These are the sources behind The Private Well’s owner steps, rules and prices, with the revision or section we used and the date we read it. Each page also cites its sources at the claim, so you can check any step or figure where you see it. How we check explains how steps and rules are read and dated, and how we estimate costs explains the price method.
General information, not professional advice. Your pump and tank makers’ manuals and a licensed well or pump contractor decide what’s safe for your system; your state or county decides what needs a permit or a licence.
Makers’ documents
All read 11 November 2026 on the maker’s own website. A maker’s document tells us what that maker says about its own products; it is not a rule for other brands. Manuals are copyrighted, so pages describe them in our own words, with the page number. Makers are named only as the publishers of their documents, never as a recommendation.
| Maker | Document and revision | What we use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Goulds Water Technology (Xylem) | IM096 Rev 14 (2025-10), 4-inch submersible pumps | Electrical work by a qualified technician; power disconnected and locked out; tank precharge 2 psi below cut-in; warranty term |
| Goulds | IM457 Rev 2 (2025-07), jet pump quick guide; IM102 Rev 13 (June 2025), jet pumps | Priming as Goulds prints it; never run a pump dry; 25-foot suction lift limit for shallow-well jets |
| Goulds | IM251R01, pressure tank owner’s manual | The owner’s precharge check; when Goulds says a qualified professional adjusts it; tank warranty |
| Goulds | GSSERVICE R10 (8/2025), service manual; TTECHWP R7 (June 2024), technical data | Tank selection and minimum run time; friction loss for Schedule 40 plastic pipe; 2.31 feet of head per psi; household demand |
| Goulds (CentriPro) | Aquavar SOLO2 IM260R04 (April 2024) | Constant-pressure controller: qualified technician, precharge for its settings |
| Amtrol | 9015-939 (04/18), precharged well tanks; 9016-868 MC10185 (01/19), Well-X-Trol | Only qualified professionals check, adjust or recharge; never add air after air loss, corrosion or shorter cycles; precharge 2 psi below cut-in; factory charge |
| Amtrol | 9013-0006 (01/19), Well-X1 with Guardian CP | Licensed professional installs and services; the controller is not a disconnect |
| Amtrol | MC7025 (03/26) and MC10188 (04/24), drawdown tables; 9017-102 (03/19), sizing; MC10253 (10/26), warranty | Drawdown cross-checks for the tank size calculator; minimum run time; warranty terms |
| Flexcon | Steel Well Tanks IOM Rev. 9.21 and composite tanks IOM (2021); quick sizing chart (2019) | Precharge steps at zero system pressure; installation by a qualified professional; drawdown table; warranty |
| Pentair | Pro-Source composite tank CH20463 (02/17/12, 2012 edition); WellMate W3720 (2014); WM900 (09-01-23) | Precharge chart by switch setting; a specialty tank series that prints a different precharge; drawdown factors |
| Pentair | P15001 (09-01-2023), shallow-well jet pumps | Priming; precharge; “consult a qualified electrician” |
| Franklin Electric | AIM Manual, 60 Hz, M1311 (2026) | Qualified personnel; more than one disconnect; stored charge in some controls; at least 1 minute of run time per start; starts per day; check valves; installer’s tests |
| Franklin Electric | SubDrive Utility owner’s manual 226115120 Rev 003 (10/20); M1571, terms and warranty | Constant-pressure drive: qualified personnel, stored charge, settings by the installer; warranty |
| Grundfos | SQ/SQE installation and operating instructions, 3835175 (2006 edition, the newest we found) | An authorized electrician; reset by switching off the supply; dry-run restart |
| Square D (Telemecanique Sensors) | Pumptrol instruction sheet 65013-005-39 (September 2025); datasheets 9013FSG2J21 and 9013FSG2J24M4 (30 July 2024) | Power off; which nut sets cut-in and cut-out; the low-pressure cut-off lever; switch ranges; qualified-personnel line |
| Schneider Electric | FAQs FA121330 (modified 12 December 2025) and FA118738 | Switch adjustment; FA118738 conflicts with the sheet, so pages follow the sheet |
State statutes and rules
All read 11 November 2026 in official text on the state’s own site unless the row says otherwise. Rows we could not read in official text say so, and pages show them as “not confirmed” or “our reading”. Statutes and rules may be quoted briefly with their section.
