Acts and Regulations

90-79 - Water Well

Full text
Current to 1 January 2024
NEW BRUNSWICK
REGULATION 90-79
under the
Clean Water Act
(O.C. 90-531)
Filed June 29, 1990
Under section 40 of the Clean Water Act, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council makes the following Regulation:
1This Regulation may be cited as the Water Well Regulation - Clean Water Act.
2In this Regulation
“Act” means the Clean Water Act;(Loi)
“drive shoe” means a forged or tempered steel collar with a cutting edge fastened onto the bottom of the casing to shear off irregularities in the hole as the casing advances and to protect the lower edge of the casing as it advances;(sabot tranchant)
“dug well” means a well constructed by digging, either manually or mechanically;(puits creusé)
“flowing well” means a well that discharges water freely into the atmosphere at any time;(puits jaillissant)
“helper” means a person who assists and works under the direct supervision of a well driller;(aide)
“well contractor” means a person who is the holder of a well contractor’s permit issued under section 5;(entrepreneur de forage de puits)
“well driller” means a person who is the holder of a well driller’s permit issued under section 7.(foreur de puits)
3A person who locates, spaces, constructs, tests, alters, reconditions, repairs, seals, caps or abandons a well or causes a well to be located, spaced, constructed, tested, altered, reconditioned, repaired, sealed, capped or abandoned shall comply with this Regulation.
PERMITS
4A person who
(a) engages in the business of well-drilling,
(b) undertakes the boring, drilling, digging or redrilling of a well on lands of which that person is not the owner or lessee, or
(c) undertakes an operation incidental to the reconditioning or abandonment of a well on lands of which that person is not the owner or lessee
shall obtain a well contractor’s permit.
5The Minister may issue a well contractor’s permit to a person who
(a) holds a well driller’s permit or employs a well driller on a full time basis,
(b) applies to the Minister in a form provided by the Minister, and
(c) pays a fee of three hundred dollars.
90-173
6(1)A person who operates a machine for the purpose of drilling, altering or repairing a well shall obtain a well driller’s permit.
6(2)Subsection (1) does not apply to a helper.
7The Minister may issue a well driller’s permit to a person who
(a) is the holder of a valid certificate of qualification in the water well driller trade issued under the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Act or was the holder of a valid well driller’s permit issued under the Water Well Regulation - Clean Environment Act, being New Brunswick Regulation 83-125 under the Clean Environment Act, immediately before the commencement of this section,
(b) applies to the Minister in a form provided by the Minister, and
(c) pays a fee of one hundred dollars.
90-173
8(1)A well contractor’s permit or a well driller’s permit expires at the end of the calendar year for which it was issued.
8(2)The Minister may renew a well contractor’s permit if the holder of the permit makes an application to the Minister in a form provided by the Minister and pays a fee of three hundred dollars.
8(3)The Minister may renew a well driller’s permit if the holder of the permit makes an application to the Minister in a form provided by the Minister and pays a fee of one hundred dollars.
90-173
9(1)The Minister may suspend or cancel a well contractor’s permit or a well driller’s permit if the holder of the permit violates or fails to comply with any provision of the Act or this Regulation.
9(2)The Minister may reinstate a well contractor’s permit or a well driller’s permit that has been suspended or cancelled under subsection (1) upon such terms and conditions as the Minister may require.
10The Minister may refuse to renew a well contractor’s permit or a well driller’s permit that has been cancelled during the year immediately preceding the year of the application for renewal.
DUTIES OF WELL CONTRACTORS
AND WELL DRILLERS
11(1)Where a well is constructed by a well contractor, an inspector may, by notice served upon the well contractor, require that the well contractor complete any modifications necessary to cause the well to be constructed in accordance with this Regulation.
11(2)A well contractor shall, at the well contractor’s expense, complete the modifications required by an inspector under subsection (1) within thirty days after receiving the notice.
12A well contractor shall mark every machine used for well-drilling with the well contractor’s name, address and permit number in letters not less than one hundred millimetres high.
13A well driller shall carry his well driller’s permit and show it on request to an inspector, an owner or a prospective owner of the land on which the well driller is to drill.
LOCATION OF A WELL
14(1)A well shall be located so that it is accessible for cleaning, treatment, repair, testing and inspection.
14(2)No well shall be located under a building unless provision is made in the construction of the building allowing access to the well for cleaning, treatment, repair, testing and inspection of the well.
