Well abandonment is the process of filling and plugging a well so it can no longer be used and cannot allow contaminants to move into the aquifer or nearby wells.

The work may also apply to drill holes, exploratory boreholes, and wells that are damaged, forgotten, dry, or no longer needed.

Yes. Legal abandonment generally requires the proper permit and must be completed according to state and local water management requirements. The permit helps ensure the correct materials, method, and documentation are used.

A well should be evaluated when it is unused, nonfunctional, damaged, improperly sealed, creating a safety concern, or discovered during a property sale, construction project, or inspection.

Depth, diameter, casing, location, groundwater conditions, and the original well construction all affect the plugging plan. Those details determine the materials and steps needed to abandon the well legally.