Water Stewardship

Guidelines for Minimum Standards in Water Well Construction, Province of British Columbia — June 1982

Part 1

1. Introduction and Acknowledgements

In preparing these guidelines, three main objectives were recognized:

  1. Protection and management of the ground water resources of British Columbia for present and future use.

  2. Protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public who use the ground water resource.

  3. Protection for the consumer to ensure he has adequate potable water at reasonable cost.

The first initiative was taken in 1972 by the British Columbia Water Well Drilling Association who were responsible for a publication entitled Minimum Specifications Domestic Water Wells prepared by Mr. W.L. Brown, P. Eng., Ground Water Geologist. Subsequently, the Ministry of Environment, Water Management Branch, Ground Water Section, assumed the responsibility for preparing guidelines covering all types of well construction and well testing in the Province.

A first draft of the guidelines was completed in March 1978 and this was followed by a comprehensive process of referral. Therefore, the guide-lines for minimum standards contained herein substantially represent the consensus recommendations of Provincial Government Agencies, the British Columbia Water Well Drilling Association, Professional Ground Water consultants and many others concerned with the management, development, protection and use of the ground water resource.

Although reflecting current conditions and requirements, it is recognized that these guidelines will require on-going amendment in response to changing technology. The Ministry of Environment anticipates that this process will be facilitated by continuing input from all concerned.

In preparing Guidelines for Minimum Standards in Water Well Construction — Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Environment staff first undertook to review water well construction standards in other Provinces and States. An in-depth review was also made of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Publication EPA-570/9-75-001 "Manual of Water Well Construction Practices." We wish to acknowledge the considerable use which was made of material on well construction standards published by other provinces and states and especially the EPA manual for formulating our present guide-lines." The EPA manual was prepared under the auspices of the National Water Well Association Committee on Water Well Standards comprised of thirty-four prominent technical and well contractor members of the ground water industry, including representatives from state regulatory agencies. We also wish to acknowledge the use of material from eight other publications:

  1. Manual of Water Well Construction Practices for the State of Oregon Oregon Drilling Association Inc.

  2. Ground Water Ground Water &

  3. AWWA Standard for Deep Wells published by American Water Works Association, Park Avenue, New York. AWWA AIOO-66.

  4. Practical Information on Ground Water Development Ministry of Environment.

  5. Annual Book of A.S.T.M. Standards.

  6. Water Well Handbook — Missouri Water Well & Pump Contractor's Ass'n. Inc.

  7. Manual on the Selection and Installation of thermoplastic Water Well Casing — Produced by the National Water Well Association and the Plastic Pipe Institute.

  8. Standard Specifications for Thermoplastic Water Well Casing Pipe and Couplings made in Standard Dimension Ratios (SDR). ASTM F480-76.

The Ministry of Environment, also acknowledges with appreciation, the considerable contribution made to the guidelines by staff of other Ministries, the special Standards and Licensing committee of the British Columbia Water Well Drilling Association under the chairmanship of Mr. R.F. McNichol, members of the Professional and Technical Section and members at large of the B.C.W.W.D.A., consultants in the ground water field and the many other individuals who participated in the process.


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