What are the Well Drilling Regulations in New Hampshire

Drilling a well for your home is one of the most important decisions you as a homeowner will have to make. The well will supply water for drinking, bathing and washing your clothes for years to come. Making sure the well is properly installed at the correct depth and tested accurately for water quality are keys to ensuring a long life for your well.

When looking for a professional well drilling company to do the work, it is important to ask about their experience and training. Skillings & Sons has a combined 250 years of experience and our employees receive training in various areas of well drilling and water system repair. One area of expertise is the state water regulations in New Hampshire, as well as other surrounding states.

In New Hampshire, well drilling contractors must be licensed, but homeowners can drill a well if it is on their own property. The average depth of a bedrock well for household use is about 300 feet deep but most are 100 to 500 feet. A few can be more than 1,000 feet deep if the geology and underground water source require it. In 1984, the state began keeping records of all new wells and the information is available to the public in an online database. If you want to know how deep the wells are in your surrounding area, the database can help.

When building a new home or doing major repairs, the average person doesn’t always know all of the regulations and permitting requirements they must meet during construction. That’s why people usually hire a well drilling contractor with the knowledge of local regulations to help guide them through the process. The same goes for drilling a well.

In New Hampshire, there are well water regulations and guidelines. While regulations are required, guidelines are like an industry standard that qualified well-drilling contractors aim to meet, but are not required. When it comes to the output of a well or the water quality, New Hampshire does not have strict regulations. They do, however, have guidelines.

The Water Well Board recommends for domestic indoor use a minimum volume of 600 gallons of water flowing into the home within a 2 hour period at least once per day. That means if you let your faucet flow for two hours, a minimum of 600 gallons would come out. When it comes to water quality, Department of Environmental Services has a list of recommended water quality standards and has published the list in a fact sheet.

There are regulations regarding well setbacks and proximity to septic systems. New Hampshire requires a 75-foot setback from property boundaries and septic systems for homes with up to five bedrooms. This includes tanks and leach fields. Homeowners must also keep records of work done on private wells. When selling a home with an onsite water system, homeowners must disclose any malfunctions or problems with the water system as well as the date of the most recent water test.

Local communities also have their own regulations regarding well placement, construction, water quality testing and other issues. A qualified well drilling contractor can help you with these issues as well.

For more information about New Hampshire water well drilling regulations or those of surrounding states, call Skillings & Sons for a consultation.