Who Regulates Water Wells?
Federal law does not directly regulate the construction of water wells. However, because there is potential for groundwater pollution and other environmental damage through well structures, some of the broad federal environmental protection statutes might come into play. For example, seepage of hazardous waste from a polluted well that contaminated one of Florida’s many aquifers would come under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act’s (CERCLA) cleanup provisions (see FE584, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,and Liability Act). At the state level, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), through Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, Section 373.308, has delegated most of its statutory authority to regulate water wells to the individual Florida water management districts (FWMDs), and therefore the appropriate FWMD should always be contacted before taking any action involving water wells. The statutes and rules are designed t
