CWD Regulatory Compliance & Legal Framework 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which federal agency has primary authority over underground injection control (UIC) programs?
- OSHA
- EPA (Correct answer)
- FEMA
- USGS
Correct answer: EPA
The EPA administers the Underground Injection Control program under the Safe Drinking Water Act to protect underground sources of drinking water.
Question 2: A well driller discovers an abandoned, improperly sealed well on a client's property during a new well installation. What is the legally required course of action in most states?
- Ignore it if it is not within 50 feet of the new well
- Report it to the state agency and properly plug or abandon it per state code (Correct answer)
- Cover it with concrete and continue drilling
- Transfer liability to the property owner in writing
Correct answer: Report it to the state agency and properly plug or abandon it per state code
Most state regulations require that abandoned wells be reported to the appropriate state agency and properly plugged or abandoned according to state code to prevent contamination.
Question 3: Which document must a licensed well driller submit to the state after completing a well installation in most jurisdictions?
- Invoice for services rendered
- Well completion report (well log) (Correct answer)
- Environmental impact statement
- Geologic survey certification
Correct answer: Well completion report (well log)
A well completion report or well log documenting construction details, geology, and water quality data must be submitted to the state in most jurisdictions.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a wellhead protection program under the SDWA?
- To regulate pump installation procedures
- To protect the surface and subsurface areas surrounding a public water supply well from contamination (Correct answer)
- To establish minimum flow rates for residential wells
- To license well drilling contractors
Correct answer: To protect the surface and subsurface areas surrounding a public water supply well from contamination
Wellhead protection programs designate and protect recharge zones around public water supply wells to prevent contamination of the source water.
Question 5: A well driller's license is typically issued by which governmental body?
- Federal EPA regional office
- State licensing board or state environmental/water agency (Correct answer)
- County health department exclusively
- National Ground Water Association
Correct answer: State licensing board or state environmental/water agency
Well driller licensing is primarily administered at the state level through state environmental, natural resources, or water resource agencies.
Question 6: Which of the following constitutes a violation of typical well setback regulations?
- Installing a well 200 feet from a septic tank
- Drilling a water well 30 feet from a fuel storage tank (Correct answer)
- Locating a well uphill from a potential contamination source
- Placing a well 100 feet from a property line
Correct answer: Drilling a water well 30 feet from a fuel storage tank
Most state codes require a minimum setback of 100 feet or more between a water well and fuel storage tanks to prevent petroleum contamination.
Question 7: When a well driller operates across state lines, which regulatory standards apply to the drilling work?
- Only federal EPA standards apply in all cases
- The standards of the state where the work is physically performed (Correct answer)
- The standards of the state where the contractor is licensed
- The more lenient of the two states' standards
Correct answer: The standards of the state where the work is physically performed
Well construction standards of the state where the physical work is performed govern the drilling operation, regardless of where the contractor holds a primary license.
CWD Regulatory Compliance & Legal Framework 2
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which federal agency has primary authority over underground injection control (UIC) programs?