| State | Sections | What we use them for |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 17 Pa. Code ch. 47 (47.5, 47.7, 47.8); 25 Pa. Code 73.13; 49 Pa. Code 35.335a | Driller licensing and notices; notice before sealing; septic siting distances; the seller’s disclosure form |
| Michigan | Public Health Code Part 127 (MCL 333.12703, 333.12704, 333.12707); R 325.1601 to 325.1781; MCL 565.957 | Registration of drillers and pump installers; owner work; well logs; setbacks; plugging; the seller’s disclosure form |
| Ohio | OAC chapter 3701-28 (3701-28-01, -03, -06, -07, -17, -18); R.C. 5302.30 and the OAC 1301:5-6-10 form | Contractor registration; owner repairs; permits and the state fee share; setbacks; sealing; the disclosure form |
| North Carolina | G.S. ch. 87, Article 7A (87-88, 87-97, 87-98.4); 15A NCAC 02C .0107 and .0113; G.S. 47E-4 | Contractor certification; owner work on pumps and tanks; well records; setbacks; abandonment; the disclosure statement |
| New York | ECL 15-1525; 10 NYCRR Appendix 5-B; RPL 462 | Driller registration and notices; certification for pump work (owner work not confirmed); setbacks; the disclosure form |
| Wisconsin | DNR publications PUB-DG-002 (2025) and PUB-DG-102 (March 2026), applying NR 812 and NR 146 | Licensed pump installers only; notification; setbacks for wells built after 1 July 2020; filling and sealing. The code text itself could not be opened |
| Minnesota | Minn. Stat. 103I.205, 103I.208, 103I.235; Minn. R. 4725.4450 and 4725.0100 | Licensing, including the limited license for pumps (owner pump work not confirmed); notification fees; the well disclosure certificate; setbacks |
| Texas | Occ. Code ch. 1901 and ch. 1902; Prop. Code 5.008; 16 TAC ch. 76 (unofficial copy only) | Driller and pump installer licensing; owner work; well logs; plugging; the seller’s disclosure notice |
| Florida | F.S. 373.323; F.S. 489.105; F.A.C. 62-532 (a water management district’s copy) | Contractor licensing; well permits; records; plugging. Owner pump work is our reading only |
| Washington | WAC 173-160; WAC 173-162; RCW 64.06.020 | Notice of intent and fees; well reports; setbacks; operator licensing and exemptions; the seller’s disclosure |
| California | Water Code 13750.5, 13751 and 13801 | Who may drill and destroy wells; completion reports; county well ordinances. Bulletin 74 is under revision |
| Maine | 32 MRSA ch. 69-C (4700-E, -J, -L); 12 MRSA 550-B; 33 MRSA 173; 10-144 CMR 232 and 241 | Licensing and the owner exemption; well reports; disclosure; setbacks; who may seal |
| Vermont | 26 V.S.A. ch. 107; 10 V.S.A. ch. 64; Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Rules (2019 text; 2023 amendment unread) | Driller licensing; pump work; permits; completion reports; isolation distances |
| New Hampshire | NHDES fact sheet DWGB-23-1 and Water Well Board page | Who licenses well contractors and pump installers; who holds completion reports. RSA 482-B could not be opened |
| Indiana | 312 IAC 13; 410 IAC 6-8.3; State Form 46234 (R/9-26); IC 25-39 (unofficial copy only) | Licensing and personal use; well records; abandonment; setbacks; the disclosure form |
| Georgia | EPD water well standards page and notice of intent form (January 2026); DPH well water page | Who licenses; the contractor’s notice; setbacks as DPH gives them. The official code could not be read |
| Virginia | 12VAC5-630 (-80, -220, -380, -450); 12VAC5-620-70 and -80; Code 54.1-1129.1 and 54.1-1101; 55.1-703 | Certification and the owner exemption; what counts as an alteration; permits and fees; setbacks; abandonment; buyer-beware disclosure |
Pages link state well-record databases and license lookups only where we opened them from the state agency, such as Pennsylvania’s PaGWIS, Michigan’s Wellogic, the Texas Water Development Board’s submitted drillers reports and the TDLR license search.
