Water Systems Council
Water Well Resources Available Online
As part of our commitment to ensure that Americans who get their water from private household water wells have safe, reliable drinking water and to protecting our nation’s groundwater resources, we are pleased to offer the following free water well resources:
NEW! A Quick Guide for Well Owners: Simple Tips on Caring for Your Water Well – Handy brochure designed for well owners to provide a glance into technical concerns, water testing, well maintenance, and wellhead protection. There is even a place to keep your water well professionals contact information (this section is fillable within the PDF before printing)! Download your FREE copy.
UPDATED! Home Inspectors Guide to Evaluating Water Wells – A guide to help Home Inspectors evaluate water wells if asked to do so during a regular home inspection. Includes a Well Inspection Checklist and Tips for Your Clients/Customers. Download your FREE copy.
Videos – A Disinfecting a Well video has been created to accompany our Disinfecting a Well information sheet, and a PSA on Emergencies & Wells that educate water well owners on what to do when disaster strikes.
UPDATED! Mandatory Hookup – WSC’s report reviews applicable state statutes and case law authorizing local mandatory water connection ordinances in each of the 50 states, and federal court decisions related to mandatory water connection ordinances.
UPDATED! Who Owns the Water? – WSC’s report on water rights laws has been updated to reflect the significant developments across the country.
Well Owner’s Manual – This 32-page manual includes sections on water well systems and maintenance, selecting a water well contractor, protecting your wellhead, water well testing, and understanding water well test results. Tambien disponible en español.
All the educational materials mentioned above along with additional PSAs and posters related to water wells are FREE and available to download below.
We also have over 90 different wellcare® information sheets on topics related to water wells which can also be downloaded for FREE from our Water Well Care: wellcare® Info Sheets page.
Don’t see what you are looking for? Contact our wellcare® Hotline by calling 888-395-1033, send us an email, or chat with us live. Our water well experts are available to answer your questions and provide you with any information you need to maintain a safe water well supply. The Hotline is available Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. ET.
If you would like hard copies of our publications mailed to you, please contact Charlene Bean by email or at 202-625-4387.
Brochures
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A Quick Guide for Well Owners: Simple Tips on Caring for Your Water Well
Download File 977 KB
A handy brochure designed for well owners to provide a glance into technical concerns, water testing, well maintenance, and wellhead protection. There is even a place to keep your water well professionals contact information (this section is fillable within the PDF prior to printing)! Provides website resources for testing and licensed well professionals.
wellcare Booklets
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Home Inspectors Guide to Evaluating Water Wells
Download File 3 MB
A 20-page guide to help Home Inspectors evaluate water wells during a regular home inspection. Includes a Well Inspection Checklist, Tips for Your Clients/Customers, and a place to add your contact information.
Video Spots
Disinfecting a Well Video:
PSAs on Emergencies & Wells:
Manuals/Reports
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Special Report Addendum: Fighting Mandatory Hookup
Download File 3 MB
This publication attempts to provide guidelines for successfully fighting against mandatory connection to public water supplies. The January 2019 4th Updated Version of Water Systems Council’s Special Report, An Analysis of Mandatory Hookup Law: Cases and statutes, should be read in conjunction with this publication. The Special Report summarizes mandatory connection law in each of the 50 states.
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Special Report: An Analysis of Mandatory Hookup Law: Cases and Statutes
Download File 10 MB
In 2002, the Water Systems Council published a report entitled, "An Analysis of Existing Mandatory Hookup Legislation." That report detailed state laws allowing local governments to require landowners to connect to public water and sewer, and the judicial interpretations of these laws. A March 2005 report, "An Analysis of Mandatory Hookup Law - Cases and Statutes," updated and expanded upon the 20o2 report. In January 2007, that report was updated. This report builds upon the first three and provides further updates.
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Special Report: Who Owns the Water
Download File 2 MB
Who Owns the Water? WSC's report on water rights laws across the nation.
In 2003, Water Systems Council published the first edition of Who Owns the Water? Updated reports were published in October 2005 and again in October 2009. Since 2009, there have been a number of significant developments with respect to groundwater rights across the country. This update includes these new developments.
A section on Water Rights and Takings, added in 2009, addresses the court cases addressing the issue of when government regulation “goes too far” and infringes on private property rights. A number of significant cases have been decided since 2009 and have been added to the discussion in this section.
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Well Owner's Manual
Download File 1 MB
The 32-page Well Owner’s Manual includes sections on water well systems, well maintenance, selecting a well contractor, protecting your wellhead, water well testing, and understanding water well test results. The manual also includes a well owner’s checklist and information on the wellcare® Hotline, a free hotline that provides advice on protecting, maintaining, testing, and conserving drinking well water supplies, at 888-395-1033 or online at wellcarehotline.org.
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Well Owner's Manual (Spanish)
Download File 926 KB
Este manual del propietario de pozos tiene información sobre pozos de agua, mantenimiento del pozo, buscando un contratista, protección su cabezal de pozo, prueba de calidad del agua, y la comprensión del resultados de su prueba de agua. El manual tambien tiene una lista de verificación, y información sobre un línea de telefonía gratis que brinda consejos sobre cómo proteger su agua, mantenimiento, pruebas y conservación del agua.
Public Service Announcement Spots
Click on a link to download any of these PSA spots:
Posters
Posters are full color standard paper size (8.5″x11″).
