Water Systems and Well Permitting
DIVISION: Division of Water Supply
GENERAL PHONE NUMBER: (609) 984-6831
FAX NUMBER: (609) 633-1495
WEB SITE
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The Bureau of Water Systems and Well Permitting comprises two major program areas: Well Permitting and Safe Drinking Water Construction Permitting. The Well Permitting and Regulation section works with the well drilling industry and local health department while the Safe Drinking Water (SDW) Construction Permitting sections (Northern and Southern) work primarily with water engineering consultants and water suppliers that often times include Municipal Utility Authorities.
The Well Permitting and Regulation section is responsible for implementing the Subsurface and Percolating Waters Act (N.J.S.A. 58:4A-4.1 et seq.) and the Well Construction, Maintenance, and Sealing of Abandoned Wells regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1 et seq.). This section is responsible for permit issuance and tracking of well documents and technical reviews, licensing of well drillers and pump installers, and enforcement of relevant regulations. In addition, this section facilitates the State Well Drillers and Pump Installers Examining and Advisory Board as established in the Subsurface and Percolating Water Act. The board members provide advice to the department on exam questions, license status and technical issues. All meetings of the board are open to the public. Information on the current members and duties of the board, the board meeting schedule and licensing exam schedules can be found at the division website listed above.
The northern and southern sections of SDW Construction Permitting are responsible for reviewing all public water system construction permit applications relating to new or modification to sources, treatment, storage, pump station, interconnection, and water distribution system facilities, including water main extension, replacement or connections as described in N.J.A.C. 7:10- 11, Standards for the Construction of Public Community Water Systems.
The SDW permitting is also responsible for reviewing Fifty Realty Improvement Certification – Water Supply applications (pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:10-12.42.) when individual wells are proposed in a development consisting of 50 or more realty improvements
In addition, through the technical support unit, the bureau administers the Physical Connection Permit (initial and renewal) requirements between a public community water system and an unapproved source as described in N.J.A.C. 7:10-10.
MONETARY ASSISTANCE PROVIDED:
The bureau does not provide monetary assistance. However, low interest loans are available through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
PERMITTING RESPONSIBILITIES:
Well Permitting Program - Permit Issuance, Tracking of Well Documents, Technical Review, Licensing of Well Drillers and Pump Installers, and Enforcement
Approximately 20,000 new permits to drill wells in the state are issued and tracked each year. Property owners are responsible for insuring that wells are properly permitted, constructed, maintained, and decommissioned. Only licensed drillers and pump installers are permitted to work on wells. Once a well is constructed, the driller is required to submit a well record document, which is the as-built description of the well. Well drillers also submit a well abandonment report whenever a well has been decommissioned. The Well Permitting Program staff ensures the well data from submitted well permits, records and abandonment reports is accurate and properly tracked.
The section also performs well searches for water supply assessment and remediation activities. Municipalities may request a well search by completing and submitting the well search form to the Bureau of Water System and Well Permitting by fax at (609) 633-1231 or mail to NJDEP/ Bureau of Water System and Well Permitting, P.O. Box 426, Trenton NJ 08625-0426. There may be a fee for this service.
Currently, there are approximately 800 licensed well drillers and 400 licensed pump installers in the state. Only properly licensed individuals are permitted to install, service and decommission wells and pumps. The staff of the Well Permitting Program provides technical assistance to state government officials, local health departments, homeowners, consultants, drillers and pump installers. In addition, the staff reviews the submitted well documents for compliance and completeness, conducts follow up field investigations, initiates enforcement actions and evaluate requests from drillers to deviate from construction and decommissioning requirements. The Well Permitting Program may order a property owner to decommission a well if the well is no longer used or the condition of the well threatens the integrity of the groundwater source.
SDW Construction Permitting – Permit applications are reviewed to determine compliance with applicable requirement pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:10-11. The review focuses on the sanitary features of the design, reliability, and compliance with capacity requirements. This includes water main extensions, replacement, or connections, storage and pumping stations facilities evaluation and review of proposals for new water systems. Furthermore, the process includes the review of new or modification to existing sources of water supply including construction standards of wells or surface water intakes, and the review of new or modification to existing water treatment facilities evaluations.
PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE:
The Division of Water Supply website offers a variety of useful information related to the Well and SDW Construction permitting programs including:
Laws and Regulations:
New Jersey Well Construction, Maintenance, and Sealing of Abandoned Wells
Subsurface and Percolating Waters Act
New Jersey Safe Drinking Water Act Rules
New Jersey Safe Drinking Water Act
Guidance Document Related to Licensing:
Master Well Driller
Journeyman/Journeyman B Well Driller
Monitoring Well Driller
Soil Borer
Dewatering Well Driller
Pump Installer
Apprentice Log Form
Guidance Documents and Forms Related to Well Searches:
Individual Well Search Questionnaire PDF
Individual Well Search Procedure Word
Radius Well Search Procedure
Radius Well Search Form
Guidance Documents and Forms Related to Well Construction/Decommissioning:
Well Permit Cancellation Form
Blanket 2” Well Decommissioning Approval Form
Blanket 2” Well Decommissioning Cover Letter
Well Construction Deviation Form
Capacity Development:
Technical, Managerial, & Financial Capacity of New Public Community Water Systems BSDW-PA 18
Technical, Managerial, & Financial Capacity of New Public Non-Community Water Systems BSDW-PA 19
Technical Manuals:
Firm Capacity and Water Allocation Analysis
Safe Drinking Water Works Facilities Approval Technical Manual
Precautionary Measures for Water Systems Before, During, and After a Major Hurricane
Forms and Checklists:
Standard Application Form to Construct/Modify/Operate Public Water Works Facilities
Checklist for Administrative Completeness
Checklists specific to facility proposed are also available.
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