in drilling operations shall be potable or chlorinated to prevent contamination
				of water-bearing formations.
C.
				When drilling a hole the contractor shall:
1.
				prior to the commencement of any construction on a new water well, the drilling
				contractor shall confirm that the office of conservation has received and
				responded to water well installation notification as required in LAC
				43:VI.701.B;
2. record the hole
				diameter and any changes in size of hole;
3. record (driller's log) the depth and
				thickness of the formations penetrated;
4. record any unusual occurrences, such as
				loss of circulation, cave-ins, etc. (In the event the unusual occurrence is
				observable evidence of naturally occurring methane gas, natural gas or similar
				sub-surface gas, such as bubbling drilling mud or gas venting at the well bore
				or other nearby surface location or feature, the contractor shall report such
				event verbally to the Environmental Division of the Office of Conservation
				within 24 hours.); and
5. collect
				representative samples (drill cuttings) from each potential aquifer.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-325 - Casing

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. An appropriate
				casing shall be installed in every water well to prevent the wall of the hole
				from collapsing, to house the pump, and to convey the water to the
				surface.
B. General Criteria. The
				selection of casing is dependent upon a number of factors that shall be
				considered when designing and installing a well. Following are some of the
				factors.
1. The casing shall be strong enough
				to resist the forces imposed during installation and other forces that can be
				expected after installation.
2. The
				casing shall be of adequate diameter to accommodate the pump and convey the
				required quantity of water.
3.
				Joints of metal casing shall have threaded couplings or be welded to ensure
				water tightness for the entire length of the casing.
4. The casing shall be reasonably plumb and
				straight. The plumbness and alignment of the casing shall be checked in
				accordance with accepted practices.
5. The casing shall be installed so as to
				seal off water-bearing formations that contain undesirable water and to prevent
				water from the surface and other aquifers from entering the well.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-329 - Methods and Standards for Cementing the Annular Space

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.
1. The
				methods and materials employed to cement the annular space between the well
				casing and the borehole generally depend upon:
a. local geohydrologic conditions;
				and
b. type of well
				construction.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-331 - Well Development and Disinfection

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.
				Purpose and Methods of Development. The principal purposes of well development
				are as follows:
1. to remove silt, sand,
				drilling mud, and other materials that may retard the flow of water toward and
				into the well;
2. to correct any
				damages to, or clogging of, the water bearing formation that may have occurred
				during drilling; and
3. to
				stabilize the material around the screen so that the well will yield clear
				"sand free" water.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-333 - Standards for Miscellaneous Appurtenances

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Vent (Breather Pipe). Vents are required
				for all public supply water wells and are recommended for use on wells used for
				other purposes. Vents shall be so constructed and installed as to prevent the
				entrance of contaminants into the well. Vent openings shall be piped
				water-tight to a point at least 2 feet above the highest flood level which may
				have occurred in a 10-year period, but in no case less than 1 foot above the
				top of the well casing. Such vent openings and extensions thereof should not be
				less than 1/2 inch in diameter, with extension pipe firmly attached thereto. In
				all cases wherein a well's casing terminates less than 2 feet above the highest
				flood level which may have occurred in a 10-year period (such as along coastal
				areas as allowed under §319 A), the vent pipe opening shall continue to be
				required to terminate at least 2 feet above the highest flood level which may
				have occurred in a 10-year period. The openings of the vent pipes shall be
				turned downward and screened to prevent the entrance of insects, foreign matter
				and other contaminants. Vents will not be required when single-pipe jet pumps
				are used.
B. Sampling Tap. All
				public supply and domestic water wells shall be provided with a readily
				accessible faucet or tap on the well discharge line at the well head for the
				collection of water samples. The faucet or tap shall be of the smooth nozzle
				type and turned downward.
C.
				Concrete Slab
1. When concrete slabs are
				placed around water wells at ground surface, they should be at least 4 inches
				thick and extending at least 2 1/2 feet from the well in all directions. The
				surface of the slab shall be sloped to drain away from the well. The top of the
				casing shall be at least 1 foot above the top of the slab (see §319. A for
				flood prone areas). Prior to the slab installation, the contractor shall seal
				the annular space in accordance with §329 The placement of a slab shall not be
				considered a substitute for the placement of cement-bentonite slurry in the
				annular space between the hole and the casing.
2. For wells where a slab is not provided,
				the ground surface surrounding the well shall be compacted and graded to drain
				water away from the well.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 3 - Water Well Construction › Section I-335 - Enforcement Actions

