The drilling, construction, deepening, repair, renovation, replacement, cleaning, development, abandonment, and pump installation/repair of the following well types, if greater than 30 feet deep, is regulated by the Administrative Rules for Water Wells and the applicable work must be completed by a licensed water well driller or licensed pump installer:
Who needs the well driller bond?
A certified monitoring well driller is the individual operating the drilling rig when drilling, constructing, altering or abandoning (i.e., properly or improperly closing) a monitoring well or a high-risk borehole in accordance with 47CSR59 or 47CSR60. West Virginia presently requires all monitoring well drillers that operate within the state to be certified by the state (47CSR59 MONITORING WELL RULES effective April 9, 2010). In other words, there is currently no certification reciprocity between the State of West Virginia and another state.
What is the well driller bond?
The $5,000 well driller bond protects the party requesting the surety bond, the Obligee, against any financial losses as a result of poor financial choices, damages, unethical decisions, or a failure to adhere to state and local laws on the part of you, the Principal. A monitoring well is defined as being any cased excavation or opening into the ground made by digging, boring, drilling, driving, jetting or other methods for the purpose of determining the physical, chemical, biological or radiological properties of groundwater. This would also include piezometers and observation wells which were installed for purposes other than those listed above, but does not include wells whose primary purpose is to provide a supply of potable water.
The West Virginia well driller bond is also known as: West Virginia well drill bond, West Virginia pump installer bond, and West Virginia well installer bond.
What else do I need to obtain or renew my license?
Be able to demonstrate a minimum of two (2) years of monitoring well drilling experience under the supervision of a certified monitoring well driller or have 6 months of monitoring well drilling experience that includes properly installing at least 15 monitoring wells and properly abandoning at least 10 monitoring wells under the supervision of a West Virginia certified monitoring well driller.
Pass a written examination with a grade of 70% or better to assure the WV Department of Environmental Protection Secretary that the applicant is thoroughly familiar with all requirements of applicable laws, regulations, and design standards pertaining to monitoring well drilling and construction and borehole abandonment. Examinations are administered by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Source Water Program in Charleston, WV, quarterly following a training course for review and both are free of charge. To register, submit Form EW-122 (April 2012). You may contact Source Water Program staff Sheila Jarrett at (304) 356-4263 Sheila.E.Jarrett@wv.gov or Richard Shaver at (304) 356-4296 Richard.K.Shaver@wv.gov for more information.
Apply for certification from the WV Department of Environmental Protection at (304) 926-0440. Additional contact information upon request.
I have everything I need. What now?
West Virginia well drillers will submit the original signed bond form to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health at the following address:
WV Bureau for Public Health
Office of Environmental Health Services
Environmental Engineering Division
350 Capitol Street, Room 313
Charleston, WV 25301
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health can be reached by phone at (304) 356-4337.
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Call us now at (800) 451-4854 for a free quote and we will contact you within 24 hours. We can assist you over the phone to ensure you receive your bond quickly and easily!
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