Wyoming Administrative Code › Agency 037 - Engineer, State › Sub-Agency 0009 - Water Well Minimum Construction Standards › Chapter 1 - PURPOSE › Section 1-1 - Purpose and Scope

Current through July 13, 2024
(a) The State
				Engineer, having general supervision of the waters of the state, is authorized
				under Section
										41-3-909 of the Wyoming Statutes
				to establish standards for construction of water wells to protect the use of
				the state's ground water resources. The enactment of federal and state
				environmental quality law and fostering of safe and clean water policy has
				prompted enhanced well head protection measures against contamination of ground
				water resources.
(b) Every well
				constructed or repaired with a withdrawal of well casing after the adoption of
				these standards must comply with them. Any deviation from these standards must
				be approved in writing by the State Engineer or his designee.
(c) It is the joint responsibility of the
				drilling and/or pump contractor(s) and well owners(s) to comply with these
				standards. Further, the well owner(s) must maintain a well in a condition so
				that it does not contribute to contamination (pollution) of the ground water
				supply.
(d) If compliance with
				these Water Well Minimum Construction Standards will not result in a well that
				is sufficiently sealed from either surface or subsurface contamination, then
				the drilling and/or pump contractor(s) and well owner(s) must use additional
				safeguards to protect the ground water supply and its users.
(e) Any waiver or variance to these Water
				Well Minimum Construction Standards can only be obtained by applying for the
				waiver or variance to the State Engineer in writing. The waiver or variance
				application shall state the nature of the waiver or variance and the reasons
				why the waiver or variance will not result in a well that will have a
				detrimental effect on the ground water resource.
(f) Other state and local regulations
				pertaining to well drilling and construction, ground water protection, and
				water quality regulations may exist that are either more stringent than these
				rules or that apply to a specific situation. It is the well driller's
				responsibility to understand and apply other regulations as
				applicable.
(g) Well owners and
				drillers are advised that local zoning ordinances or county board of health
				requirements may limit or restrict the actual well location, construction,
				and/or relationship to property/structure boundaries and existing or proposed
				concentrated sources of pollution or contamination such as septic tanks, drain
				fields, sewer lines, stock corrals, feed lots, etc., beyond the requirements of
				these standards.
(h) Well owners
				and drillers are advised that standards developed under Wyoming State Law,
				Title 37, Chapter 12, Article 3 (Damage to Underground Public Utility
				Facilities) apply.
(i) Well owners
				and drillers are advised that the State Engineer's Office maintains reporting
				requirements with regard to certain stages of well completion. These
				requirements are addressed in the Wyoming State Engineer's Office Part II
				Rules.