Private Water Wells
Environmental Health staff conduct activities with the goal to protect groundwater from contamination and to provide a safe, potable water supply. For more information contact Deb Grapperhaus, BS at 618.826.5007 ext. 626.
To ensure correct installation and operation of water supplies RCHD staff conduct the following: review plans and issue permits for private water wells; monitor the abandonment of wells to ensure proper sealing; and well water sampling for new construction or special conditions.
Application for Permit to Construct, Modify, or Abandon a Well
Permit to construct, modify, or abandon a well $100
Randolph County Supplemental Well Application Form
Inspection of private water and sewage systems for the purpose of selling/buying property $300.00
Illinois Department of Public Health Water Well Construction Code
Illinois Department of Public Health Water Well Pump Installation Code
Abandoned Wells
An abandoned well is defined as water or monitoring well which is no longer used to supply water, or is in such a state of disrepair that the well or boring has the potential for transmitting contaminants into an aquifer or otherwise threatens the public health or safety.
Abandoned and unmaintained water wells can serve as a route for surface-water run-off contamination of the aquifer and hence cause pollution of your own and other wells in the area.
Illinois Department of Public Health Information on Abandoned Wells
Sampling
RCHD offers well water testing for new construction, or special conditions, for total coliform bacteria. The Illinois Department of Public Health laboratory method is a presence/absence method for the identification of coliform bacteria, which is an indicator of the bacterial quality of water.
Testing for coliform bacteria will reveal if the water supply contains infectious organisms, but it will not provide a direct measure of pathogenic or disease-causing bacteria.
The health department does not offer sampling or testing of private water wells. However, water sampling supplies are available for private lab testing.