Well Location, Siting, and Setback Requirements
What the exam tests
Siting questions test whether you can place a well so that pollution sources, surface water, and site drainage cannot reach the casing. NC distances are minimums, and local rules can be stricter.
Core rules
- A permit from the county health department is required before construction; the site must be accessible for the rig and for future service.
- Minimum separation in NC: 50 ft from a septic tank; 100 ft from a drainfield, sewage lagoon, landfill, or other sewage-treatment area; 50 ft from streams, ponds, and other surface water.
- The well must be uphill and outside areas that pond or flood. The casing extends at least 12 inches above grade and the surface is graded to drain away.
- Do not place a well in a pit, below a deck that traps water, or where equipment or animals can damage the wellhead.
Worked example
A proposed well is 35 ft from the septic tank, 90 ft from the drainfield, and 40 ft from a stream. Three checks fail: tank (35 < 50), drainfield (90 < 100), and stream (40 < 50). Moving the well 15 ft farther from the tank fixes only the first; the drainfield and stream still control. The correct answer is to relocate until all three separations are met, or to choose another site.
Traps
Measuring to the center of a drainfield instead of its nearest edge; treating the 50-ft tank distance as the drainfield distance; ignoring a seasonal stream or ditch; and assuming a state minimum overrides a stricter county ordinance.