Private Wells
Testing Your Water and Well Chlorination
The Eau Claire County Sanitary Code requires that all premises intended for human occupancy shall be provided with an adequate supply of water that is safe and acceptable to drink. Water samples are collected upon request and wells are evaluated at the time of the sampling. Recommendations are made by environmental health specialists to correct unsafe water supplies.
The Eau Claire City-County Health Department also administers rules governing new private water well location and existing private water systems. Examples of services provided by the department are:
- Environmental Health Specialists inspect and provide permits for new wells in the county
- Drinking water contamination problems are investigated
- Proper abandonment of wells is enforced
- Well permits are required for new wells
- For information about private well water quality visit:
- Center for Disease Control website: Private Wells
- Public drinking water systems are routinely inspected and sampled
- Advice is provided on identifying and correcting drinking water quality problems
- All unused wells must be abandoned to help protect the local groundwater quality!
- Only licensed well drillers and pump installers may legally abandon wells. You can find many of their telephone numbers in the yellow pages. You can also contact this office for a list of licensed well drillers and pump installers in the area.
- Potential Funding Opportunities
- Eau Claire County offers a cost-sharing program designed to reimburse eligible property owners 50% of the cost of abandoning any unused or non-complying well on their property. Questing regarding this program should be direct to the Eau Claire County Land Conservation Division website or (715) 839-4788.
- DNR Well Abandonment Grants