14(3)If a well is located adjacent to a building, it shall be located so that the centre line, extended vertically, of the well is not closer than two metres from the building or any portion of the building.
CONSTRUCTION OF A WELL
15No person shall construct a well in a manner or location such that surface water may enter the well.
16(1)No well shall be drilled unless the well driller installs casing in standard pipe size and weight in accordance with Schedule A, which casing shall
(a) be made of new material,
(b) be of sufficient length, but at least six metres long, unless exempted by the Minister,
(c) be properly welded or connected where required to prevent contamination of water in the well,
(d) have an inside diameter that is at least 12.7 centimetres unless exempted by the Minister, and
(e) have welded or threaded on the end in contact with the soil or rock an appropriate sized drive shoe suitable for providing a seal with the adjacent formation.
16(2)If compliance with subsection (1) does not prevent contamination of the water in the well, the well contractor shall
(a) firmly seat the casing in bedrock at a depth specified by the Minister,
(b) surround the casing with a cement grout that is not less than sixty millimetres in thickness, and
(c) carry out such remedial action as the Minister may determine.
16(3)Immediately after a well has been completely constructed, a well driller shall thoroughly clean all debris from the well and shall disinfect the well using a method approved by the Minister before construction.
16(4)Where the drilling and disinfection of a well has been completed, a well driller shall seal the upper open end of the casing with a well seal of a type approved by the Minister in such a manner as to prevent contamination of the well before a pump is installed.
17No connection below the land surface shall be made to the casing of a drilled well unless the connection is made watertight by means of a well seal commercially manufactured for that purpose.
DUG WELLS
18(1)A dug well shall have a casing that extends at least one hundred and fifty millimetres above the immediate land surface and shall be protected against surface waters entering the well by means of a sloping impermeable apron or housing or other adequate protection approved by the Minister before construction of the well.
18(2)From the top of a dug well to a distance at least two metres below the immediate land surface, the casing of a dug well, at the opening of the well, shall be constructed of concrete rings, steel rings, poured reinforced concrete, brick or some other material approved by the Minister before construction of the well and the joints thereof shall be watertight.
19(1)From the top of a dug well to a distance at least two metres below the immediate land surface, the annular space between the casing or rocked-up portion of the well and the surrounding side walls of the excavation shall be filled with clean washed gravel, sand, crushed rock or small boulders.
19(2)Any portion of the annular space between the casing or rocked-up portion of a dug well and the surrounding side walls of the excavation not filled with the materials referred to in subsection (1) shall be filled with cement grout, concrete, bentonite or equivalent commercial slurry, clay slurry or puddled clay to prevent surface waters from getting into the well.
20If any connection to the casing of a dug well is made below the immediate land surface, the connection shall be made watertight with a durable non-toxic sealing material and the connection excavation shall be filled with cement grout, concrete, bentonite or equivalent commercial slurry, clay slurry or puddled clay for a minimum radial distance of three hundred millimetres from the casing and from the bottom of the excavation to within six hundred millimetres of the immediate land surface.
21Immediately after a dug well has been completely constructed, the person constructing the well shall thoroughly clean all debris from the well and shall disinfect the well using a method approved by the Minister before construction.
PROTECTION OF AQUIFER
22(1)No well shall be located so near to a source of contaminant that contamination of the well by groundwater flow or seepage may take place.
22(2)Except with the prior approval of the Minister and the Minister of Health, no well shall be constructed within the distances specified from the sources of contaminant specified below:
Source of Contaminant
Distance
Cesspool receiving raw sewage
 30 m
  
Seepage (leaching) pit, filter
bed, soil absorption field,
earth pit privy or
similar disposal unit
from a drilled well
 25 m
from a dug well
 30 m
 
Septic tank, concrete vault
privy, sewer of tightly
jointed tile or equivalent
material or sewer connected
foundation drain
from a drilled well
 15 m
from a dug well
 30 m
  
Sewer of cast iron with leaded
or approved mechanical
joints, independent clean
water drain or cistern
 3 m
 
Pumphouse floor drain, cast
iron with leaded
or approved mechanical joints,
draining to ground surface
600 mm
22(3)No well shall be located within sixty metres of a cesspool or seepage pit that is more than three and one-half metres deep unless the well is so cased as to prevent seepage from the cesspool or seepage pit into the well.
