What Threat Do Illegal Water Wells Pose?
Illegal water wells are in all 93 Nebraska counties. They penetrate all principal aquifers and vary considerably in construction and depth. They represent a serious threat to human health and safety and to the overall quality of the state’s groundwater resources. Illegal and improperly constructed water wells provide a direct conduit from the land surface to the water-bearing zones. These water wells can allow surface runoff to flow directly down to the water-bearing zones, often carrying organic wastes, microbiological contaminants, fertilizers, and other chemical residues such as pesticides and petroleum products into the groundwater. Small mammals and reptiles can fall into the water wells, further adding to the bacteriological contamination problem. Once groundwater is contaminated, it is difficult, if not impossible, to clean up, and the process is always expensive. In addition, open water wells are especially hazardous to small children and present a risk to human life that can b
