Water suppliers using community wells, also called water supply system wells, should be aware of their new responsibilities under the GWPR. Requirements for well identification apply to new and existing community wells. Water suppliers will need to identify their wells by attaching a well identification plate to the well. This needs to be done before November 1, 2006. Standards for floodproofing will apply to all community wells to prevent direct entry of floodwaters into the well. The increased cost for drilling, and ultimately closing, a new community well is expected to be approximately 5% - 10% of the current cost of the well. These added costs are primarily for installing a surface seal and for closing a well at the end of their useful life. There are also requirements for on-going maintenance of the well and well head and capping or covering the well.
The GWPR affects well drillers, well pump installers and qualified professionals (Professional Engineers and Professional Geoscientists) working in the ground water, environmental and geotechnical engineering field. Industry professionals should be aware of their new responsibilities under the GWPR. To help them learn what is expected, training workshops, guidebooks and other information will be provided over the next year through the British Columbia Ground Water Association and the Ministry’s Ground Water Home Page.
Any increase in costs for well construction, operation and maintenance to comply with the new Ground Water Protection Regulation will be the same on or off reserves / treaty settlement lands. See impacts on Individual Well Owners and Community Wells.
The GWPR is based on recommendations made by the Ground Water Advisory Board, an expert panel of ground water scientists and engineers and representatives of the well industry. As such, the recommendations help ensure the GWPR is practical and science-based. Targeted consultation on the GWPR was held with 21 external stakeholder groups in the spring of 2003 including:
The overwhelming response has been that ground water regulations are long over-due. Reaction of targeted stakeholders to the GWPR has been positive. Industry has long been calling for the "level playing field" the GWPR will provide and other stakeholders encourage government to go further and move on to the development of Phases two and three. Previously, a broad-based consultation with the general public (including well owners) was undertaken in spring 2001 on the then proposed Drinking Water Protection Act, including the new ground water protection provisions. Frequently Asked Questions about the Ground Water Protection Regulation Q: What is covered by the GWPR? A: The GWPR will be completed in three phases. Phase 1 covers:
Phase 2 will focus on:
Phase 3 will focus on:
The GWPR applies to water supply wells (i.e., domestic wells and non-domestic wells, such as irrigation wells), ground water monitoring wells, recharge and injection wells, dewatering or drainage wells, remediation wells and geotechnical wells that do not involve water transfer (i.e., boreholes, test pits, closed geo-thermal and special types of holes). The GWPR does not apply to geothermal wells, oil and gas wells, or wells used for coalbed methane extraction which are already regulated under other acts, like the Geothermal Resources Act, Mines Act, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Act.
A: Unregulated drilling activities and lack of enforceable well construction standards have contributed to ground water quantity and quality problems in some areas of B.C.. These problems could potentially affect human health, public safety and property values. This is the first time that British Columbia has enacted ground water protection regulations. Prior to enacting the GWPR, British Columbia was the only province in Canada without comprehensive ground water regulations. Q: What is the purpose of the Ground Water Protection Regulation (GWPR)? A: The primary purpose of the Ground Water Protection Regulation is protection of the quantity and quality of the province’s valuable ground water resource by:
Q: How was the GWPR developed? A: The GWPR is based on recommendations made by the Ground Water Advisory Board, an expert panel of ground water scientists and engineers and representatives of the well industry. As such, the recommendations help ensure that the GWPR is practical and science-based.
