CWD Professional Standards & Ethics 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the NGWA Code of Ethics, a Certified Well Driller must represent their qualifications:
- As broadly as possible to attract more clients
- Accurately and honestly, without overstating expertise (Correct answer)
- Based on their employer's reputation rather than personal credentials
- Only when required by government contracts
Correct answer: Accurately and honestly, without overstating expertise
The NGWA Code of Ethics requires members to honestly represent their qualifications and not misrepresent their competence to clients.
Question 2: A well driller receives a complaint from a homeowner about water quality after drilling is complete. The professional response is to:
- Refer the homeowner to the water supplier and take no further action
- Review the well log, investigate possible causes, and respond in writing (Correct answer)
- Deny responsibility since post-construction issues are the owner's problem
- Offer a discount on future services to avoid a dispute
Correct answer: Review the well log, investigate possible causes, and respond in writing
Professionally investigating complaints, reviewing documentation, and responding in writing demonstrates accountability and protects all parties.
Question 3: Which behavior would constitute an ethics violation for a Certified Well Driller?
- Recommending a competitor when outside your service area
- Accurately logging all encountered formations
- Claiming certification in a specialty you have not earned (Correct answer)
- Charging market-rate prices for services
Correct answer: Claiming certification in a specialty you have not earned
Falsely claiming certifications or specialties not earned is a serious ethics violation that can result in disciplinary action and license revocation.
Question 4: When a well driller encounters unexpected contamination during drilling (e.g., petroleum odors), the first action should be to:
- Complete the well and add extra casing
- Stop drilling, secure the site, and notify the appropriate regulatory authority (Correct answer)
- Inform only the client and let them decide
- Dilute the contamination zone with bentonite
Correct answer: Stop drilling, secure the site, and notify the appropriate regulatory authority
Stopping work and notifying regulators immediately when contamination is encountered is both a legal requirement and an ethical obligation in most jurisdictions.
Question 5: The primary purpose of well driller licensing requirements in the United States is to:
- Generate revenue for state governments
- Protect public health, safety, and groundwater resources (Correct answer)
- Limit competition in the well drilling industry
- Standardize equipment specifications nationally
Correct answer: Protect public health, safety, and groundwater resources
State licensing of well drillers is fundamentally designed to protect public health and groundwater quality through minimum competency standards.
Question 6: A driller is offered payment by a supplier to recommend that supplier's products exclusively to clients. Accepting this arrangement without disclosure would be:
- A standard referral fee arrangement acceptable in the industry
- A kickback that violates professional ethics and potentially the law (Correct answer)
- Permissible if the products are high quality
- Required disclosure only for government projects
Correct answer: A kickback that violates professional ethics and potentially the law
Undisclosed kickbacks or referral fees compromise the driller's objectivity and violate professional ethics codes, and may constitute illegal commercial bribery.
Question 7: If a Certified Well Driller observes another driller violating groundwater protection standards on a nearby job site, the ethical course of action is to:
- Mind your own business — it is not your project
- Report the violation to the appropriate state regulatory agency (Correct answer)
- Confront the other driller publicly on social media
- Alert the media immediately before contacting regulators
Correct answer: Report the violation to the appropriate state regulatory agency
Reporting observed violations to the appropriate regulatory agency is the ethical responsibility of all certified professionals to protect public resources.
CWD Professional Standards & Ethics 3
Under the NGWA Code of Ethics, a Certified Well Driller must represent their qualifications: