Water Well Publications

Table of Contents

1. Water Shortages
2. Water Quality at Home
3. Water Wells - Drinking Water Protection
4. Water Wells - Construction
5. Groundwater - An Important Rural Resource

Water Shortages

Managing Your Water Well in Times of Water Shortage

Discusses groundwater-based supplies, causes of water shortage, provides information about responses and remedial actions during times of water shortage, and suggests safety issues that should be considered when working in or around wells (MOE Publication 3784).

Private Water Well Owners - Dealing with Water Shortages

Stresses proper maintenance of all wells, and states that well construction, maintenance and plugging must meet OWRA requirements (OMAFRA Publication 99-025).

Water Quality at Home

Health Facts - Boil Water Advisory

Explains the reasons for a boil water advisory, water use options and limitations, disinfection, and follow-up.

List of Public Health Units in Ontario

Water Wells - Best Management Practices Book

Discusses the water cycle, contamination pathways and effect on human and livestock health, and provides information on best management practices for the construction, maintenance and abandonment of drilled, dug/bored and sand point wells.

Putting Your Well Water to the Test

Get Acquainted with Your Well

Pathogens and Your Well Water

Disinfection Instruction Sheet

Keeping Your Well Water Safe to Drink

Choosing a Water Treatment System

Water Wells - Drinking Water Protection

The Protection of Water Quality in Drilled Wells

Presents an overview of Regulation 903, under the Ontario Water Resources Act (OWRA), that concerns well contractor and technician licencing, and prescribes minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, pollution prevention and abandonment of drilled wells. This document also provides a summary of factors that can affect water quality, discusses factors leading to the deterioration of well water quality, and suggests preventative maintenance measures (MOE Publication 3961).

The Protection of Water Quality in Bored and Dug Wells

Presents an overview of Regulation 903 that concerns the licencing of well contractors and technicians, and prescribes minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, pollution prevention and abandonment of bored and dug wells. This document also provides a summary of factors that can affect water quality, discusses factors leading to the deterioration of well water quality, and suggests preventative maintenance measures (MOE Publication 3962).

Pesticide Contamination of Farm Water Supplies: Recommendations on Avoidance, Cleanup and Responsibilities

Summarizes significance of a safe water supply, how groundwater can become contaminated, discusses water supply decontamination approaches, and recommends well construction per Ontario Water Resources Act (OWRA) requirements (OMAFRA Publication 00-099).

Water Wells - Best Management Practices Book

Discusses the water cycle, contamination pathways and effect on human and livestock health, and provides information on best management practices for the construction, maintenance and abandonment of drilled, dug/bored and sand point wells.

Water Wells - Construction

Important Facts About Water Well Construction

Summarizes requirements under Regulation 903 for licencing of well contractors, and requirements regarding well construction, contamination, maintenance and abandonment (MOE Publication 3788).

Water Wells - Best Management Practices Book

Discusses the water cycle, contamination pathways and effect on human and livestock health, and provides information on best management practices for the construction, maintenance and abandonment of drilled, dug/bored and sand point wells.

Groundwater - An Important Rural Resource

Understanding Groundwater

Managing the Quantity of Groundwater Supplies

Protecting the Quality of Groundwater Supplies

Private Rural Water Supplies