Ground Water Protection and Well Permits

Clean water is necessary for good health. We use water for drinking, bathing, and cooking. Since water is used for many different domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes, contamination is always occurring. Environmental Health is one agency responsible for preventing contamination activities that pollute the ground water resources of Yolo County. Environmental Health inspects small public water supplies for defects that could contaminate water used by consumers. Water quality provided by small public water systems is monitored to detect the presence of harmful contamination. Environmental Health also issues permits and inspects the construction and destruction of wells.

• When Do I Need To Obtain A Well Permit?
  A permit is required for the installation, modification, or abandonment of water wells, test holes, cathodic protection wells, geothermal heat exchange wells, and monitoring wells.

• I Have An Old Unused Well On My Property, What Should I Do With It?
  Cover the well with a watertight, bolted-on cover. This will prevent contamination from polluting the ground water and prevent any child from becoming injured from it. A well designated as an abandoned well must be destroyed.

• Can I Destroy My Own Well?
  The owner of the well can obtain the permit to destroy or drill a well, but a C-57 State licensed well contractor must do the abandonment.

• Who Works On Wells?
  Licensed well contractors with a valid C-57 are qualified to drill and destroy wells. See our Contractors List for a listing of contractors known to do business in Yolo County.

• Can You Test My Drinking Water Well For Agricultural Chemicals?
  The Health Department cannot test for agricultural chemicals or other organic chemicals. Consult an Environmental Health Specialist for chemicals that may be found in the ground water of your area, then contact a state certified drinking water lab for analysis. The Health Department can test for coliform bacteria and nitrates. Contact Us for more information on water testing, or to arrange to have us test your water for Coliform bacteria or nitrates. For information about the Coliform test: what it is, how to get it, what it means, and what to do if the test is positive, see our Coliform Testing Questions and Answers Page.

Contact Us

For more information please feel free to contact us by any of the following methods:

Mail :
Yolo County Environmental Health Department
137 N. Cottonwood St. Suite 2400
Woodland, CA 95695
(530) 666-8646
(530) 669-1448: FAX

E-mail : environmental.health@yolocounty.org