Property Transfer Inspections

(Private Well Filling and Sealing)

During private property transfers, an inspection of the water supply system may be conducted. Starting in June of 2008, any un-used or non complying wells must be identified as violations of NR 812, Wisconsin Administrative Code. Any identified well is required to be properly filled and sealed with approved materials using prescribed methods. After June of 2008, an individual employed by a Wisconsin licensed well driller or pump installer is required to do the well filling and sealing. Once the well has been filled and sealed, the contractor doing the work is required to submit a report of the work done, to the Department of Natural Resources. Reports that have been submitted to the Department are available for viewing at http://dnr.wi.gov/wars/search.aspx.

On occasion, an existing well casing or old well will be identified for which there exists no well filling and sealing report. In order to transfer property, the property owner or the buyer may become responsible for documenting that such a well was properly filled and sealed. A Wisconsin licensed well driller or pump installer will verify, perhaps by excavation or utilizing other approved procedures that the well is likely to have been correctly filled and sealed. The licensed contractor will then provide a well filling and sealing report to the property owner and the Department. The property owner should retain a copy of that report and transfer the report to subsequent property owners as documentation of filling and sealing of wells on the property. Once the verification of filling and sealing report has been filed with the Department, future verification of the identified well(s) will not be necessary.

For more information on well filling and sealing, a printable copy of the Well Filling and Sealing form and brochure, click here.