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2 <br />1 <br /> What you need to know aboutsealing a WELL <br />Glass block or <br />concrete patch in <br />an exterior step <br />Wells are often <br />housed in a <br />small room in <br />the basement, <br />many times <br />under exterior <br />concrete steps <br />Pipe sticking up <br />out of the floor in <br />your basement, <br />or a concrete <br />patch in the floor <br />where the well <br />was located <br />Low spot or <br />sunken area in <br />the ground <br />Metal, wood, or <br />concrete cover <br />or manhole <br />Areas that stay <br />wet can be <br />caused by <br />an unsealed <br />flowing well <br />Windmill, an <br />old shed or <br />well house, <br />or an old pump <br />Dug wells <br />typically <br />appear as a ring <br />anywhere from <br />1 foot or several <br />feet in diameter, <br />made of concrete, <br />tile, bricks, or <br />rocks <br />Pipes 1 to 8 inches <br />wide above, at, or <br />below the surface <br />may indicate a <br />well (sewer lines <br />or septic systems <br />may also have <br />similar pipes, <br />investigate further <br />if unsure) <br />Inspect <br />Your Property <br />Contracting <br />The most important thing <br />to know about sealing <br />a well is that you cannot <br />do it yourself. Minnesota <br />law mandates that a well <br />only be sealed by an MDH <br />licensed well contractor. <br />For a list of licensed <br />contractors in your area, visit: <br />Licensed Well and Boring <br />Contractor Directory (www. <br />health.state.mn.us/lwcsearch) <br />or see the back page and call <br />your nearest MDH office. <br />Old photos, <br />former owners, <br />or long-time <br />area residents <br />may know about <br />windmills, houses, <br />or buildings no <br />longer present <br />City, township, <br />county, and <br />state property <br />records <br />Area well <br />drillers <br />Old fire insurance <br />drawings at your <br />local historical <br />society <br />Recordkeeping <br />Once fully sealed, <br />the contractor is <br />required to submit <br />a Well and Boring <br />Sealing Record <br />to MDH. You receive <br />a copy of this record <br />as well. Keep this <br />record with <br />your other <br />property records. <br />It documents <br />the well is <br />properly sealed.Unused Well <br />If the well is not in use and does not have a <br />Water Well Maintenance Permit <br />(www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/ <br />disclosures/welldisclosure.html#mp), <br />or the well poses a <br />threat to health or <br />safety, Minnesota <br />law requires that you <br />must have <br />the well sealed. <br />If your well appears <br />to be filled or <br />capped, but <br />you learn it was <br />improperly sealed, <br />the homeowner is <br />responsible to have <br />the well properly <br />sealed by an MDH <br />licensed well <br />contractor. <br />Resources Online <br />If your house <br />was built <br />before public <br />water was <br />available, the <br />property may <br />have one or <br />more wells. <br />Wells can <br />be located <br />either inside <br />or outside a <br />building. <br /> After locating the well, determine the <br />WELL use <br />Well in Use <br />Minnesota laws <br />do not require <br />a well that is in <br />use to be sealed <br />unless the well is <br />contaminating the <br />groundwater or <br />has the potential <br />to cause health <br />problems. <br />Costs <br />The cost to seal a well can vary considerably. <br />Access to the well, special geological <br />conditions, debris in the well, depth and <br />diameter of the well are all factors that <br />can affect the cost of well sealing. Therefore, it is <br />important to get several estimates to compare <br />costs. <br />If a contractor is already on the site drilling <br />a new well, the cost of sealing an old well <br />can often be less. The same is true if a group <br />of homeowners or a community get together <br />and contract to have a number of wells sealed <br />at the same time. <br />Funding Assistance <br />Various grants and/or cost-share programs <br />may be available through local or state <br />government agencies. Low interest loans <br />for well construction, repair, and sealing are <br />also often offered through local lenders to <br />homeowners that meet income and location <br />requirements. Preapproval is often required <br />to qualify for these grants or loans, <br />so arrangements should be made before <br />you contract to have the well sealed. <br />For more information, visit: Sealing of Wells and <br />Borings (www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/ <br />sealing). <br />3OtherResources <br />A Well Disclosure Certificate <br />contains information such as the <br />location, number, and status of wells <br />on the property. To see what <br />information is available for your <br />well, visit: Well Disclosure Certificate <br />Search (www.health.state. <br />mn.us/wdclookup). <br />The Minnesota Well Index <br />(MWI) contains various information for <br />many wells in Minnesota. To see what <br />information is available for your well, visit: <br />Minnesota Well Index: (www.health. <br />state.mn.us/divs/eh/cwi). <br />OUTDOORS look for: <br /> How tofind a WELL <br />INDOORS look for: <br />100