Federal pages and regulations
All read 11 November 2026. US government text is public domain and may be quoted.
- EPA: private wells (updated 2 November 2026), learn about private water wells (14 September 2026), protect your home’s water (26 February 2026), and the flood fact sheet EPA 816-F-05-021, which EPA’s flood page labels updated October 2024. Who regulates private wells; how many households use them; well types and parts; prevention; don’t turn on a flooded pump.
- CDC: private well safety (4 June 2024) and wells after an emergency (29 May 2025). Which wells are unregulated; siting guidance; yearly checkups; retiring an unused well; don’t enter a well pit; wiring checked before the power goes back on.
- USGS: Scientific Investigations Report 2021-5069, for the depth of US domestic wells, and the domestic wells page (2019; read through a page extract, so used only for its exact sentences).
- USDA Rural Development: the Section 504 repair loans and grants page (loan up to $40,000, grant up to $10,000, 1% for 20 years); 7 CFR part 3550, subpart C and the 2022 final rule, 87 FR 6761; 7 CFR part 1776, decentralized water systems loans (up to $15,000 per water well system), and the program’s FY2026 notice of funding opportunity. eCFR text as of 1 November 2026.
- Lenders: HUD’s Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 (issued 12 August 2026) and its well distance waiver (24 July 2026, FHA INFO 2026-17); 24 CFR 200.926d; Fannie Mae’s selling guide B4-1.3-04 and B4-1.4-08. We have not read VA’s or USDA’s guaranteed-loan well rules, so pages say to ask the lender.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (released 15 May 2026), for earth drillers (47-5023), plumbers (47-2152) and electricians (47-2111).
Associations and counties
- National Ground Water Association, a trade association for the groundwater industry: its well owner pages on annual inspection, maintenance, old and unused wells, well logs and the finished well checklist, read 11 November 2026, and its 2021 Well Owner’s Guide. Labelled as association guidance.
- Water Systems Council, a nonprofit for the private well industry: its FAQ and the wellcare information sheets Sharing a Well, A Shared Well Agreement, Closing an Abandoned Well, Determining the Yield of a Well, Home Inspector’s Guide, Buying a Home with a Well and Well Maintenance (files modified 10 July 2026, read 11 November 2026). Labelled as association guidance and paraphrased.
- County shared-well rules, as examples: Clallam County, Washington (water systems and its shared well agreement form) and Maricopa County, Arizona (shared well agreement instructions, revised 9 October 2025), read 11 November 2026. They show what one county asks for; they are not rules elsewhere.
Published price sources
No national, primary list of well prices exists, so cost pages show figures from several publishers side by side, never averaged, each named on the page with its date and what it includes. This is who they are and why each might lean. Figures read 11 November 2026 unless the page says otherwise.
