Questions & answers about well clearance or separation distances to other site features:

What are the Distances Between Drinking Water Wells and Septic Systems, Treated Soils, Farm Buildings, & Other Site Features?

This article series gives tables of the required distances between wells and other site features which could affect drinking water quality - potential sources of well contamination.

FAQs on Required Well Clearance Distances to Site Features, Septics, Property Lines, Contaminant Sources

These questions & answers about drinking water well separation distances or clearances from various site features,were posted originally at WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCES - be sure to see that article.

On 2018-03-06 by (mod) - How close to a well should a farmer be permitted to farm

Mark

Thanks for the interesting question.

I'm confident we won 't find a generic answer to your question as there are too many un-stated variables like what is being farmed, what fertilizers or pesticides are being applied, what heavy equipment is being driven close to the well, risking damage to the well, how the well was constructed - dug well, drilled well with modern sealed steel casing, driven point well, soil properties, etc.

Generally the farmer needs to keep far sufficient distance that equipment driven near the well doesn't damage it.

There are some very specific agricultural clearance distances to wells given in the first well separation distance table at WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCES.

Well siting considerations include a "safe" distance from the following (this is not the complete list, see the article I just cited).

(safe will be defined by applicable codes and standards such as those given in the article above on this page)

- abandoned wells of any type

- buildings

- equipment cleaning areas

- livestock and runoff from manure or livestock processing or stabling

- power lines

- roads and right of way passages

- silos, silage pits

- septic systems, tanks, drainfields

- fuel tanks, both above ground and underground

- cultivated fields (as we're discussing above)

- areas where there is storage of fuels, fertilizers, pesticides, other chemicals

- waste dumps

On 2018-03-06 by Mark P.

How close should a farmer be aloud to farm from a well .

On 2018-03-05 by John F.

What is a safe distance for an artesian well to be to a one horse enclosure 40 feet by 80 feet and slightly downhill to the well?

On 2018-02-20 by (mod) -

Ruth

Take a look at DRYWELL / SEEPAGE PIT CONSTRUCTION DETAILS - https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Seepage_Pit_Construction.php

(found by searching InspectApedia.com for "drywell construction" )

and let me know what questions remain.

On 2018-02-20 by Ruth

Hi, I now live on the south shore of LI. I inherited my mothers house and along with it all the "Jack&$$-of-all-Trades-Handyman-Specials" done during the time my mother was alive. I noticed the beginning of a sink-hole near the front-left corner of the house

The drain-off pipe runs down into the ground, and I don't remember my mom doing any excavation, so I started poking around. Come to find out, my mom got the handy-man special of the year!

The "dry well" is an old square plastic garbage can that had been used by years by my parents. The can was dragged across the asphalt driveway (no wheels) twice a week for well over 15 years, thus weakening the corners to the point where the can had holes in the bottom.

My late father kept the receptacle for collecting leaves, because he said the water would drain from the bottom until the refuse was picked up. (Long before plastic or paper bags were used) The plastic receptacle was placed upside down, apparently there is no gravel around the can. (I also highly doubt that there were any holes purposefully made on the side).

To top it off, the whole apparatus sits about 3 feet from the foundation, in is a semi-underground basement.

I don't have a lot of money, and I am hoping to do this on my own. (I'm 48 and physically capable of working). Please help with constructive wisdom. This is only one of two "dry wells". The other one seems fine as it is in the back corner, but the one that is referenced is directly next/partially under a dirt walkway. I have no idea what other "specials" I will find. Thanks for all the advice. Comments can also be sent to rmr5647@gmail.com

On 2017-08-16 by Brian

Thinking about building an addition off my house. How far away does well need to be from structure

On 2017-05-10 by (mod) - Oil drilling rig setback clearance distances

Nice question, Lowell.

Oil drilling rig setback clearance distances vary by local, state, or provincial regulation. Here is a U.S. example.


The State of Ohio requires a minimum of 40-acres for a well drilled greater than 4,000’ deep. If the well’s depth is between 2,000’ and 4,000’, Ohio requires at least 20 acres. Wells between 1,000’ and 2,000’ deep require 10 acres. The acreage block does not have to be a square, circle or rectangle, but all of the acreage must be contiguous (touching).

Ohio also imposes setbacks of wells from properties that are not part of the drilling unit. The wellhead location must be at least 300’ from any property line not leased and included in the drilling unit in areas of 20-acre spacing and setback at least 500’ in areas requiring 40-acre spacing.

On 2017-05-10 by lowell nix

how close to a persons property line can an oil well be drilled and not be part of the pool

On 2017-01-30 by Albert Baham

Trying to close on a house the well and drain field are 78 feet apart I now the new law requires 100 feet but it's a older system and we had it all inspected I all came back good. Now the bank is trying to pull my loan because it's not 100 feet. They said I would have to get state clearance. Would I need to go to the county of the health department

On 2016-12-02 by HG

(4 minutes ago) HG said:
We began construction of a property in 2008 - foundation, walls, septic design, and septic tanks were paid for... Economy crashed and we put the project on hold.

