Water Well Program

Water Well Drillers

Note: These lists do not signify a recommendation or endorsement of any individual by this Division. Consumers are advised that current license/insurance information can be checked with the State of California Contractors License Board at 1-800-321-CSLB or on-line at www.cslb.ca.gov 

Policy: all monitoring well/soil boring installations shall conform with existing California well standards code for construction, construction materials and department policy.

Additional requirements:

• Prior to drilling, a line locating service shall be used to identify any potential drilling obstructions.
• All exploratory borings must be properly sealed using techniques outlined in the California Well Standards.
• All equipment, drill cuttings, and well development water shall be temporarily contained in DOT approved drums on site until lab analysis is complete. Drums shall be properly labeled and dated. Temporary storage time shall not exceed 90 days.
• Monitoring wells must be completed at least 12" above grade with a monument type protecting cover. Flush type vaults shall be used in traffic areas only.
• Each monitoring well must be locked and numbered.
• All equipment used in drilling and sampling activities must be properly cleaned before and between each use. Chemicals, glues and solvents shall not be used in the construction of monitoring wells/soil borings.
• If site not ready for a scheduled inspection appointment, then an additional fee (calculated per hour) may be charged.
• An annual permit fee may be charged, and annual inspection performed to confirm status of the monitoring well.
• Other requirements may apply at the discretion of this department.
• Contact this agency for a final to schedule a final inspection with a minimum of 48 hours advance notification.

Form:

• Well Permit Application(PDF, 444KB) to install or abandon monitoring wells, perform on or off-site remediation, conduct a site investigation or advance soil borings.

CHAPTER 8.39 - WELL CONSTRUCTION AND WATER SUPPLY STANDARDS

Before disinfection, read through all instructions and call this office at 530-621-5300 if you have any questions.

Examine well head for missing bolts, open holes, casing cracks, etc. Take all steps necessary to completely seal off possible contamination entrance points. A screened, sanitary well vent is recommended. If a rope hole exists, tie off the pump rope under the sanitary well cap on an inverted eye bolt. Check surrounding area to make sure drainage is sloped away from the well.


Add chlorine (household liquid bleach) to the well at an opening (normally covered) dedicated for this purpose. The chlorine is added between the casing and the center pump drop pipe. If no accessible opening exists, contact a professional pump contractor/well driller for retrofit.

Amount of chlorine to use = 1 quart bleach to every 100 gallons of water:
(Depth of well - static level) x 1.5 gallons per foot = gallons of water in the well

Wait for 30 minutes, then surge the well (to mix) by opening and closing nearest faucet/hose bib. Repeat the surging 3-5 times, pausing between surges to minimize stress on the pump.

Starting with the closest faucet/hose bib to the well, one at a time, open every tap in the water piping system until the chlorine odor is detected, then shut off tap and open the next. Continue throughout the system (both inside and outside faucet/hose bibs) until all piping/plumbing has been in contact with the chlorine, including flushing toilets, running showers, etc.

Let stand overnight or at least 12-24 hours.

After the recommended holding period, the chlorine can be flushed out of the system by opening taps until the odor is not detectable. To minimize impact on a septic system from the additional water, flushing should be done first at an outside hose bib, directing the flushed water away from the septic area. When the chlorine odor appears almost gone, then flush the inside plumbing to rid the entire system of chlorine.

 Resampling for coliform bacteria should be done after the chlorine is completely absent from the water supply to verify that the water is bacteriologically safe to drink.

 NOTE: It is possible that creeks and rivers flowing from the fire-affected areas may have elevated levels of heavy metals, including Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Cadmium, Selenium, Lead as well as Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH’s). Property owners who have private wells and live near creeks or rivers should consider testing for the presence of these heavy metals and PAH’s in their well water. Residents in these areas should drink bottled water until well water is tested and confirmed free of contamination. 

Notes:

•  For flooded wells, flush water at the wellhead until it appears clear before chlorinating.  
•  For stubborn contamination problems, the well may need to be chlorinated by inserting a sprayer which recirculates the chlorinated water by spraying from the top down for a pre-determined period of time.  
•  If a storage tank is connected to the system, add chlorine to the tank after chlorinating the well, and before moving the chlorine through the system. (One gallon bleach per 1000 gallons storage capacity).  
•  It is recommended that a well be chlorinated annually, and after repairs are done to the well or the plumbing system.  

by the State of California Department of Health Services

Please contact the labs directly to inquire about sample procedures, containers, pricing, and possible courier service. You may contact the  California Department of Public Health for a complete list of certified laboratories.

A Guide for the Private Well Owner(PDF, 3MB)

Typical Water Demands for Rural Residential Parcels(PDF, 18KB) (and for other uses)

Hard water:

While water is in the ground, it picks up soluble bits of whatever it passes through. While this can mean contamination that makes the water unfit to drink, in many cases it simply means that the water contains minerals found in the earth, making the water "hard". Hard water poses no health hazard. Hard water usually has a lot of calcium or magnesium dissolved in it, and can cause two problems:

• Scale:  It can cause "scale" to form on the inside of pipes, water heaters, tea kettles and so on. The calcium and magnesium precipitate out of the water and stick to things. The scale doesn't conduct heat well and it also reduces the flow through pipes. Eventually, pipes can become completely clogged, and the efficiency and life of a water heaters can be reduced.  
• Soap scum:  It reacts with soap to form a sticky scum, and also reduces the soap's ability to lather. Since most of us like to wash with soap, hard water makes a bath or shower less productive.

