Updated August 2026
What the Province requires of a water well
A drilled well in British Columbia must be constructed by a registered well driller or under one's supervision, sealed with a surface seal at least 5 m long, and fitted with casing standing at least 0.3 m above ground. The well identification plate goes on at completion and the construction report is filed within 90 days, where it becomes public in GWELLS.
Updated August 2026
Almost none of this is discretionary, and almost all of it is invisible once the rig leaves. That combination is why the paperwork matters: it is the only durable evidence that the parts nobody can see were done to the standard.
The Groundwater Protection Regulation is the rule set made under the Water Sustainability Act that governs how wells in British Columbia are constructed, maintained, altered and closed.
For the work these rules apply to, see what a compliant new well involves.
One act, one regulation
Groundwater in British Columbia is governed by the Water Sustainability Act, which came into force in 2016 and replaced the previous Water Act. The detailed rules for wells sit in the Groundwater Protection Regulation, and they apply to every well owner regardless of what the water is used for. Constructing a well, altering one, installing a well pump, disinfecting a well and decommissioning a well are all restricted activities under it.
Who is allowed to do the work
Registration is provincial, held by the Deputy Comptroller of Water Rights, and it requires a certificate of qualification from SkilledTradesBC. The table below sets out who may do what. The short version: a drilled well is not homeowner work, and neither is a pump.
| Work | Who may do it |
|---|---|
| Drilled well construction | A registered well driller, or under one's supervision |
| Excavated well, 15 m or less | Anyone, if every requirement of the regulation is met |
| Well pump installation and testing | A registered well pump installer or a registered well driller |
| Decommissioning a flowing artesian well | A registered well driller with demonstrated competency |
| Pumping test where one is required | Performed or directly supervised by a professional competent in hydrogeology |
How a well must be built
The construction standard is specific and measurable. The table further down lists the published figures. What sits behind them is a single objective — keeping surface water and everything it carries out of the aquifer — which is why the surface seal, the casing height and the cap are all treated as requirements rather than finishing touches.
| Requirement | Figure | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Surface seal length | At least 5 m | Water supply wells |
| Surface seal thickness | At least 2.54 cm | Annular space |
| Casing above ground | At least 0.3 m | Production casing |
| New well to an existing water supply well | 15 m | Siting |
| Sewerage system to a domestic water well | 30 m | Siting |
| Construction, alteration or decommissioning report | Within 90 days | All wells |
| Out of service before decommissioning is required | 5 years | All wells |
| Closure plug on decommissioning | At least 5 m | Water supply wells |
The 30 m separation between a sewerage system and a domestic water well is a Ministry of Health requirement applying to systems filed on or after 25 June 2010; the remaining figures are from the Groundwater Protection Regulation. Confirm current figures for any specific property before relying on them.
The record, and why it matters years later
On completing drilling, a well identification plate obtained from the comptroller is attached where the number is plainly visible. The construction report reaches the Province within 90 days and becomes part of GWELLS, the public Groundwater Wells and Aquifers database. Alterations and decommissioning are reported the same way. A property with a documented well is a property where a buyer, a lender or a local government can check rather than assume.
Licensing, and when a well must be closed
Domestic groundwater use — household supply, fire prevention, garden, domestic animals — is exempt from licensing and from provincial water fees. Non-domestic use requires a licence, and the registration window for existing non-domestic users closed on 1 March 2022. Separately, a well that has been out of service for 5 years must be decommissioned, which means sealing it through its full depth with a closure plug at least 5 m long on a water supply well, and reporting the work.
What gets reported, and when
- 1
Drilling completes — the well identification plate is attached, positioned so the number is plainly visible.
- 2
The well is disinfected — required after construction, alteration, development or rehabilitation.
- 3
The construction report is filed — with the Province, within 90 days.
- 4
The record goes public — into GWELLS, where anyone can look it up afterwards.
The rules land on two pieces of work most often — installing a pump, what the work costs and artesian wells at Nanoose Bay.
The plate, the seal and the report are the parts nobody sees and everybody asks about later. To have the reporting handled from the start, book a site assessment.