Because private well water systems are not federally regulated, it is crucial for private well owners to stay informed about the status of their well and the quality of the water from the well. In some states, records of water wells are available for public viewing. In Alabama, some well construction information can be found on the Geological Survey of Alabama’s (GSA) website. However, these may not be the most up-to-date records for private well owners. Records of private wells are combined with both industrial and irrigation well records.

Example of ADEM Form 060 available at http://adem.alabama.gov/DeptForms/Form60.pdf

Well records are best understood by looking at the Notification of Intent to drill a water well and the certification of completion [Alabama Department of Environmental Management(ADEM) Form 060], which is a required form by the Code of Alabama, 19757. Contractors must file these forms when constructing new wells, and well owners should make sure to make a copy of the document in case a need for maintenance arises. On this form, well owners may find the following information:

• Drilling contractor and license number
• Property owner and address at the time of drilling
• Well location
• Well purpose (private, public, industrial, or irrigation)
• Drilling method
• Depth of well
• Completion date
• Pump style
• Capacity
• Wellhead finish
• Casing
• Description of cutting intervals (soil type)

Finding Well Records Online

The GSA has accrued an estimated 100,000+ hardcopy well records since being designated a repository for well data. Information in the records is derived from the ADEM Form 060 submitted by well drillers/owners, historic records from the US Geological Survey, and other official sources. In 2014, the GSA partnered with the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) to create a database for this information at www.gsa.state.al.us/gsa/groundwater/wellrecords.

To search for well records in your area, click on the county of interest. This will generate a new map with a series of green dots each corresponding to a well location. View some of the records on file in your county to get a general understanding of typical well depths and diameters in your area.

More Information

For more information about private water wells, visit the Private Well Program section of www.aces.edu.