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Iowa DNR Certified Well Contractors
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In Iowa, all work that meets the Iowa DNR definition of "well services" must be performed by either the homeowner or by a Iowa DNR Certified Well Contractor. If a homeowner performs their own well services, the owner must physically do the work. If the homeowner hires anyone to help with or perform the needed well services, that individual must be an Iowa DNR Certified Well Contractor and the certified contractor must be on-site anytime well services are taking place. The term "well services" includes both well drilling services and pump installation services. This includes all new well construction and reconstruction of private and public water supplies, installation of ground heat exchange (GHEX)loop borehole systems (geothermal loops), water well test holes and test wells, dewatering wells and pumping systems, and monitoring and observation wells.
For additional information regarding the definitions found in the Iowa well rules, please see the Private Well Program definitions document.
The goal of the Well Contractor Certification program is to ensure that the groundwater professionals that you hire to work on your private water system meet minimum levels of experience and knowledge. This experience and knowledge requirement helps assure that the individual understands what water system protections are required by rule and how their work can help protect your water system installation and the groundwater by you and your neighbors.
Iowa DNR Certified Well Contractors are individuals who meet minimum work experience requirements in area(s) of certification, successfully passed state examinations demonstrating their knowledge for state rules and well services obtain continuing education to further their knowledge and skills. Certified Well Contractors are required to follow all well regulations and contractor obligations as outlined in Iowa Administrative Code 567 Chapters 38, 39, 49 and 82. Well contractor certification is renewable for two year periods if all eligibility requirements are met.
The type of certification required by a well contractor to perform any given job on water wells will vary according to the work being performed. There are currently three levels of Certified Well Contractors in Iowa. They are:
Well Drillers -
"Well Driller" means a person certified by the department to perform well drilling services. "Well drilling services" means new well construction, well reconstruction, well rehabilitation, well repair, installation of pitless equipment, or well plugging for all three classes of water wells.
Pump Installers
"Pump Installer" means anyone who performs installation, repair, and maintenance of water systems; modification of the upper terminus (the top ten feet) of a well; well plugging services for all three classes of water wells; well rehabilitation; and the construction of Class 3 wells (sand point.)
Well Plugging Contractor
"Well Plugging Contractor" means a contractor certified to plug only Class 1 wells (100 feet or less in depth and 18 inches or more in diameter) or Class 3 wells (sand points.) A Well Plugging Contractor is not certified to abandon Class 2 wells (100 feet or more in depth or less than 18 inches in diameter) or perform any other well services. The term "well plugging contractor" can be confusing as this level of certification allows and individual to only plug two of the three classes of water wells. If a well plugging contractor discovers that the well they are asked to plug is a "Class 2" well, they must not perform any plugging on the well and the owner must hire either an Iowa DNR Certified Well Driller or Certified Pump Installer to perform the well plugging.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)or Training Hours
Well contractors must renew their certification every two years. Each certification period starts on July 1st of even numbered years and ends on June 30 of even-numbered years. The CEUs earned by a well contractor must be earned between April 1st of even numbered years and March 31 of even numbered years.
All CEUs that the well contractor submits to the Department must be directly related to the subject matter of the certificate. Renewal applications are mailed to the well contractors 60 days prior to the expiration date of the certificates and meet the requirements of 567 Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 82.11(3). Only contractors obtaining the required CEUs are eligible for renewal of their certificate(s).
CEU Requirements
| Well Driller (DR) |
1.6 CEU or 16 Contact Hours |
During two year periods which
start April 1st of even numbered
years and end March 31st of even
numbered years.
Example 4/1/2012 thru 3/31/2014 |
| Pump Installer (PI) |
1.0 CEU or 10 Contact Hours |
| Combination DR and PI |
1.6 CEU or 16 Contact Hours |
It is the well contractor's responsibility to submit qualifying CEUs to the Department. The Department maintains an on-line Iowa DNR Operator Certification Database which will help individuals track their CEUs and find training events that have been submitted for approval.
To find out more about becoming certified in Iowa as a Well Contractor, please refer to the Operator Certification web site for Certified Well Contractors. web page.
County environmental health officials and Iowa certified well contractors can use the Private Well Tracking System (PWTS) to manage information about water supply wells installed and used in Iowa. The PWTS is a web based well data management system used to track information about private water supply wells including: documentation of well construction permits, well log reporting, water test reporting and tracking, well renovation and well plugging information.
For more information about the requirements for private wells in Iowa, you can refer to the private well information booklet named "Non-Public Water Wells and Water Systems.". This booklet is a consumer information resource that contains important information about private well ownership and services. You can order a printed copy of this booklet by downloading the order form,*.pdf and requesting a copy or by contacting this office at the phone or email address listed above.
Property owners - Do you need to find a Certified Well Contractor?
The link below will take you to the Iowa DNR Operator Certification Database where you can find information about any of Iowa's Certified Well Contractors. The database allows you to search in a number of different ways including by name, certification ID number, and a "wild card" query if you only have part of the contractor's name.
Well Contractors - Do you want to review your certification information?
or Look for Approved Training Events on the
Iowa DNR Operator Certification Training Calendar
Attention Well Contractors: You must have all of your continuing education units (CEUs) earned by March 31, 2012 to be eligible for the 2012 well contractor certification renewal.
2011 National Groundwater Association Conference CEU Form
Frequently Asked Questions about Well Contractor Certification Renewal
- For more information contact -
Russell Tell, Environmental Specialist Senior
401 SW 7th St, Suite M
Des Moines, IA 50309-4611
(515) 725-0462 or by Fax: (515) 725-0348
russell.tell@dnr.iowa.gov |
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