Water Well Program
Pam Chaffee, Professional Geologist
Chief, Water Well Unit
Geology & Well Technology, 1000 SW Jackson Street,
Suite 420
Topeka, KS 66612-1367
Office: (785) 296-3565
Fax: (785) 559-4258
Pam.Chaffee@ks.gov
General Information
The Water Well Program at KDHE is administered by the Water Well Unit within the Geology & Well Technology Section.
The purpose of the Water Well Program is to provide for the exploration and protection of groundwater through the licensing and regulation of water well contractors in Kansas and to protect the health and general welfare of the citizens of Kansas. The program oversees the proper construction, reconstruction, treatment and plugging of water wells and to provide data on potential water supplies in Kansas. This is done by requiring well logs for all water well construction, reconstruction and plugging of wells within the state.
To become a Kansas Licensed Water Well Contractor requires submitting to KDHE a completed application, successful completion of a written exam and submitting the required fees to KDHE. After becoming a Licensed Water Well Contractor, the contractor is required to renew their license annually by submitting to KDHE a renewal application on a form provided by KDHE, filing all well records (WWC-5 form) for each well constructed, reconstructed or plugged during the previous year of licensure, satisfying the continuing education requirements and submitting the required fees.
Directions to KDHE and Visitor Parking
KDHE Geology and Well Technology Fall 2017 Fall Seminar/Tech Fair - August 29-30, 2017
- Presentations (NEW) 9/17
Kansas Licensed Water Well Contractors
- ACTIVE Kansas Licensed Water Well Contractors List (UPDATED 1/2017)
- ACTIVE Kansas Licensed Water Well Contractors List - Sorted by City (UPDATED 1/2017)
- ACTIVE Kansas Licensed Water Well Contractors & Services by County - (KGWA Web site)
How to Obtain a Kansas Water Well Contractor License (contact Pam Chaffee at 785-296-3565 or Pam.Chaffee@ks.gov)
- Licensing Process Flow Chart (Simplified Version)
- How to Obtain a Kansas Water Well Contractors License (WWP-9) (Updated 1/3/17)
- Water Well Contractor Exam Locations & Contacts (Updated 3/10/2016)
- Water Well License Exam Rules Updated 1/10/2017)
- Continuing Education Units (CEU) information - (KGWA Web site)
- (CEUs processed through Dale Hayse Management Services, P.O. Box 107, Mullinville, KS 67109, Phone: 620-548-2669)
How to Renew a Kansas Water Well Contractor License (contact Deb Biester at 785-296-5524 or Debra.Biester@ks.gov)
WWC-5/WWC-5P Forms
*** Hard copies will no longer be furnished - use one of the reporting methods listed below ***
- KOLAR - Kansas Online Automated Reporting System for WWC-5 Forms
- Fillable WWC-5 Form
- Fillable WWC-5P Form
Note: If you do not have a computer, call 785-296-5524 or 785-296-3565 and ask that a blank copy be sent to you. You may reproduce the copy for your record submittals. You will need to make copies as follows: 1st copy will be mailed to KDHE, Geology & Well Technology Section, 1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 420, Topeka, KS 66612-1367, 2nd copy needs to be sent to landowner, and a 3rd copy will be retained by you for your files.
Advisory
“Saltwater Contamination Advisory - As the result of historic oilfield brine contamination, saltwater may be encountered when constructing a water supply well into the Permian bedrock in the areas listed below and as depicted on the maps listed. Very high chloride concentrations can be present in the Permian bedrock making this water unusable and posing a significant risk to the environment if encountered. Groundwater high in chloride concentration may also be encountered in the overlying unconsolidated aquifer, limiting the use of this groundwater for most purposes.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment believes water wells should not be constructed in these areas because encountering the saltwater could result in additional adverse impacts to the environment, the water is not usable and encountering the contaminated groundwater could spread the contamination.
For additional information, persons may contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 785.296.3565 or the Kansas Corporation Commission at 620.225.8888.”
