Water Well Information Database
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Well Casing?
A: Well Casing is the steel pipe that extends
from the ground surface into the bedrock. The well casing protects your
well from caving in, and also prevents surface water (i.e. rainwater,
water from streams, lakes, ponds, etc.) from getting into the well.
The
amount of well casing that is necessary depends on the distance from the ground
surface to bedrock. Rhode Island regulations require a minimum of 20
Feet of casing for all wells drilled on or after January 1, 1990.
Q: What is Hydrofracking?
A: Hydrofracking is a procedure where thousands of pounds of water pressure is exerted in the well in order to fracture the rock or widen existing fractures. The fracturing of the rock will usually increase the amount of water that flows into the well. Hydrofracking is generally performed on wells that produce very little water.
More detailed information on Hydrofracking can be found by clicking here.
Q: What is the Purpose of the Database?
A: There are several purposes for the database. Primarily, the database allows homeowners to analyze the general characteristics of wells in their area. The database also provides geologists, as well as state and federal environmental officials, with information on groundwater trends in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.
Q: Why are there a number of records in the Database with addresses listed as "Pole #" or "Lot #"?
A: In many cases when we drill a well, the home or business is
either in the process of being built, or has not yet been built at all.
In many of these cases, the builder and/or municipality have not yet assigned
address numbers.
In other words, if a home builder tells us "We
would like you to drill wells on Lot numbers 1, 2, and 3" these Lot numbers (or the
utility pole
numbers) are the only means we have available to identify a particular
property.
If there is a record in the database
that is listed as a Lot number, a Pole number, or has no number, and you would like more information on
the well, please
Contact Us, as we
may be able to provide you with more information, such as the the name of the person or company
that we drilled the well for.
A. Where can I obtain copies of a Well Completion Report for a well that is in the Database?
A. If you need an unofficial copy of
a Well Completion Report, please
Contact
Us.
If
you need an official copy of a Well Completion Report, (which generally
contains the same information as the unofficial reports) please contact:
If the Well is Located in Rhode Island
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Department of Environmental Management
Office of Water Resources - Well Drilling Program
235 Promenade St., Suite 260
Providence, RI 02908-5767
Tel: (401) 222-3961
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/index.htm
If the Well Is Located in Massachusetts
Contact the Board of Health in the City or Town where the well is located. You can Click Here to look up the telephone number for the Board of Health. If the Board of Health does not have any information on the well, you may want to contact:
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection
Office of Drinking Water - Well Driller Program
1 Winter Street
Boston, MA 02108-4746
Tel: (617) 292-5500
http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/welldril.htm
What Records are in the Database?
The database contains the following records:
• Records of wells drilled by Water Well Systems Inc., from 1990 to the Present Date.
• Records of wells drilled by Roy Jaswell & Son / Jaswell Drill Corporation, from 1964 to 1990.
• In response to consumer requests for well information in certain areas, some of the wells in the database may reflect data that Water Well Systems Inc. has obtained from Well Completion Reports on file at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and/or the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
Although 99% of the records in the database reflect wells that were drilled by either Water Well Systems Inc. or Roy Jaswell & Son, approximately 1% of the records in the database provide information on wells that may have been drilled by other well contractors.
Please Contact Us if you have any additional questions or comments about the Water Well Information Database.
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