Groundwater Wells & Permitting

A shared well may serve up to 14 service connections, or up to 24 residents in an area. Wells that serve 15 or more service connections, or which serve 25 or more residents, on a year-round basis constitute a community water system.

Well sharing agreements are private contracts executed by private parties to govern the manner in which a well provides water to multiple properties. While Arizona water law governs how a well is to be drilled and located, it does not govern the operation or management of a well sharing agreement.

Disputes regarding the terms of, or compliance with, a well sharing agreement are a purely civil matter between the parties to the agreement. Neither ADWR, or any other state agency, has authority to enforce or regulate well sharing agreements, nor may any state agency adjudicate disputes over well sharing agreements or provide legal advice to any party to a well sharing agreement.

A license issued to a person which allows the drilling or modification of a single exempt well on land owned by that person.(R12-15-801)

These are well construction or well abandonment requirements or standards that exceed the minimum well construction requirements provided under A.A.C. R12-15-811 and A.A.C. R12-15-816. Special well construction or abandonment requirements are required: 1) where special aquifer conditions, such as those described in A.A.C. R12-15-812, exist; 2) when it is determined that the literal application of the minimum well construction standards would not adequately protect the aquifer or other water users (A.A.C. R12-15-821); and 3) in areas of known or anticipated groundwater contamination to prevent the risk of vertical cross-contamination. A.R.S. § 45-605(E) and A.A.C. R12-15-850.

A specialty well is usually designed and constructed for a specific purpose other than to withdraw water, or to provide samples or monitoring data. Examples of specialty wells include cathodic protection wells, grounding wells, heat pump wells, etc.

The watering of livestock, range livestock or poultry, as such terms are defined in section 3-1201.(R12-15-801)

A well used for stock watering purposes. Stock watering means the watering of livestock, range livestock, or poultry, as such terms are defined in section 3-1201. A.R.S. § 45-454(M3).

An AMA area established after June 12, 1980. (R12-15-801)

The settling or lowering of the surface of land which results from the withdrawal of groundwater. A.R.S. § 45-402(36). Read more about land subsidence here.

This is a written expression which informs the general public of an agency’s current approach to, or opinion of, the requirements of the federal or state constitution, federal or state statute, administrative rule or regulation, or final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, including, where appropriate, the agency’s current practice, procedure or method of action based on that approach or opinion. A substantive policy statement is advisory only. A substantive policy statement does not include internal procedural documents which only affect the internal procedures of the agency and does not impose additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties, confidential information or rules made in accordance with this chapter. A.R.S. § 41-1001(20).

ADWR well construction standards require a surface seal consisting of a minimum of 20 feet of steel casing with a 1-foot stickup. Cement grout must be used to fill the annular space between the surface casing and the borehole. There must be a minimum of 3-inch difference between the borehole diameter and the casing diameter. A.A.C. R12-15-811(B).