FAQs
Providing information on water wells and their construction.
- What is hydrofracturing?
- What is the state requirement for water quality testing?
- Why do I have bacteria in my well?
- How do I disinfect my well?
- I’m having a well drilled, how deep are the wells in my area? How much water do they supply?
- What is the state required setback distance from my well to my septic system or my property boundary?
- How do I find a licensed water well contractor or pump installer?
- What is a pounded well?
- What is an artesian well?
- What is the state requirement for domestic well yield?
- What is hydrofracturing?
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Hydrofracturing also known as hydraulic fracturing is an optional well development technique used to increase production rates of wells by injecting water under high pressure and flow rates into a well to flush out or expand fractures within the well. For more information, see “Bedrock Well Development by Hydrofracturing.”
- What is the state requirement for water quality testing?
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The State of New Hampshire has no requirement for water quality testing for private domestic drinking water supplies. NHDES has established a list of recommended water quality parameters for testing and has published the list in a flyer Suggested Water Quality Testing for Private Wells.
- Why do I have bacteria in my well?
- How do I disinfect my well?
- I’m having a well drilled, how deep are the wells in my area? How much water do they supply?
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The Water Well Board and NHDES maintains records of all new wells constructed in New Hampshire since 1984. This information is available online: Well Completion Report Query Application.
- What is the state required setback distance from my well to my septic system or my property boundary?
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State regulations require a 75-foot protective radius for wells servicing homes with up to 5 bedrooms. The 75-foot setback applies to property boundaries and to the septic system, including the tank and leachfield. For more information, see “Drinking Water Well Locations Relative to Septic Systems”
- How do I find a licensed water well contractor or pump installer?
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The NHDES One Stop Program has provided a query application for consumers to search for licensed well and pump contractors by company name, geographic area, or license type.
- What is a pounded well?
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A pounded well is a common name for a well drilled by a Cable Tool Drill Machine. The cable tool method of drilling employs the principal of free falling weight to deliver rhythmic blows against the bottom of a drill hole. Cable Tool drilling is considerably slower than rotary drilling.
- What is an artesian well?
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An artesian well means a well deriving its water from a confined aquifer in which the water level stands above the ground surface; synonymous with a flowing artesian well. Note: Wells constructed in bedrock are commonly called artesian wells, however, only about 2% of bedrock wells are true artesian wells.
- What is the state requirement for domestic well yield?
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The State of New Hampshire has no mandated minimum flow rate for private domestic wells. The Water Well Board has published a recommended minimum volume, for in door domestic use, of 600 gallons of water deliverable to the home by the water system within a 2-hour period at least once per day. For more information, see “Recommended Minimum Water Supply Capacity for Private Wells.”