The most common solution to hard water is to use a water softener.
How it works: The most common type of water softener is an ionic exchange water softener. This type uses salt (sodium chloride) to remove the hardness from water. The calcium and magnesium ions in the water are replaced with sodium ions. Since sodium does not precipitate out in pipes or react badly with soap, both of the problems of hard water are eliminated. To do the ion replacement, the water in the house runs through a bed of small plastic beads. The beads are covered with sodium ions. As the water flows past the sodium ions, they swap places with the calcium and magnesium ions. The water with the sodium ions then travels on to the house. 

Eventually, the beads contain nothing but calcium and magnesium and no sodium, and at this point they stop softening the water. It is then time to regenerate the beads. Regeneration involves soaking the beads in a salty "brine" solution. You add salt to a water softener, and salt is sodium chloride. The water softener mixes up a very strong brine solution and flushes it through the beads. The strong brine displaces all of the calcium and magnesium that has built up in the beads and replaces it again with sodium. The remaining brine plus all of the calcium and magnesium is flushed out through a drainpipe. 

Health Concerns:

Hard water poses no health hazard. On the other hand, the sodium that remains in softened water may be a problem for those on sodium-restricted diets. Other people simply may wish to avoid the slightly salty taste of treated water. In either case you can install a separate water dispenser that bypasses the softener. You also can use potassium chloride instead of salt, although this costs about three to four times more.

Additional Information:

Certification of Residential Water Treatment Devices
When a manufacturer claims that a drinking water treatment device will reduce contaminants, such as lead, Cryptosporidium (protozoan cysts), pesticides, herbicides, solvents, heavy metals, bacteria and viruses, or makes other health related performance claims, the device must be certified by the DHS, pursuant to Health & Safety Code Section 116830. DHS does not regulate devices that make aesthetic claims. Aesthetic claims include improvement in taste, odor and appearance. Also, DHS does not regulate backpacking or camping filters, sports bottles, shower filters or water softeners.

How It Works:

Reverse osmosis is used to remove salts and other impurities from water in order to improve the color, taste or properties. A reverse osmosis unit substantially reduces most suspended and dissolved matter from water. RO systems are NOT appropriate for treating water supplies that are contaminated by coliform bacteria

Reverse osmosis uses a membrane that is semi-permeable, allowing water to pass through it, while rejecting the contaminants that remain. The process requires a driving force or pressure to push the water through the membrane. Contaminants are removed by forcing this water through a membrane having microscopic holes that allow water molecules, but not larger compounds, to pass through.

Reverse osmosis units remove many inorganic contaminants from household drinking water supplies. The removal effectiveness depends on the contaminant and its concentration, the membrane selected, the water pressure and proper installation. Membranes are made of a variety of materials that differ in effectiveness for different chemicals. Be sure to study water test data and identify the chemicals to be removed.

Limitations and Maintenance:

A Typical Home RO System Includes: 

1. particle filter
2. reverse osmosis membrane unit
3. pressurized treated-water storage container.
4. carbon adsorption post-filter
5. separate treated-water tap.

Although reverse osmosis removes many organic chemicals, it does not remove all. And it does not remove 100% of most chemicals. 

RO systems are not appropriate for treating water supplies that are contaminated by coliform bacteria.

These units waste large amounts of water. Household RO units typically deliver small amounts (2 to 10 gallons per day) of treated water and waste 3 to 20 times the amount of water treated. Wastewater is typically connected to the house drains and will add to the load on the household septic system.

The membrane can develop problems from precipitate buildup and scaling. A softener must be installed ahead of the reverse osmosis unit if hard water is used. Otherwise, the minerals will quickly plug the membrane filter.

Frequently, mechanical and/or activated carbon filters are installed before the reverse osmosis unit to remove turbidity and improve taste and odor. This can result in improved overall water quality and extend the life of the reverse osmosis membrane.

The reverse osmosis membrane will need periodic replacement according to the manufacturer's recommended schedule. Occasional cleaning and flushing of the whole reverse osmosis unit may be required.

Additional Information:

Certification of Residential Water Treatment Devices

When a manufacturer claims that a drinking water treatment device will reduce contaminants [such as lead, Cryptosporidium (protozoan cysts), pesticides, herbicides, solvents, heavy metals, bacteria and viruses] or makes other health related performance claims, the device must be certified by the DHS, pursuant to Health & Safety Code Section 116830.

DHS does not regulate devices that make aesthetic claims. Aesthetic claims include improvement in taste, odor and appearance.

Also, DHS does not regulate backpacking or camping filters, sports bottles, shower filters or water softeners.