Began construction in Aug. 2016. In 2014, our neighbor sold home, the new neighbor had a well dug. TOO close to where our septic system was to finish being installed.
We have been told our design and permit is no longer valid and we will need to REDO the entire plan.
C

an someone comment on the Law of Georgia with regard to our situation, and/or offer advise how to handle this situation. Are there statues that pertain to this problem?
flag like

On 2016-10-31 by (mod) - discharge of wastewater of any sort onto the ground surface

BE

Check with your local building and health department. Most jurisdictions prohibit discharge of wastewater of any sort onto the ground surface, not to mention dumping used motor oil onto the ground.

A common exception is for aerobic treatment units that have disinfected the effluent before disharge.

On 2016-10-29 by BE

neighbor intends to put a large camper and vehicles on a non buildable 22 foot frontage to approximately 25' from my well! he is known to work on vehicles and empty septic on camper. need to protect our drinking water, our health he is on the other side of road!

On 2016-07-29 by (mod) -

Concerned

You'll find that local plumbing codes in TN will specify a minimum clearance distance between a water supply pipe and the septic system components. City vs. well water won't change that specification.

Tennessee has adopted the 2012 IRC (International Residential Code) Plumbing Code so that's a fair model of the code requirements for you.

At https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Clearance_Distances.php SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES

you'll see that most codes require a distance of ten feet between the water supply line and the septic tank.

For an exception you'll be smartest to ask your local building or plumbing inspector what they will find acceptable, and if you have what seems an insurmountable clearance distance (which seems unlikely) you might ask if there are additional protective measures that would permit violating the clearance distance standard.

Let me know what you're told as that will assist other readers.

On 2016-07-27 by Concernedlandlord

A rental house I own in Tennessee has a septic tank that has failed. I want to have a new plastic tank installed with an updated style leaching system( not the normal field type). The problem is that the only place to put the septic tank would also have the water supply line either running over it or next to it.

it is city water not a well is that safe. the old septic tank was hand built from rock years ago no contractor I talked with wants to dig it up just relocate a new tank and the only place for one is in the side yard where the water supply line from the water company meter is.

The water supply line would have to cross over the inlet pipe to the tank run within a foot or two of the tank then into the house the leaching system will be on a slope so as the discharge enters in to the leaching system it would want to leach into the ground then away from the water supply and house. My question is would this be safe.

On 2016-06-13 13:50:34.008577 by (mod) -

I have not found a clearance distance between water wells themselves; wells often tap the same aquifer, separated only by the distance required for practical reasons of well construction; that will vary by well type. For example one could not simultaneously construct two dug wells separated only by a foot as the intervening soil would collapse into a single giant hole.

On 2016-06-13 by Ronda

How far apart do wells need to be from each other? I can find distances for almost anything in relation to a well. But I haven't found anything about distances from one well to another.

On 2016-05-30 by (mod) -

THAT is not a question I know how to answer; it's one to take to your lender. IMO a lender ought to balk at the home not having its own water supply. If the pump and well are on your property it seems you'll want simply to move the controls.

On 2016-05-20 by Stephanie

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING A HOME AND IT HAS A SHARED WELL. The electronic power to run the pump and controls is on the neighbors property...what does this mean in terms of a FHA requirements

On 2016-04-02 by (mod) -

John, in the first table in this article I see

Absorption field 100 [Old distance was 75] (may be modified based on local conditions)

On 2016-04-02 by john knoph

5 in steel 150 ft. deep with pump 75 ft. down. what are the clearance distances, drain field

On 2015-11-06 by (mod) -

Spacing of what - I don't understand the question

On 2015-11-06 by okeke e

how do we determine the maximum spacing for borehole yield

On 2015-10-31 4 by (mod) - covered underground septic tank and covered underground water storage tank

Thank you for the question. That is not a specific clearance distance that I have found in codes or standards but I will research it. However I cannot imagine any design that would fit a home a septic system and an underground water storage tank all on a 40 by 30 foot plus.

On 2015-10-31 by hidam@gmail.com

Please tell me what is the minimum possible distance between covered underground septic tank and covered underground water storage tank to be constructed in a single house in the same plot of size 40 feet by 30 feet. Thanks and regards.

On 2015-07-22 by Joe

how far must the well casing be from a building eve

 

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Continue reading at WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCES or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• PLANTS & TREES OVER SEPTIC SYSTEMS
• SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LOCATION
• SEPTIC TANK DEPTH
• WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• WELL LOCATION, HOW TO FIND

Suggested citation for this web page

WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCE FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER SUPPLY, PUMPS TANKS WELLS

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