22(4)No well shall be located so near to a sanitary landfill, garbage dump or other massive source of contaminant so that the well might become contaminated unless the written approval of the Minister and the Minister of Health is obtained and the well is constructed in accordance with any requirements established by the Minister and the Minister of Health in their approval.
2000, c.26, s.45; 2006, c.16, s.32
23(1)If a seepage pit is constructed within sixty metres of a well,
(a) the well shall be cased in the manner prescribed by section 16, or
(b) the well shall be filled and sealed in accordance with section 27.
23(2)No source of contaminant mentioned in section 22 shall be constructed any nearer to a well than the distance prescribed by section 22 unless the well is filled and sealed in accordance with section 27.
24No well shall be located within ten metres of the right-of-way of any highway or public road unless approved by the Minister.
25Where a well is located at a place where surface water will pass over or near the opening of the well, the area immediately surrounding the opening of the well shall be filled with clay or clean earth for a distance of at least five metres in all directions from the opening and graded at the opening to an elevation at least six hundred millimetres above the ground.
26The owner of a drilled well which does not have a pump installed, who does not intend to use the well within six months, shall cap the well with a device which is commercially manufactured for the purpose and which is sufficient to prevent the entry into the well of any substance which might impair the quality of the water in the well.
27Where a well is not in use and its continued existence might constitute a safety hazard or allow a contaminant to enter the aquifer, the owner of the well shall fill and seal the well using a method approved by the Minister sufficient to prevent the vertical movement of water in the well.
28Where a building is erected so that the centre line, extended vertically, of a well located adjacent to the building is within two metres of the building, or any portion of the building, the well shall be filled and sealed in accordance with section 27.
29No well shall be used for waste disposal without the written approval of the Minister and any such use shall be in accordance with any requirement established by the Minister in the approval.
PUMP INSTALLATION
30If a pump is installed in a well, the person who installs the pump shall
(a) except in the case of a dug well, seal the top of the well casing with a well cap commercially manufactured for the purpose,
(b) disinfect the pump and the well using a method of disinfection approved by the Minister before installation of the pump, and
(c) install an air vent that has an inside diameter of not less than six millimetres and that extends into the open air at least three hundred millimetres above the land surface at the opening of the well and the open end of which is shielded and screened to prevent the entry into the air vent of any substance which might impair the quality of the water in the well.
FLOWING WELLS
31The owner of a flowing well shall ensure that the well is at all times fitted with a control device of a type approved by the Minister that prevents or minimizes the flow of water to waste.
EVALUATION OF WELL YIELD
32(1)No well driller shall complete the construction of a well without performing an adequate test to determine the rate of yield of the well, which shall be carried out in accordance with the water well construction and testing procedures determined by the Minister.
32(2)If a well is intended to supply water as part of a public water supply, testing of the well shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Minister, which may include construction of observation wells for proper measurement of the well and aquifer properties.
32(3)The minimum requirements for the testing of public water supply wells include a development period, a stage drawdown test and a constant rate test, all including water level measurements in the well and in at least one observation well, which measurements shall be continued after pumping has stopped until such time as the recovery curve can be identified.
32(4)If a well is intended to supply water for any purpose other than that described in subsection (2) to meet a demand in excess of fifty cubic metres per day, a pumping test of not less than twenty-four hours duration shall be conducted.
32(5)If a well is intended solely to supply water for household purposes to not more than one single family dwelling unit or to produce not more than fifty cubic metres of water per day, a yield test of not less than one hour duration shall be carried out in accordance with the water well construction and testing procedures determined by the Minister.
32(6)Water level measurements shall be made before, during and after the pumping test and sufficient measurements of water levels shall be made immediately after pumping stops to establish the recovery curve.
REPORTS
33The results of any tests or measurements made under section 32 shall be reported to the Minister within thirty days after the completion of the testing.
34(1)A person who bores, drills, digs or redrills a well or causes a well to be bored, dug, drilled or redrilled shall complete a water well driller’s report as required by the Minister, in triplicate, with respect to each well bored, drilled, dug or redrilled.
34(2)A person referred to in subsection (1) shall
(a) deliver a copy of the water well driller’s report to the owner, and
(b) retain a copy of the water well driller’s report for a minimum of two years.
WELL DRILLING ADVISORY BOARD
35(1)The Well Drilling Advisory Board is established and shall consist of not less than three and not more than nine persons appointed by the Minister, of whom at least one shall be a representative of the public at large.