- Barber County Sites
- Project: Schulte Brine Contamination Site
Databases and Mapping Applications
- Kansas Environmental Interest Finder (KEIF) (5/16)
- Public Land Survey Section/Township/Range (STR) Finder
- Links
- Kansas Geological Survey - Water Well Data Base
- TopoQuest - Map Finder (4/16)
Forms Request
- Records Request
- Change of Address Form (For informing the Geology & Well Technology Section ONLY - not all of KDHE)
- Change of Water Well Contractor Company Name Form
Geothermal Wells
- Geothermal Wells and the Potential to Encounter Oil & Gas or Saltwater Bearing Zones - Technical Assistance Bulletin
LEPP County Sanitarians
Upcoming Seminars, Expos, Conferences and Training Sessions
KDHE Geology and Well Technology Fall 2017 Fall Seminar/Tech Fair - August 29-30, 2017
- Presentations (9/17)
Private Water Well Help
- The Private Well Class - Free Online Training for Private Well Owners
- Water Systems Council - wellcare® Info Sheets (4/16)
- WellOwner.org (9/17)
Water Well Testing
Water Well Forms and Procedures
(Note: Some of the following files may require Adobe Acrobat).
Forms
- WWC-1 Application for Water Well Contractor License - Fillable Form (10/15)
- WWC-1R Renewal Application for Kansas Water Well Contractor License - Fillable Form (4/15)
- WWC-2 Character and Experience Reference Questionnaire - Fillable Form (1/10)
- WWC-3 Application for Kansas Water Well Contractor Drilling Rig Licenses - Fillable Form (4/15)
- WWC-5 Water Well Record Fillable Form (4/15)
- WWC-5P Water Well Plugging Record Fillable Form (4/15)
- WWC-6 Inactive Water Well Request Fillable Form (1/17)
- WWC-7 Assignment of Water Well to Landowner - (4/16)
Procedures
- WWP-1 Procedure for Requesting a Waiver for Locating a Water Well Closer than 50 Feet from a Contamination Source (5/11)
- WWP-2 Procedure for Requesting a Waiver to Install a Well Closer than 25 feet from Property Line and/or Closer than 50 Feet from Nearest Source of Contamination (for Well Constructed after July 2, 1974) (7/17)
- WWP-3 Procedure for Requesting a Waiver to Allow Less than 20 Feet of Grout in a Water Well (7/16)
- WWP-4 Procedure for Requesting Inactive Status for Water Wells (2/17)
- Flush Mount Well Construction Detail (1/18) Revised
- WWP-5 Procedure for Requesting a Waiver to Allow Installation of a Flush Mounted Monitoring Well (1/18) Revised
- WWP-8 Procedure for Geothermal Closed Loop Heat Pump Systems Using Vertical Boreholes (3/16)
- WWP-9 Procedure for Obtaining a Kansas Water Well Contractors License (1/17)
- WWP-10 Procedure for Plugging a Groundwater Monitoring Well (1/18) Revised
- WWP-12 Procedure for Renewing a Kansas Water Well Contractor License (10/16)
- Methods for Chlorinating Private Water Supplies (5/11)
- How do I Plug a Dug Well? Fact Sheet (5/11)
- How do I Plug a Confined Water Well? Fact Sheet (5/11)
- Standard Monitoring Well Design (2/18) Revised
- Plugging Abandoned Wells Brochure(4/18)
Informational Circulars
- Guidelines for Voluntary Baseline Groundwater Quality Sampling in the Vicinity of Hydraulic Fracture Operations, Kansas Geological Survey, Public Information Circular 34, Fross & Lylle, March 2013
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) Statement Prohibiting Conversion of Oil or Gas Wells and Dry Holes to Water Wells (6/13)
- Factors Affecting Public-Water-Supply-Well Vulnerability to Contamination, USGS, Circular 1385 (8/13)
Regulations
- Article 12 Groundwater Exploration and Protection Act (5/11)
- Article 30 Water Well Contractor's License; Water Well Construction(7/13)
Links
American Ground Water Trust (Ground Water Education)
Kansas Association of Conservation Districts
Kansas Department of Agriculture
-
Division of Conservation
-
Division of Water Resources
Kansas Corporation Commission
Kansas Geological Survey
- Kansas Geological Survey Home Page
- LEOWEB V11.000 (4/16)
- Kansas Geological Survey - Water Well Data Base
- Drilling a Water Well on Your Land: What You Should Know
- The Public Land Survey System in Kansas - Parts 1-4 (4/16)
- High Plains/Ogallala Aquifer Information
- WWC-5 Forms and KOLAR: Location Reporting (9/16)
Kansas Department of Transportation
Ground Water Management Districts
Kansas Ground Water Association
Kansas State University
KSU Extension Bulletins
- Restoring a Flooded Well to Service
- Plugging Cisterns, Cesspools, Septic Tanks, and Other Holes
- Private Wells-Safe Location and Construction
- Shock Chlorination for Private Water Systems
- Recommended Water Tests for Private Wells
- Taking a Water Sample
- Testing to Ensure Safe Drinking Water
- Understanding Your Water Test Report