The Private Water Well program is a State of Ohio program conducted by the Environmental Health Staff of the Wayne County Health Department. The program is also administer under the Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3701-28.
The purpose of the program is to provide education as well as enforcement of the public health laws and regulations in order to protect the citizens of Wayne County and the water sources.
Private Water Systems are:
- potable water wells
- ponds
- springs
- cisterns
- hauled water storage tanks that provide drinking water to fewer than 25 people, less than sixty days out of the year, or have less than 15 service connections.
These would include single water supplies that serve:
- homes
- small businesses
- small churches
- small mobile home parks
- communities with fewer than 25 residents.
There are three ways to obtain a permit to construct a new water well or alter an existing well.
An application for a permit to construct a new water well or alter an existing well can be completed by the property owner or his/her designated agent or well contractor.
The following items need to the submitted with an application:
- Property owner's name, mailing address and telephone number
- Property address
- Name of Registered private water system contractor, ODH registration number and telephone number
- Site plan and additional plans if required indicating the location of the well in relationship to any current or proposed structures, sewage treatment system, roadways, property lines, other potential hazards etc.
The FEE is $425 for an installation/replacement permit and $225 for an alteration. For other types of wells and their associated fees please contact the EH Unit.
Property/homeowners may only perform work on residences and properties that they own and shall obtain a registration from the Ohio Department of Health prior to performing work.
- Once registration waiver form is approved by ODH you may apply for a permit as stated above.
Property Owner Application for Registration Form to be completed with $65 fee and mailed to the Ohio Department of Health
Variance Request From
In case of hardship, property owner’s may request a variance to the rules for approval by the Wayne County Board of Health. No variance or waiver shall be granted that will defeat the spirit and general intent of these rules, or otherwise be contrary to the public interest or adversely impact the public health.
Testing for bacteria, or coliform testing, is an indicator for possible contamination is available for wells.
The cost is $45 if you pick up the bottle and take the sample yourself or $75 if a sanitarian from our office comes to take a sample (sometimes required). Please call for other types of tests and cost which include but not limited to Nitrates, Lead and E. coli.
The bottles can be picked up at our office any day of the week.
Sampling day is Tuesday or Thursday. You may collect the sample any time after 12:00 noon on Tuesday or Thursday and bring it back to our office by 4:30 that same day or by 9:00 AM on the following morning. Sample results are usually available within 5 business days.
Water system evaluation for real estate transfers service can be provided by Environmental Health unit. When homeowners sell their property, many lending institutions require that the water system be evaluated/inspected to assure the system is functioning properly and will provide safe water for the new buyer through the collection of a water sample and/or an inspection of the existing well. The fee for a real estate well inspection is $200.00 or for only a water sample is $90.00.