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A well is like money in the bank.
Download File 68 KB
Additional text on poster:
As a well owner, you save money every month. Protect your investment with an annual well check up and water test. Contact your local well contractor today to continue saving tomorrow.
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Are you feeling pressured to join the big system?
Download File 263 KB
Additional text on poster:
When choosing the best water service for your home or business, you don’t have to choose the big system. More than 23 million Americans rely on household wells for all their water needs. Modern wells meet all the demands of today’s homes for safe, reliable water.
Wells are a cost-effective, efficient, and easy to maintain water supply source for you and your family. Best of all, you own your well and have the peace of mind knowing what your family is drinking when they turn on the tap. Choose well: choose a well.
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Building a new house? Will you spend more time choosing your faucets than your water system?
Download File 199 KB
Additional text on poster:
Before you build your new home, investigate the options for your drinking water system. Ask your builder about a well.
A well is a cost-effective, easy-to-maintain and efficient water supply source. Modern wells meet all the demands of today’s homes and supply safe, reliable water. Best of all, by owning your own well, you will have the peace of mind that results from knowing what your family will be drinking when they turn on the tap. Choose well: choose wells.
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Do you ever think about what you’re letting go down the drain?
Download File 67 KB
Additional text on poster:
One drip per second. Eight and a half gallons per day. Over 3,000 gallons per year. Wasting water adds up. Conserve. Protect the water in your well and save precious ground water resources. Choose well—choose a well.
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Have a well? Protect your family’s drinking water.
Download File 104 KB
Additional text on poster:
Contact your well contractor to do a wellcare checkup each year, including a well inspection and a water test. For more information, contact the wellcare hotline at 1-888-395-1033
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Life is full of big decisions. Like choosing your water system.
Download File 346 KB
Additional text on poster:
You choose where you live, your telephone company, your electricity provider. Why let someone else choose your drinking water system?
Over 23 million Americans have household wells. Well water comes from aquifers—safe, protected natural reserves within the earth. A well is a cost effective, efficient water supply source for you and your family. Choose well: choose wells.
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Providing a little drink of water is a big responsibility.
Download File 74 KB
Additional text on poster:
If you and your family are among the 23 million Americans who have a well, your water comes from safe, protected natural reserves within the earth called aquifers. Protect your well and family by having a well check up and testing your water annually.
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Read the fine print.
Download File 170 KB
Additional text on poster:
When making a decision about your water service make sure you have all the information you need. How much does it cost? How long will it take for you to pay for the system? How long will it last?
Many community systems cost hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars and are financed over 40 years. Yet, a system’s life is usually estimated at an average of 15-20 years. In addition to construction costs, you will have to pay your share of operating costs and water treatment requirements.
The cost of a well can be included in your home mortgage. Or, it can be financed through home equity loans or other short-term financing programs. Once paid for, you own your well! A professionally installed well will provide many years of reliable service. Minimal maintenance is required. The pump and other mechanical parts of a well can function well for 15-20 years or more.
Choose well: choose wells.
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Selling or buying a house with a well? (Version 1)
Download File 149 KB
Additional text on poster:
Contact a licensed well contractor in your area if you have any questions about your well. Or, contact the wellcare hotline at 1-888-395-1033
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Selling or buying a house with a well? (Version 2)
Download File 181 KB
Additional text on poster:
Contact a licensed well contractor in your area if you have any questions about your well. Or, contact the wellcare hotline at 1-888-395-1033
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When you have a well, you can relax.
Download File 137 KB
Additional text on poster:
A well is a cost-effective, easy-to-maintain and safe water supply source for you and your family. Best of all, by owning your own well you'll have the peace of mind that your family will be drinking nature's best.
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Where does your water come from?
Download File 180 KB
Additional text on poster:
If you have a well, your water is nature's best - ground water! Well water comes straight from the source - safe, protected, natural reserves within the earth called aquifers. Choose well - choose wells. For more information contact the wellcare hotline at 1-888-395-1033
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Why buy water in bottles when you can drink nature’s best?
Download File 144 KB
Additional text on poster:
Clean. Cool. Good. Well Well water comes straight from the source - safe, protected, natural reserves within the earth called aquifers. Choose well - choose wells. For more information contact the wellcare hotline at 1-888-395-1033
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You can’t always see your drinking water, but it’s there.
Download File 133 KB
Additional text on poster:
Water—our most precious natural resource. Natural reservoirs of ground water found below our earth’s surface provide well owners with quality drinking water. Tap into nature’s hidden resource with a well.
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You hire professionals for your home electrical, plumbing and heating systems. Why should your well be any different?
Download File 102 KB
Additional text on poster:
Always use licensed or certified water well drillers and pump installers when a well is constructed, a pump is installed, or your system is serviced. Choose well—choose a well.
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You’re careful about the food your kids eat. Ever think about the water they drink?
Download File 238 KB
Additional text on poster:
If you and your family are among the 23 million Americans who have household wells, your water comes from safe, protected, natural reserves within the earth called aquifers.
A well is a cost-effective, easy-to-maintain and efficient water supply source for you and your family. Best of all, by owning your own well you will have the peace of mind that results from knowing what your family will be drinking when they turn on the tap. Choose well: choose wells.
All natural.
Everyone loves well water!
In the dark about wells?
Live Well. Choose a Well.
No thanks, I prefer well water.
Questions about your well?