| Publisher | Who they are | What their figures measure | Why they might lean |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State Water Resources Control Board | State agency | A cost model for a new private well and for destroying an old one (2024 needs assessment, figures developed in 2023) | California only; drilling rate from one company’s 2023 quote for a 500-foot well |
| Self-Help Enterprises | Nonprofit that runs California dry-well replacement programs | Its own table of costs for complete deep replacement wells and for closing an old well (costs as of June 2022) | San Joaquin Valley wells, often 500 to 600 feet deep; 2022 |
| Madera County groundwater agency | County agency technical memo | Cost of drilling and installing a domestic well to replace an existing one, based on drillers’ input (April 2022) | One California basin; 2022 |
| Town of Charlotte, Vermont | Town comparison of four drillers’ estimates for a town garage well | Drilling, casing, cap, pump system and tank lines (2023) | Estimates, not quotes; one town in bedrock country; bidders split lines differently |
| Washington State Parks | State agency bid tabulation EW-C0600 | Line-by-line bids for a test well: drilling, casing, seal, test pumping, decommissioning (bids opened 11 March 2025) | Public works at prevailing wages, a remote park and an 8-inch well: leans high for a household well |
| San Antonio Water System | City water utility; bid tabulations for its domestic well mitigation program, CO-00728 (4 April 2024) and 15-0116 (30 June 2015) | Drilling, casing, screen, grout, well seal and pressure tank lines, per foot or each | One utility’s contracts in one Texas region; the 2015 figures are old, and two rows from one utility are not independent |
| NGWA | Groundwater industry association | Average drilling cost per foot for 4-inch and 6-inch wells (2021 guide) | Survey year not stated; drilling only; a national average |
| New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, as quoted by Valley News | State agency figure in a news report | Average cost of a new bedrock well (14 December 2025) | Quoted second-hand; one state, during a drought |
| County health departments: Grand Traverse County, MI (2026), St. Clair County, MI (from 1 October 2026), Waukesha County, WI (undated), Clackamas County, OR (through 2026) | Local government fee schedules | The county’s own fee for a well evaluation or inspection, some with lab samples | What a county charges for its own evaluation, not a private inspector’s price; four counties |
| Well sealing: Minnesota Department of Health leaflet (county-hosted copy, undated), Minnesota BWSR (2019), University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension (2005-07 data), City of Madison Water Utility (2015), Ohio Department of Health FAQ (county-hosted copy, 2012) | State agencies, extension and a city utility | Typical cost to seal a household well | All older and mostly Midwest and Ohio; no source prices sealing by depth or diameter |
| Penn State Extension | University extension service | Sanitary well cap prices (page updated 15 June 2026) and a 2003 study of cap installation | Part prices without labor; the installed figure is from 2003 |
| Retailers: McCoy’s, PexUniverse, NY Direct, R.P. Lumber, Shell Lumber, DB Supply, Sutherlands, Water Pump Supply | Stores selling tanks, switches, caps and fittings | Listed prices for parts on the day we read them (not linked) | Prices change by store, ZIP code and sale; parts only, no labor |
| Huston’s Water Solutions, Neosho, Missouri | A well and pump shop’s own published rate sheet (undated; read 11 November 2026) | Installed prices for pressure tanks by size and for a pressure switch (not linked) | One business’s prices in one region; never a recommendation |
Not prices, labelled as such: program cost-share caps, such as the Iowa DNR private well grants (updated 8 July 2026), Hennepin County’s well sealing cost share, the Wisconsin DNR well abandonment grant and Nebraska natural resources districts’ programs, which say what a program pays, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s EQIP payment schedules (FY2026), which say what a farm program pays for a practice. Permit and notification fees come from the state and county rules listed above.
What we don’t use
- Lead-generation, contractor-matching and “find a driller” sites, home-warranty sellers and affiliate or “best pump” sites: never a source for a rule, a step, a price or a life expectancy.
- Drillers’ and pump shops’ blogs, home improvement media, retailers’ and parts sellers’ how-to pages, water treatment sellers, forums and video sites: never a source either.
- Makers’ documents on retailer or manuals sites: used only to find the maker’s own copy, never as the source.
- Pages we couldn’t open: figures we saw only in search results, or rules we saw only in a snippet, are not published.
If you publish a source we cite and something here is out of date, or you know a primary source we should read, please tell us.
Sources on this page checked on 11 November 2026.