Wells Regulation - Siting A New Well

April 2011
Technical Bulletin
Wells Regulation – Siting a New Well
This technical bulletin is one in a series of 11 on well issues created for a person who is
considering a new water supply well or who currently owns a water supply well. The
purpose of this technical bulletin is to summarize the information on siting a well found
in the Water Supply Wells – Requirements and Best Management Practices manual
published by the Ministry of the Environment, December 2009.
Before choosing where to site a new water supply well, it is important to consider,
several factors to protect drinking water from contaminants, including:
• Potential sources of contamination (e.g. septic systems)
• Safety (e.g. presence of overhead power lines or buried utilities)
• Current and future building location(s)
• Natural elements (e.g. ground surface, the flow of groundwater or the location of
groundwater)
Regulation 903 (Wells Regulation), as amended, made under the Ontario Water
Resources Act requires a person constructing a well to locate a new water supply well
that:
• meets minimum separation distances from sources of contaminants as described
in the tables on page 4 of this technical bulletin,
• is accessible for cleaning, treatment, repair, testing, inspection and visual
examination at all times before, during and after completion of construction of the
well, and
• is at a higher elevation than the immediately surrounding area.
The minimum siting requirements are part of a multi-barrier approach to help reduce the
risk of contaminants migrating into a new water supply well and allow a well to be
accessible for maintenance, repair or abandonment.
Source of Contaminant
As guidance, “contaminant” and “source of contaminant” from the Environmental
Protection Act are defined as follows:
• “Contaminant” means any solid, liquid, gas, odour, heat, sound, vibration,
radiation or any combination of the above resulting directly or indirectly from
human activities that causes or may cause an adverse effect.
• “Source of contaminant” means anything that discharges into the natural
environment any contaminant.
Assessing and determining a potential “source of contaminant” is dealt with on a case by
case basis.
A source of contaminants list includes, but is not limited to, the following:
• Any sewage system
• A farm animal feed lot
• An animal manure pile
• A barn and barnyard for domesticated animals
• A lagoon
• An underground or above ground storage tank designed for petroleum products or
other organic chemicals
• An open or closed hazardous or non hazardous landfill or dump
• A sewer line
• A fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide or other chemical storage area
• A liquid or solid waste transfer facility
• A sewage sludge or biosolids waste spreading or irrigation site
Best Management Practice Considerations When Siting a New Well

Where possible, a water supply well should be located upgradient of potential sources of
contamination such as a septic system. In some situations, the well owner and the person
constructing the well should consider exceeding the minimum setback distance specified
in the Wells Regulation for additional protection. For example, the separation distance
should be increased:
• Any time the natural features of the site indicate that contamination could travel
easily and quickly to the water source.
• If the well is going to be:
o situated in a shallow aquifer,
o set in highly fractured bedrock with overlying thin soil, or
o located downgradient from a potential source of contamination.
The Wells Regulation specifies minimum separation distances from sources of
contaminants but does not have a stated separation distance from a property line. Where
practical, new wells should be located to at least a minimum setback distance applied
from the well to all property lines because it is unlikely a well owner can control what
2
happens on adjacent properties. The appropriate setback distance will be dependant on
the type of well (e.g. deep drilled or shallow dug) and geologic conditions encountered.
Where complex geology exists that may increase the risk of contamination or
contamination is likely to be encountered, it is recommended that a Professional Engineer
or Professional Geoscientist be retained to site the well.
Further information on siting a new water supply well can be found in Chapter 4: Siting
the Well of the Water Supply Wells – Requirements and Best Management Practices
manual.
Test Holes and Dewatering Wells

New test holes and dewatering wells, as defined by the Wells Regulation, are exempt
from the siting requirements in the Wells Regulation. These wells are not used for
human consumption and many are designed to test, monitor or collect contaminated
groundwater near a source of contamination. For further information on the construction
requirements for test holes and dewatering wells see the Wells Regulation.
Additional Information Sources

This technical bulletin on well issues is one in a series of 11 created for owners of water
supply wells which are available on the Ministry’s website:
http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/subject/wells/STDPROD_075978.html
A copy of the Water Supply Wells – Requirements and Best Management Practices
manual can be obtained from the Ministry’s web site at
http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/resources/STD01_078655.html
A copy of the Ontario Water Resources Act, Regulation 903 as amended made under the
Ontario Water Resources Act (Wells Regulation) and other legislation and regulations
can be obtained from the e-Laws web site at www.e-laws.gov.on.ca.
The publications are also available by calling the Publications Information Centre at
1-800-565-4923 or (416) 325-4000.
For further information about wells, contact the Wells Help Desk at 1-888-396-9355
(Well) or the nearest Ministry of the Environment office listed in the blue pages of the
telephone directory.
Notice: This bulletin is being provided for information purposes only

and is not intended, nor should it be construed as providing legal
advice in any circumstances. The applicable legislation including the
Ontario Water Resources Act and Regulation 903, as amended and
made under that Act, should be consulted. Legislation and
regulations change from time to time so it is essential that the most
current versions be used.
3
Table 1: Minimum Horizontal Separation Distances between New Wells and
Existing Sewage Systems*
Well with watertight casing to

a depth of ≥ 6m (19.7’) Any other well1
Earth pit privy 15m (50’) 30m (100’)

Privy vault, pail privy 10m (33’) 15m (50’)
Greywater system 10m (33’) 15m (50’)
Cesspool 30m (100’) 60m (200’)
Treatment units (such as a septic
15m (50’) 15m (50’)
tank)
Distribution pipe in a leaching or
15m (50’) 30m (100’)
filter bed
Holding tank 15m (50’) 15m (50’)
1
includes a spring used as a source of water for human consumption
* Information provided from Building Code (Regulation 350/06 as amended) is current as
of August, 2010
These separation distances apply to any future earth pit privy, privy vault, pail privy,
greywater system or cesspool, and a treatment unit, a distribution pipe in a leaching or
filter bed, septic tank or holding tanks that has not been constructed but for which a
building permit has been issued.
Table 2: Minimum Horizontal Separation Distances between New Wells and

Sources of Contaminants Other Than Those Mentioned in Table 1
Drilled well with casing that

extends to a depth of more Any other well1
than 6 m (19.7’)
source of contaminants 15 m (50’) 30 m (100’)
1
Any other well includes a new drilled well that does not have casing that extends to a
depth of more than 6 m (19.7’) below ground level, a new well that is not a drilled well
and includes a spring used as a source of water for human consumption
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April 2011

Best Management Practice Considerations When Siting a New Well

Test Holes and Dewatering Wells

Additional Information Sources

Notice: This bulletin is being provided for information purposes only

Well with watertight casing to

Earth pit privy 15m (50’) 30m (100’)

Table 2: Minimum Horizontal Separation Distances between New Wells and

Drilled well with casing that

PIBS 7939e Disponible en Français

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