Information for private well owners

Private wells are wells that are not part of a public water supply. Private wells have fewer than 15 connections and serve fewer than 25 people. They are usually wells that serve a single home or farmhouse. Unlike public water systems, protection and maintenance of a private well is largely the responsibility of homeowners.

This page contains information and resources you need to have your private water supply correctly built and adequately protected.

Contact information for drilling & pump installing services

• Drilling & pump installing service directories

Test your private well

• Test your private well water annually
• Tests for drinking water from private wells [PDF]
• Laboratories certified to test private well drinking water for:
  • bacteria
  • other contaminants
• Get help understanding your private well water laboratory results
  • Visit UW-Extension: Understanding My Laboratory Results

Your well’s water quality and possible water problems

• What’s wrong with my water? — pinpoint your water problem and what can be done about it.
• Identify your water’s symptoms — does your water smell, look, taste or feel funny?
• Statewide water quality viewer [exit DNR]
• Water quality and contamination
• Arsenic in drinking water [PDF]
• Bacteria in drinking water [PDF]
• Nitrate in drinking water [PDF]
• Manure and drinking water
• Flooded wells

Well records search

• Look up your well construction report
• Look up well filling and sealing reports

How deep is my well?

• Go to the well records search and find the Well Construction Report for your well. The report will indicate the drillhole depth and the casing depth. If you cannot find a Well Construction Report for your well, you can hire a licensed well professional to inspect the water supply system and measure the well depth for you.
  • Well records search

Buying/selling a home or property with a well and well inspections

• Buying/selling a home/property with a well
• Well inspections

Private well construction owner information

• You and Your Well [PDF]
• Well owner's manual [PDF exit DNR]
• Prior to constructing a well obtain a notification number
• Driven point (sandpoint) wells [PDF] — before constructing a driven point well, contact DNR at 608-266-1054 for a driven point well packet
• Basement wells and pits
• Private well construction in granite formations

Well filling and sealing information (well abandonment)

• Well filling and sealing overview
• Well filling and sealing reports
• Apply for a well abandonment grant

Well compensation grants

• Well compensation grants program
• Well abandonment grants
• Other funding programs

Statutes and codes

Wisconsin Statutes

• Ch. 280 - Pure Drinking Water [PDF exit DNR]

Private Well Codes

• NR 123 - Well Compensation Program [exit DNR]
• NR 140 - Groundwater Quality [exit DNR]
• NR 146 - Well Driller and Pump Installer Registration [exit DNR]
• NR 812 - Well Construction and Pump Installation [exit DNR]
• NR 845 - County Administration of Ch. NR 812, Private Well Code [exit DNR]

Other resources

• High capacity wells
• Look up public water system water quality
• Fact sheets for well drillers and pump installers
• All drinking water and wells publications