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Provisions
				addressing enforcement of this Chapter appear in
				R.S.
				38:3097.3, as follows.
1. Whoever knowingly and willfully violates a
				provision of this Chapter, or a rule, regulation, or order of the director or a
				board made hereunder, shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than
				$1,000 a day for each day of violation and for each act of violation if a
				penalty for the violation is not otherwise provided in this Chapter.
a. The place of suit to recover this penalty
				shall be selected by the director or board, as may be appropriate, in the
				district court of the parish of the residence of any one of the defendants, or
				in the district court of the parish where the violation took place.
b. Suit shall be at the direction of the
				director or board, as may be appropriate, and shall be instituted and conducted
				in his or its name by the attorney general or by the district attorney of the
				district under the direction of the attorney general.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 5 - Plugging and Sealing of Abandoned Water Well Holes › Section I-501 - Organization

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. As announced in
				the October 1985 issue of the
Louisiana Register
, the rules,
				regulations and standards, stated herein, were prepared by the Louisiana
				Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Public Works, in
				accordance with R.S. 38:3091-38:3097. Effective January 1, 2010, in accordance
				with Act 437 of 2009, The Department of Natural Resources, Office of
				Conservation, hereafter referred to as "department ," is responsible for
				registering water wells and holes in Louisiana.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:3097.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 5 - Plugging and Sealing of Abandoned Water Well Holes › Section I-503 - Purpose

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The purpose of
				the rules, regulations and standards for plugging abandoned water wells and
				holes, stated herein, is to protect the ground water resources of the state
				from surface contamination, to prevent movement of water from one aquifer to
				another, to prevent the entrance of objectionable materials and wastes into
				aquifers via open or improperly sealed water wells and holes, and to minimize
				health and safety hazards associated with abandoned wells and holes.
B. All work related to environmental
				boreholes and monitoring systems shall conform to the requirements of this
				chapter. A resource available to drillers as reference material of common
				industry practices for installation of environmental boreholes and monitoring
				systems is the
Guidance Manual for Environmental Boreholes and
				Monitoring Systems
, dated November 2021, available online at:
http://www.dnr.louisiana.gov/guidance-manual
.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 38:2091-R.S.
				  38:3097.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 5 - Plugging and Sealing of Abandoned Water Well Holes › Section I-505 - General Rules and Regulations

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. In
				1972, the Louisiana Legislature enacted State Act 535, which authorized the
				authorizing agency to promulgate reasonable rules and regulations relating to
				the plugging of abandoned water wells. Section A-6 of this Act (R.S.
				38:3094) states that the authorizing agency
				shall:
"Require that all abandoned wells be reported and sealed with
				  approved standards and to establish such standards."
B. Accordingly, the rules, regulations and
				standards for plugging abandoned water wells and holes stated herein were
				prepared in response to this legislative directive and were developed in
				coordination with other state agencies that are also concerned with the
				protection of the water resources of the state. The regulations and standards
				are intended to provide for restoration, as nearly as possible, of those
				subsurface and surface conditions that existed prior to drilling, boring,
				digging or augering activities; taking into account any changes that may have
				occurred as a result of "natural stresses."
C. These regulations and standards do not
				preempt but instead complement the rules and regulations of the Louisiana
				Department of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, related to plugging
				and abandonment of oil, gas, saltwater, saltwater disposal, waste disposal and
				injection wells, and the rules and regulations of the Department of
				Environmental Quality related to plugging of monitoring wells and geotechnical
				boreholes associated with waste activities. These regulations and standards are
				also important as guidelines for other state agencies when promulgating and
				enforcing their plugging regulations and standards.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:3097.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 5 - Plugging and Sealing of Abandoned Water Well Holes › Section I-507 - Abandoned Water Wells and Holes That Shall Be Plugged

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The rules, regulations and standards for
				plugging abandoned water wells and holes shall apply to all abandoned water
				wells and holes including, but not limited to, public supply, domestic,
				irrigation/agriculture, industrial, power generation, rig-supply, observation,
				dewatering, monitoring, and heat pump supply, as well as abandoned pilot holes,
				test holes, geotechnical boreholes, and heat pump holes (closed loop system).
				Abandoned or improperly plugged wells or holes could act as conduits for
				transmitting contaminants from the surface down to the water-bearing sands and
				thereby contaminate the state's ground water resources. For glossary of terms,
				refer to §113. A of this Part.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 38:2091-R.S.
				  38:3097.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 5 - Plugging and Sealing of Abandoned Water Well Holes › Section I-509 - Exemptions

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The following
				wells and holes are exempted from the provisions of the rules, regulations and
				standards stated herein:
1. saline-water
				wells associated with secondary recovery operations;
2. brine wells;
3. oil and gas wells and holes;
4. injection wells;
5. geothermal and geopressured holes
				associated with production of oil and gas; and
6. waste disposal wells.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 5 - Plugging and Sealing of Abandoned Water Well Holes › Section I-511 - Licensing Requirements

