Information for water well drillers and well pump installers

Registered well drillers and well pump installers are responsible for safe drilling practices and installation of pumps and other works. Requiring registered individuals to perform these activities minimizes the risk of polluting groundwater or drinking water from poorly constructed wells or works.

Well drillers are required to submit Construction, Alteration, Decommissioning reports by mail, email or online. These reports build our knowledge of aquifers and lithology in B.C.

Register to work in B.C.

Drilling wells and installing well pumps are restricted activities and in most cases must be performed by a registered well driller or a registered well pump installer.

• Find out how to become a registered well driller or well pump installer

Registries

The register of well drillers lists individuals authorized under the WSA to construct, alter and decommission wells in B.C., and the type of well(s) each driller is authorized to construct.

The register of well pump installers lists individuals authorized under the WSA to install, maintain and remove well pumps in B.C. Registered well pump installers may also close any well except for a flowing artesian well. Registered well drillers who belong to the Water Well Driller class are also authorized to install, maintain and remove well pumps.

Well drilling advisories

Before you drill a well, make sure you are aware of any well drilling advisories that can include water availability concerns, water quality advisories or flowing artesian conditions in your area.

Water well identification plates

As the well driller, you are responsible for attaching a water well identification plate when constructing or altering specific classes of wells.

Well Records

After constructing, altering or decommissioning a well, you must submit a report by mail, email or through the provincial Groundwater Wells and Aquifers Database (GWELLS) to document your work. Your report forms the basis of the well record.

• Schedule 6 of the Groundwater Protection Regulation indicates which records are submitted for which well
• GWELLS Data Entry Guideline (PDF, 2.6MB) provides information on how to enter water well information from current Ministry of Environment well record forms into Groundwater Wells and Aquifer Application
• Learn more about well records