A: Targeted consultation on the GWPR was held with 21 external stakeholder groups in the spring of 2003 including:
Previously, a broad-based consultation with the general public (including well owners) was undertaken in Spring 2001 on the then proposed Drinking Water Protection Act, including the new ground water protection provisions. Q: What was the response of consulted stakeholders to the GWPR? A: The benefits are:
A: The GWPR addresses critical issues that Alberta, Ontario and Washington State have also addressed: qualifications of the people who do the work, surface sealing of wells, closing of wells and flood-proofing of drinking water supplies. Q: Doesn't the Drinking Water Protection Regulation (DWPR) already protect ground water? A: The Drinking Water Protection Regulation does not directly address private domestic wells. The GWPR compliments the DWPR by providing protection to private domestic wells (as well as community wells) by addressing standards for well construction and operation. Standards for well construction and operation in the GWPR also apply to wells used for non-domestic water supply and other purposes. Q: Why is the Provincial Government adopting the GWPR in phases? A: We are adopting the GWPR in phases because:
Q: When will Phase 1 of the GWPR come into effect? A: Phase 1 of the Ground Water Protection Regulation came into force on
A: Work on the first elements of Phases 2 and 3 started in the fall of 2003 and are still in development. Q: Do the drilling standards in the GWPR apply to all wells? A: No, geothermal wells, oil and gas wells, and wells used for coalbed methane gas extraction are already regulated under other acts, like the Geothermal Resources Act, Mines Act, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Act, and will not be regulated under the GWPR. The GWPR applies to all other wells, however. Q: Is there flexibility in the drilling standards? A: Yes, the GWPR does provide flexibility for some standards (e.g., surface seals) by allowing alternative specifications to be approved by the province or by a Professional Engineer or Professional Geoscientists with expertise in ground water. Q: Why do we need to have qualified well drillers and well pump installers operating in the province? A: Although this province has some of the best water well drillers in the world, unregulated drilling activities and lack of enforceable construction standards have contributed to ground water quantity and quality problems in some areas of the province. Improperly and poorly constructed wells and test holes can become pathways for contamination of aquifers and drinking water supplies. Having only qualified drillers and well pump installers work in the province will minimize these problems and provide greater protection to well owners.
A: Prior to the GWPR, there were no requirements for wells that are no longer in use to be filled and closed. In addition to the dangers of people and animals falling in excavated wells, these and other wells provide a conduit for contamination to enter directly into the underlying aquifer through the well, degrading the water quality and impacting other well users. Q: Why is it necessary for wells to have a surface seal? A: Bacteriological contamination of private domestic wells is a problem in many local areas of the province. This can be minimized or eliminated by installing surface seals in wells to effectively prevent contaminated water from the surface or shallow subsurface zone from entering the well and the aquifer. Q: Why is it necessary to cap or cover my well? A: It is necessary to cap or cover your well in order to prevent any contaminants or contaminated flood waters from directly entering the well at the wellhead. For large diameter excavated wells, it is also necessary to cap or cover them as a safety precaution to prevent persons or animals from falling into the well. Q: Why is it necessary to identify wells with a Well ID plate? A: It is often difficult to distinguish one well from another in the field. Identifying a well in the field with a well identification plate allows verification of the well to the well record. Q: Who is affected by the GWPR? A: Owners of all new and pre-existing wells should be aware of their new responsibilities under the GWPR. Also affected by the GWPR are well drillers, well pump installers and qualified professionals (Professional Engineers and Professional Geoscientists) working in the ground water, environmental and geotechnical engineering field, as well as developers who require geotechnical, monitoring or dewatering wells. The GWPR will also affect the duties of various government officials under the Water Act and Drinking Water Protection Act.
A: Yes and no. For example, the requirement for installing a well cap applies to both new and existing wells, while other requirements such as well identification applies to new and existing community wells but not existing private water supply wells. Standards for well deactivation or closure also apply to existing wells. Certain standards for well construction may be triggered for an existing well if it is altered. Talk to your local well driller or well pump installer and consult the GWPR. Q: What cost increases can an individual private well owner expect? A: For a typical existing water supply well, the cost to the well owner is primarily for closing the well at the end of its useful life (~6% of the cost for a current well). For new water supply wells, the added costs are primarily for the surface seal and for closing the well at the end of its useful life (~10% of the cost for a current well). The financial costs are considered acceptable for protecting the well supply and ground water resource. Q: Does the GWPR mean water well licensing and fees? A: No. Wells regulated under the GWPR are not licensed, nor does the province charge any fees or rentals for extraction of ground water. Q: How will the GWPR affect the well drilling industry? A: The GWPR helps ensure a level playing field by providing minimum well construction standards that every driller must meet. The GWPR affects well drillers and well pump installers. Industry professionals should be aware of their new responsibilities under the GWPR. Training workshops, guidebooks and other information will be provided through the British Columbia Ground Water Association and through the Ground Water Home Page.