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. State
				Act 715 of 1980 (R.S.
				38:3098), as amended by State Act 313 of
				1984, requires that every person, firm or corporation desiring to engage in the
				business of plugging and abandoning wells or holes, excluding oil and gas
				wells, in the state of Louisiana shall obtain a license from the department in
				accordance with the rules and regulations stated in LAC 46:LXXXIX.
B. Accordingly, plugging of abandoned water
				wells and holes must be conducted by a qualified contractor who is duly
				licensed by the department, with the following exceptions.
1. Nothing in this Chapter shall prevent a
				person who has not obtained a license, pursuant thereto, from plugging a
				domestic water well on his own or leased property which is his permanent
				residence, or was intended for use only for watering livestock on his farm;
				however, that person shall comply with all rules, regulations and standards for
				plugging such wells or holes, including the submission of plugging and
				abandonment forms.
2. In addition
				to the domestic wells referred to in §511. B 1, a person may plug an abandoned
				well or hole on his own or leased property provided that the person has the
				required equipment and knowledge for properly plugging the well or hole, in
				accordance with the rules, regulations, and standards stated herein, to the
				satisfaction of the department, and provided that the person has obtained
				departmental approval for plugging the well or hole himself, and provided that
				such approval is obtained prior to the beginning of the plugging operation. The
				owner shall complete and submit a Water Well Plugging and Abandonment Form
				(DNR-GW-2) to the department within 30 calendar days after completion of the
				plugging operation.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 5 - Plugging and Sealing of Abandoned Water Well Holes › Section I-513 - Variance Requests

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Because of
				variable hydrologic conditions, differences in well construction, depth, and
				size, and the irregular occurrence of saltwater sands, the rules, regulations
				and standards stated herein cannot cover every possible situation. For cases
				where compliance with the rules, regulations, and standards stated in this
				Chapter is impractical, the owner, engineer, or the water well contractor may
				request a variance and/or clarification on methods specified. Such requests
				shall be addressed to the department as follows:
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
Office of Conservation
P.O. Box 94275
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9275
Phone: (225) 342-5562
B. The request must be in writing, must
				demonstrate that compliance is impractical and must outline a satisfactory
				alternative. The department may prescribe, in writing, alternate requirements
				that are equivalent to the regulations and standards stated herein relating to
				the protection of aquifer and prevention of ground water
				contamination.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with
				  R.S.
				  38:3091-R.S.
				  38:3097.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 5 - Plugging and Sealing of Abandoned Water Well Holes › Section I-515 - Submission of Water Well Plugging and Abandonment Forms (DNR-GW-2)

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The contractor
				who plugs an abandoned well or hole shall complete and submit to the department
				the original copy of the Water Well Plugging and Abandonment Form (DNR-GW-2)
				within 30 calendar days after the completion of the work. The owner's copy
				shall be sent to the owner immediately after completion of the work, and the
				contractor shall retain the contractor's copy for his files. For reporting
				purposes only, the department considers the work completed when the work is
				accepted by the owner or when the contractor has moved his equipment from the
				site; whichever comes first. Acceptance by the owner or removal of equipment
				from the site by the contractor does not imply, in any way, acceptance or
				approval by the state of Louisiana. The department, after inspection of the
				site and records (refer to §523), can require the owner and/or the contractor
				to do whatever additional work is necessary to properly plug and seal a hole or
				well in accordance with the standards stated herein. The expense for the
				additional work shall be borne by the owner and/or the contractor, as the case
				may be.
B. For the purpose of
				reporting the plugging of abandoned geotechnical boreholes, the drilling
				contractor shall certify annually at license renewal time, that all boreholes
				drilled by his firm have been plugged in accordance with requirements of §531
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 38:2091-R.S.
				  38:3097.
Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part I - Water Wells › Chapter 5 - Plugging and Sealing of Abandoned Water Well Holes › Section I-516 - Water Well Plugging and Abandonment Form (DNR-GW-2)

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The Water Well Plugging and Abandonment
				form (DNR-GW-2) and detailed instructions for properly completing the form are
				available by contacting department staff at 225-342-8244 or by accessing the
				department's website at
www.dnr.louisiana.gov/gwater
. Form
				DNR-GW-2 consists of a set of three copies.
1.
				The first copy (marked DNR copy) is to be mailed by whoever plugs the well or
				hole within 30 calendar days after plugging operations have been completed to:
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
Office of Conservation
P.O. Box 94275
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9275