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Well Abandonment
Date: July 2002
Dear Well Owner,
As an Oakland County resident who will be/has connected to municipal
water supplies, you are advised that unused (abandoned) wells are a
significant threat to Michigan's groundwater resources. If your well
is unused and is not properly plugged with an impermeable material, your
abandoned well can become a direct pathway from the surface to the
groundwater for contaminants to follow. As a result, nearby community
wells and residential wells may become contaminated.
Plugging unused wells eliminates physical hazards and prevents loss of
pressure from artesian aquifers as well as reduces the property owner's
liability for groundwater contamination. For these reasons, the State
of Michigan Groundwater Quality Control Rules mandate that when water wells
are taken out of service and abandoned, the well owner is responsible for
assuring that the abandoned well is properly plugged. According to
Article X of the Oakland County Sanitary Code, an Abandonment Well Plugging
Record must be submitted to the Oakland County Health Division by the person
performing the plugging operation. It is recommended that a licensed
water well drilling contractor plug the well as they have the professional
knowledge and equipment needed to properly complete the task. For more
information please refer to the brochure on well abandonment.
For your convenience we have included the following items to help you get
started.
- An informational brochure pertaining to the risks of improper
abandonment as well as the requirement of properly plugging an abandoned
well.
- A well abandonment permit, which must be filled out and returned to
the Oakland County Health Division, Environmental Health Services,
before plugging takes place. There is no fee for this permit.
- A list of certified well drillers from the area for you to contact
in regards to having your abandoned well plugged.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to
contact me at your earliest convenience. My business card has been
included in this packet for your future reference.
Very truly yours,
Oakland County Health Division
Department of Human Services
Independence Township Signature
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