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Private wellhead sanitary protection checklist

A wellhead checklist for confirming the well location and construction record, casing height and integrity, approved sanitary cap or seal, screened vent orientation, protected electrical conduit and pitless-adapter area, positive drainage away from the casing, separation from septic, fuel, animals, fertilizers, floodwater and vehicle hazards, freeze protection without creating contamination paths, secure access, abandoned-well control, disinfection after opening or repair and dimensioned photographs before landscaping, grading or structures reduce inspection access.

6 items to check

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Well identity, depth, casing and completion record match the physical well

Critical item

Protection details depend on construction type.

Cap or seal is intact, secure, vermin-resistant and compatible with cables and piping

Critical item

Improvised openings can admit contaminants.

Casing is sound and extends to the required protected elevation

Critical item

Cracks and low casing invite surface entry.

Ground slopes away and runoff, roof water, irrigation and flooding are controlled

Critical item

Water should not pond around the well.

Nearby septic, chemicals, animals, fuel and waste sources meet applicable separation and risk controls

Critical item

Site use changes can create new contamination risk.

Repairs, opening, disinfection, sampling and landscaping leave secure documented access

Critical item

Service should not compromise sanitary protection.

Use after well construction or repair and during property maintenance. Do not open or disinfect a well without qualified procedures. Do not enter septic tanks, wells, pits or excavations; lean over open tanks; breathe confined-space gases; touch exposed wiring; operate pumps dry; drink unverified water; add chemicals to mask a failing system; or drive heavy equipment over tanks and drainfields. Openings require secure barriers and qualified control. Private-well and septic rules vary substantially by jurisdiction.

Reference standards

  • Applicable state, tribal and local onsite-wastewater, private-well, plumbing, health, environmental, electrical and building requirements; local health department and water or sewer authority records; approved site evaluation, design and permits; property survey and easements; qualified inspection, drilling, laboratory and service reports; and exact tank, pump, alarm, treatment, well, pressure-system and disinfection instructions
  • State well-construction requirements, EPA and CDC sanitary well guidance and exact cap or pitless equipment instructions

    • Tools

  • Property survey, septic and well permits, as-builts, pumping and service records, water results, utility maps, disclosures, manuals, receipts and photographs
  • Camera, tape, flashlight and owner-safe observation tools; qualified probing, locating, pumping, camera, hydraulic, electrical, yield, pressure and laboratory testing where permitted
  • Qualified onsite-wastewater professional, septic designer, installer, pumper, plumber, electrician, well contractor, pump professional, certified laboratory and health department as applicable

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