8 DECEMBER 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® www.starironworks.com 257 Caroline Street Punxsutawney, PA 15767 800-927-0560 • 814-427-2555 Fax: 814-427-5164 SERVING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Serving the Drilling Industry Booth 1003 Heads Up! Iowa Water Well Contractors Adapted from Information by the Iowa Water Well Association Recently, there has been a lot of discussion regarding whether a permit needs to be issued for well reconstruction in Iowa. According to Erik Day, environmental specialist senior with the Water Quality Bureau at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the current Iowa Administrative Code 567 - 38.6(455B) states: Well maintenance and reconstruction. A private well construction permit is required for all replacement wells. A private well construction permit is required for modification to a well such as changes in physical dimensions including, but not limited to, deepening the well and changing the diameter or length of the casing or the screen. A private well construction permit is not required for the repair, maintenance, or rehabilitation of an existing well that does not change its physical dimensions. Although, it seems historically, this rule has not been practiced or enforced, counties will have to start implementing procedures to issue well reconstruction permits, because it is in the rule. However, this brings in a lot of other complexities including: • The inability to create multiple permits for a single well • Creating duplicate wells in the database, and • Charging people additional fees when they are able to be reimbursed for reconstruction expenses through the private well grants program, which does seem counterintuitive. Day explained the rule was probably implemented prior to the private well grants program providing reimbursement for well reconstruction. With the grants program providing funding for well reconstruction, this seems to be an outdated rule which should be removed. “If you agree, I'd encourage you to provide comments on this topic during the EO10 [Executive Order 10] public hearings that will be held in January 2025, so that the language that requires permits for reconstruction, can be considered for removal,” he stated. For more information, contact the Iowa Water Well Association or visit www.iwwa.org Erik Day WTR
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