A: A well driller or well pump installer will need to apply to the province to become registered. Through the application process, they will have to show their qualifications and experience. Once they adequately demonstrate this, they will be registered and be provided with an identification card. Q: When can well drillers or well pump installers begin to apply to the province to become registered? A: Authority to adjudicate applications came into effect with the GWPR on November 1, 2004. Prior to November 1, 2004, the Ministry of Environment developed and made available registration application forms for use by well drillers and well pump installers. Q: Do I also need to have qualifications if I drill monitoring wells or geotechnical boreholes? A: In general, any person who constructs a well regulated under the GWPR is required to be qualified, including persons who construct monitoring wells. A person is not required to have qualifications for constructing a geotechnical well if the well is not likely to disturb or does not disturb an aquifer. A person is not required to have qualifications for excavating a well of 15 m depth or less. In cases where a qualified well driller is not required, the well construction standards (e.g., standards for surface sealing, capping, protection of the well head) will still apply. Q: Does the GWPR have grand-parenting provisions for well drillers and well pump installers? A: Yes, well drillers and well pump installers who are currently not certified by the province’s Industry Training Centre or by the Canadian Ground Water Association can be grand-parented, provided they can demonstrate that they have the equivalent of 5 years full time experience drilling wells or installing well pumps. The grand-parenting provision will end on October 31, 2006. Q: How will someone know if a well driller or well pump installer is qualified? A: As a requirement of the GWPR, the Ministry must keep a register of qualified well drillers and a register of qualified well pump installers who are authorized to operate in the province. These registers will be made publicly available — likely on the internet. Registered well drillers and well pump installers will be issued an identification card as proof of their qualifications. Q: Will costs to well drillers and well pump installers increase because of the GWPR? If so, by how much? A: The GWPR is not expected to increase costs to well drillers or well pump installers. Q: With all these new regulations, how will drillers and pump installers know what is expected? A: Training workshops, guidebooks and other information will be provided through the B.C. Ground Water Association and through the Ministry Ground Water Home Page. Q: How will the province enforce the new regulation? A: Because this is a health and safety issue, we expect high degree of voluntary compliance. We’ll be raising awareness through education, guidebooks and brochures, as well as training workshops with industry. There will be general and ticketable offences for non compliance. We will focus our enforcement efforts where we know there is non-compliance or where there is a high-risk to the aquifer or to public health and safety. Q: What are some of the non-compliance offences and fines? A: Among the offences are: tampering with a well; failure to deactivate or close an unused well; failure to provide proof of qualifications; introducing waste into a well. Details of ticketable offences and fines are still in development and will be addressed in Phase 2 of the GWPR.
A: The Ministry will rely heavily on voluntary compliance. We will focus our enforcement efforts where we know there is non-compliance or where there is a high-risk to the aquifer or to public health and safety. Q: What else is the Ministry of Environment doing to enhance the management and protection of ground water? A: In addition to the GWPR, the Ministry of Environment has always had a strong tradition of promoting ground water management and protection through non-regulatory means. The ministry continues to map and classify developed aquifers in the province. To date, the ministry has identified and classified over 600 aquifers in B.C. and hopes to complete the inventory by 2010. The ministry is also beginning to map in detail, high priority aquifers in the province. The Ministry is also supporting workshops on ground water protection and monitors ambient ground water levels and ground water quality in developed aquifers throughout the province through its Observation Well Network and Ambient Ground Water Quality Monitoring Network. Important Links The registration provisions in the Ground Water Protection Regulation and amendments to the Water Act relating to ground water came into force on November 1, 2004, and the remainder of the Regulation, including Appendix A (the “Code of Practice for Construction, Testing, Maintenance, Alteration and Closure of Wells in British Columbia”) which sets out the minimum rules or standards in relation to wells came into force on November 2005. The legislation is located on the following web pages:
Would you like more information on the Ground Water Protection Regulation? If you have further questions or would like more information about the Ground Water Protection Regulation, please write to: Science and Information Branch Fax: (250) 356-7197 April 2006 |
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