The District or a delegated entity (usually a county government) issues well construction permits. Well construction permits are required prior to installation of a well to ensure that wells are constructed by qualified contractors and meet rigid safety and durability standards.
Anyone who proposes to drill a new well must contact the District and obtain a permit for the following types of wells:
- Wells located in a delineated area in counties that do not regulate them (defined in Florida law as an area with known groundwater contamination or a vulnerable area). In these areas, additional water well construction requirements are in place to protect public health and groundwater resources. Counties that have delineated areas that do not regulate the construction of delineated wells include Duval, Lake, Orange, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia.
- All wells that have an outside diameter of six inches or greater at land surface.
- All “gang wells” (a system where two or more water wells are coupled together with a common header or manifold), the total nominal casing sizes of which equal six inches or more, for the purpose of procuring or obtaining water other than for dewatering.
- All open loop (separate supply and return well) geothermal wells having an outside diameter of six inches or greater at land surface and all closed-loop (series of two or more vertically installed loops joined together, with the recirculation of the same thermal transfer fluid) geothermal wells.
The exception to the above list is for wells in Bradford County. Suwannee River Water Management District permits all wells including the portion of the county within St. Johns River Water Management District.
The District has 16 water well permitting delegation agreements with local health departments, one water well permitting delegation agreement with a local or county government (city of Jacksonville) and one memorandum of understanding with Suwannee Water Management District. The delegation agreements are in the following counties: Alachua, Baker, Brevard, Clay, Flagler, Indian River, Lake, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Okeechobee, Osceola, Putnam, St. Johns, Seminole and Volusia and the city of Jacksonville for the permitting of all wells located in the St. Johns District and not permitted by the District.
Check with your county health department or local government with any questions about the permit fees for a well that will be permitted by one of the District’s delegated permitting authorities.