FAQs • Snohomish County Health Department, WA • CivicEngage

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Where do I look for abandoned wells?: Abandoned wells may be found in old pump houses, storage sheds, old detached garages, basements, under porch steps, near cisterns and windmills, or in small building structures. Hand dug wells can often be found in lowland areas near surface water. For more information on abandoned wells, visit our Maintaining Your Well page, and select the Abandoned Wells tab.

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Drinking Water and Well FAQs

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1. I need to have a well drilled on my property, where do I begin?: The first step is to contact a licensed well driller. See our pages on well applications and permitting for more information. These pages are currently in the process of being updated and will have more information about permitting soon.

2. What is the application process?: Please review our well application process steps infographic.

3. How can I test my water samples?: You can find a state-approved lab on the Department of Ecology’s website. For more information about testing well water, visit our Water Testing page.

4. Where can I find a licensed well driller?: You can find a licensed well driller using the Department of Ecology licensed driller search site.

5. Where do I look for abandoned wells?: Abandoned wells may be found in old pump houses, storage sheds, old detached garages, basements, under porch steps, near cisterns and windmills, or in small building structures. Hand dug wells can often be found in lowland areas near surface water. For more information on abandoned wells, visit our Maintaining Your Well page, and select the Abandoned Wells tab.

6. What do I do if there is an abandoned well on my property?: If you have an abandoned well that is no longer in use, it is a safety concern, and you are required to decommission it. You will need to contact the Department of Ecology and a licensed well driller to do this.

7. How can I prevent contamination from cross connections?: Alberta, Canada's Working Well program created a resource called Cross Connections and Your Well that describes ways you can prevent contamination of your well from cross connections. (Note that any area specific rules or contact information listed in this resource does not apply to Snohomish County residents.)