Today, Anaheim pumps water from the vast aquifers that underlie most of our community and a large portion of northern Orange County. Like any urban area, Orange county’s groundwater is considered vulnerable to contamination from businesses such as gasoline stations, dry cleaners and various industrial activities. Very few of Anaheim’s wells contain any contaminants. One reason is that Anaheim requires a permit prior to the drilling of wells and certain borings and Anaheim monitors the drilling and boring process. Obtaining a Well Permit is very simple procedure and the fees are set based on our actual costs for inspection and administration of the permit program.

Another important reason for requiring a permit is to make sure that the well owner acknowledges responsibility for the ultimate destruction of the well, that is to say, the closure and sealing of the well according to California Well Standards. Therefore, the well owner, or the owner’s representative, must sign the Well Permit form.

Well Permits
Well permits are required for all wells, which are defined as any vertically drilled excavations that have a casing installed. Soil borings or push probes to a depth of 20 feet or more, or that encournter groundwater also require a well permit.

Well permit Fees:

·       $110 for the permit application

·       An additional $80 for each well installed or destroyed

·       Boring and push probe investigations are included in the $110 permit application fee

Download Well Permit Application       

Download Well Permit Application Instructions

Destruction of Water Supply Wells
A well destruction permit is required and a C-57 licensed contractor must be used. The following is a list of minimum requirements (see City’s W-630 Standard in PDF format). Additional requirements may be required depending on actual conditions.

1.       Remove all obstructions, contaminants and pumping apparatus from the well casing. Note: Contaminants are to be properly stored/disposed according to local, state and federal regulations.

2.       Measure total depth and casing diameter to determine amount of sealing material required.

3.       If required by the City inspector, perforate the well casing to ensure backfilling of annular space outside of casing.

4.       Pump an approved sealing material using a tremie pipe from the bottom of the well to eight feet from the top of the well.

5.       Excavate around casing, a minimum of five feet below existing or proposed grade, whichever is lower. Cut casing at the five foot depth. The casing is to be swaged (flared); rebar is to be installed; and a cement mushroom cap is to be installed.

6.       Fill the excavation to grade w/ compacted fill as directed by the City Inspector.

Destruction of Monitoring, Vadose and Soil Borings
All abandoned wells and soil borings shall be properly destroyed and sealed. Wells are considered abandoned if unused for a period of one year.

1.   Monitoring and vadose wells are to be destroyed using one of the following methods:

·       Overdrilling the entire well, removing the well casing, filter pack, annular seal and well box. The borehole shall then be filled with an approved sealing material or;

·       Pressure grouting with an approved sealing material that flows through the perforations. The casing may need to be perforated to ensure sealing material penetrates the filter pack and all other voids. The top five feet of the well and well box shall be overdrilled/removed and filled with an approved sealing material or a combination of sealing materials such as bentonite, capped with concrete and followed by native fill or;

·       If site is excavated, the wells may be excavated, the casing pulled and any voids filled with sealant.

2.       Soil borings are to be destroyed by filling the borehole with an approved sealing material. Approved sealing materials per California’s Department of Water Resources’ Well Standards Bulletin 74-90 and Anaheim Public Utilitis’ W-630 Standard are:

·       Bentonite

·       Bentonite grout

·       Neat cement

·       Sand cement grout

·       Concrete

WELL COMPLETION REPORT
A California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Well Completion Report must be submitted to Anaheim Public Utilities for each well constructed or destroyed. The links below provide you with access to instructions on how to complete the DWR form and a copy of the Well Completion Report in PDF format.

Well Completion Report Instructions – view or download from DWR Web site

Download Well Completion Report – in PDF format

NOTE: THIS REPORT IS TO BE SUBMITTED TO Anaheim Public Utilities. DO NOT SEND your Well Completion Report to the DWR.