What should I do with a well I'm not using?

Prior to the 1960s, wells were not permitted and drillers logs did not have to be filed with a regulatory authority that ensured both proper well construction and evidence of where a well exists. In some states, these practices were not implemented until as recently as the year 2000. So any well installed before those rules were in place does not have a public record of its existence.

What that means today is that in many areas of the country, there are more undocumented wells than there are wells on file. Many of these wells have been abandoned and are not in use anymore. Abandoned wells that are not sealed are everywhere, and most are a threat — not only to our groundwater because they provide a direct conduit to an aquifer — but to public safety because a person can fall into them.

We have seen what can happen when an abandoned well is not taken care of. How many of you remember Jessica McClure? In 1987 she made national headlines as an 18-month-old who fell down an abandoned well in her aunt's backyard. It captivated everyone at the time. She was trapped for nearly 60 hours and many people watched the rescue effort live on CNN.

However, her experience was not as unusual as you might think. Many other people and countless animals have fallen into abandoned unsealed wells. For just a few examples, Google horse falling into well. These incidents are typically only covered by local media, so the rest of us are unaware. Regardless, there are likely more abandoned unsealed wells in some areas than there are properly constructed documented wells.

If you have an abandoned well on your property, contact your jurisdiction's well agency and find out the requirements for properly abandoning the well. Well abandonment regulations will vary, but it's worthwhile to find out what you need to do to get your well properly sealed. If a person is hurt or killed from falling into an abandoned well on your property, you will likely be liable. If an aquifer is contaminated by an abandoned well on your property, you may be responsible for the damages or the costs of cleaning up the contamination.

If you have an abandoned well and want to have it properly sealed, your state health department or agency that regulates well construction will likely be able to help. If you're having a problem finding out the relevant information in your area, contact a local driller or send us a message through the chat, or call 866-945-0699.

We will help you find the correct local authority and information you need so that you can deal with your abandoned well. In some states, like Iowa, the county health departments might have some funding for cost sharing the proper abandonment of unused wells. In other states, the local soil and water conservation district may have a similar program.

The Private Well Class is a collaboration between the Rural Community Assistance Partnership and the University of Illinois through the Illinois State Water Survey, and is funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The views expressed here are solely from the class authors and are not endorsed or reviewed by US EPA. For more information on private wells sign up for our free 10-week email course at PrivateWellClass.org.