AZ Well Driller cheat sheet

Arizona well drilling is governed by A.R.S. Title 45, Chapter 2 (Groundwater Code) and the well construction rules in A.A.C. Title 12, Chapter 15, administered by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR).

A driller must hold a current ADWR-issued well drilling license; a license is required before any drilling activity, and license renewal is required on the schedule ADWR sets.

A Notice of Intention to Drill (NOI) must be filed with ADWR and approved before drilling begins; drilling without an approved NOI is a violation subject to enforcement.

Each NOI is well-specific and includes the proposed well location, depth, diameter, casing plan, intended use, and the driller's license number.

NOI approval is generally valid for a limited period; if drilling does not commence within that window, a new or amended NOI must be filed.

Amendments are required when the actual construction deviates materially from the approved NOI, such as a significant change in depth, casing, or use.

Exemptions from NOI and permitting exist for certain small-scale or specified uses, but the driller must verify the exemption applies before proceeding.

Violations of the statutes or rules can result in civil penalties, license suspension or revocation, and required corrective work at the driller's expense.

The driller must maintain a driller's log recording lithologic descriptions, depths of formations, water-bearing zones, casing and screen settings, grout placement, and static water level.

Log entries are made as drilling progresses; the driller's log is a permanent record and must be filed with ADWR within the timeframe the rules specify after completion.

A well completion report is filed for wells that are constructed; an abandonment report is filed when a well is capped or abandoned, and both must reflect actual field conditions.

The driller's log must identify the driller, license number, well registration number, property owner, location, and dates of drilling.

Depth measurements in the log are reported in feet below land surface, and water-level measurements must state the date and method of measurement.

Material quantities, such as sacks of cement or cubic yards of grout, must be recorded to demonstrate compliance with the sealing requirements.

Accurate reporting is legally required; false or incomplete reports can result in enforcement, and the driller remains responsible for report accuracy.

Records must be retained by the driller and made available to ADWR on request, and copies are provided to the well owner.

Casing must be of new, undamaged material meeting the specified strength and wall-thickness standards, and must extend from land surface to the required depth.

The annular space between the borehole and casing must be sealed with approved grout (typically neat cement or a specified cement-bentonite mix) from the bottom of the casing upward.

A surface seal of specified depth and thickness is required to prevent surface contamination from entering the annular space.

Well screens and gravel packs must be sized to the formation and installed so that the well does not produce excessive sand or sediment.

A cap or seal must be installed on the wellhead to prevent entry of surface water, debris, or contaminants when the well is not in use.

Abandonment requires filling the well bore with approved material (such as cement or specified grout) across water-bearing zones and sealing the upper portion.

Abandoned wells must be sealed so that they do not act as a conduit for contamination between aquifers or from the surface.

Construction and abandonment must follow the approved NOI and the applicable A.A.C. standards; deviations require amendment or approval before proceeding.

Arizona's Groundwater Code divides the state into Active Management Areas (AMAs), each with a statutory groundwater management goal and a management plan.

The five original AMAs are Phoenix, Pima, Prescott, Pinal, and Santa Cruz; each is subject to its own management plan and rules.

Within an AMA, groundwater withdrawals are regulated through grandfathered rights, withdrawal permits, and assured water supply requirements for new subdivisions.

A Certificate of Assured Water Supply requires proof of a 100-year supply of water of adequate quality and legal availability for a new subdivision.

Outside AMAs, wells are generally regulated for construction and reporting rather than for the volume of withdrawal, though other permitting may apply.

Irrigation grandfathered rights are measured in acres and tied to historically irrigated land; withdrawing groundwater for other uses requires the appropriate right or permit.

Groundwater is a public resource, and the driller must avoid cross-connection between aquifers and protect water quality during construction and abandonment.

Water supply programs include the Central Arizona Project and recharge and storage programs that support AMA management goals and replenishment obligations.