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1. What is an abandoned water well?

The Groundwater Quality Control Act, Part 127, 1978 PA 368 defines an abandoned water well as a well which:

• Has its use permanently discontinued
• Is in such disrepair that its continued use for obtaining groundwater is impractical
• Has been left uncompleted
• Is a threat to groundwater resources
• Is or may be a health or safety hazard

The act defines a temporarily abandoned well as a well which:

• Is not in use, but is intended by the owner to be used as a source of groundwater

To be classified as temporarily abandoned, a well casing must:

• Be securely sealed with a threaded, welded, or solvent welded cap to prevent access into the well and eliminate openings into the well
• Comply with isolation distance and construction requirements

2. Who is responsible for plugging abandoned water wells?

• The property owner is responsible for plugging an abandoned water well.
• An unsuccessful water well (commonly known as a "dry hole") is normally plugged by the well drilling contractor.

3. Who can plug a well?

• A property owner may plug a well only at his/her residence.
• A registered well drilling contractor or his/her employee may plug a well at any residence, farm, industry, business, or other public water supply.

Farms often have associated, but not necessarily contiguous, properties that have structures served by water wells. These outlying farm wells are considered the same as the farmer's residential well and may be plugged by the owner.

4. How do I locate abandoned wells on your property?

Begin by searching for water well drilling logs or old billing statements that show well depth and well location. This information may be available from the following sources:

• The contractor who drilled or serviced the well
• The local health department
• Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Geological Survey Division in Lansing

5. What if there are no records available for your well?

Look for:

• Pipes sticking above ground
• Pipes sticking through wall or floor in the basement
• Electrical switch boxes in the yard
• Cement pits in or under sheds
• Windmills
• Old crock, brick or stone structures
• Old hand pumps

For locating buried wells:

• Metal detectors may be used to find buried steel well casings. First, locate where the old water line exited the home or building. From this point, survey the ground with the metal detector moving away from the structure. Use a marker to designate the location of any "readings" you get. Usually, well casings will be 4 to 5 feet below grade and will be located between 3 and 25 feet from the home.
• Neighbors and senior citizens who have lived in the area for a long time are an excellent source of information. They often know where old wells are located. If you take advantage of their input you may save yourself a lot of work.