35(2)The Well Drilling Advisory Board shall advise the Minister in relation to
(a) the location, spacing, construction, testing, alteration, repairing, sealing, capping and abandoning of wells, and
(b) the issue, transfer, suspension, cancellation, renewal and reinstatement of registrations, licences, permits and approvals for the construction, testing, altering, reconditioning, repairing, sealing, capping or abandoning of wells.
ADMINISTRATION
36If the address of the person making an application for a well contractor’s permit or a well driller’s permit changes, whether before or after the permit has been issued, that person shall notify the Minister of the change within fifteen days after the change.
37(1)Any notice or other document which is to be given to, filed with or served upon the Minister shall be sufficiently given, filed or served if it is delivered personally or mailed prepaid certified post to The Director, Water Resources Branch, New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government, P. O. Box 6000, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5H1.
37(2)Any notice or other document which is to be given to or served upon a person making an application for a well contractor’s permit or a well driller’s permit, whether before or after the permit has been issued, shall be sufficiently given or served if it is delivered personally or if it is mailed prepaid certified post to the last address of that person reported to the Minister under this Regulation.
37(3)Service by prepaid certified post shall be deemed to have been effected five days after the date the correspondence is deposited in the mail.
2000, c.26, s.45; 2006, c.16, s.32; 2012, c.39, s.40
ORDERS
2009-117
38(1)If a well is or will be located, spaced, constructed, altered, reconditioned, repaired, sealed, capped or abandoned in violation of this Regulation, an inspector may order the person doing the work or activity, or causing the work or activity to be done, to do either or both of the following:
(a) cease and desist from the work or activity; and
(b) fill and seal the well using a method approved by the inspector sufficient to prevent the vertical movement of water in the well.
38(2)A person to whom an order is directed under subsection (1) shall comply with the order to the satisfaction of the inspector within the time specified in the order.
2009-117
TRANSITION
39(1)A well contractor’s permit issued under the Water Well Regulation - Clean Environment Act, being New Brunswick Regulation 83-125 under the Clean Environment Act, before the commencement of this subsection and subsisting at the time of commencement of this subsection shall be deemed to be a well contractor’s permit issued under section 5 of this Regulation.
39(2)A well driller’s permit issued under the Water Well Regulation - Clean Environment Act, being New Brunswick Regulation 83-125 under the Clean Environment Act, before the commencement of this subsection and subsisting at the time of commencement of this subsection shall be deemed to be a well driller’s permit issued under section 7 of this Regulation.
REPEAL
40New Brunswick Regulation 83-125 under the Clean Environment Act is repealed.
COMMENCEMENT
41This Regulation comes into force on July 1, 1990.
SCHEDULE A
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CASING
Metal Surface Casing
Metal surface casing shall conform to ASTM standard A589-84, Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Carbon Steel Water-Well Pipe and meet the following minimum standards of wall thickness and weight:
Nominal size
(inside diameter)
Wall
Thickness
Nominal Weight
Per Foot lbs.
(Plain End)
12.70 cm
(  5 in.)
0.478 cm
(0.188 in.)
10.8
15.24 cm
(  6 in.)
0.478 cm
(0.188 in.)
12.9
17.78 cm
(  7 in.)
0.587 cm
(0.231 in.)
16.7
20.32 cm
(  8 in.)
0.478 cm
(0.188 in.)
16.9
22.86 cm
(  9 in.)
0.714 cm
(0.281 in.)
28.0
25.40 cm
(10 in.)
0.478 cm
(0.188 in.)
21.2
1Individual complete lengths of casing shall be between 4.5 m (15 ft.) and 7.2 m (22 ft.) long.
2Galvanized casing is acceptable.
3Minimum wall thickness shall be not more than 12 per cent under the normal wall thickness specified.
4Outside diameter shall not vary more than ± 1 per cent from the size specified.
Other Materials Used As Casing
Plastic (ABS) pipe may be used for well casing if it is certified by and carries the marking of the Canadian Standards Association, indicating compliance with Canadian Standards Association Standard B181.1-1973, Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Drain, Waste and Vent (ABS-DWV) Pipe and Pipe Fittings.
Other materials used must conform to Canadian Standards Association specifications for those materials when used as well casing.
N.B. This Regulation is consolidated to June 13, 2012.