Decommissioning Water Wells to Protect Water Quality and Human Health

G1471
Published 2008

Abandoned wells used to refer to wells that were not being used and were a state of disrepair. Today the term illegal wells is used instead. Illegal wells represent one of the greatest threats to groundwater in Nebraska.

Groundwater normally is provided with some degree of protection by a natural filter of soil, sand, and gravel in the natural soil profile. All wells are holes in that filter that can potentially allow contaminants to flow into our groundwater supply. Illegal wells represent the greatest threat. They exist in every county. All illegal water wells must be decommissioned following requirements found in the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Title 178, Chapter 12.

Publication Details

Authors

Sharon O. Skipton

David P. Shelton

Bruce I. Dvorak

Wayne E Woldt

Tom Christopherson

Subject

Natural Resources

Water Management

Publication Date January 01, 2002
Last Revision Date August 05, 2008
Language English
Formats

HTML / PDF

Series NebGuide