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Abandoned wells pose a safety and environmental risk, with pollutants accumulating and the risk of injury or death if someone falls in. Temporary wells should be capped and checked regularly, while permanently abandoned wells must be sealed by a licensed professional.
An abandoned well is a well that has been drilled and subsequently abandoned, for a variety of reasons. Abandoned wells pose a health and safety risk worldwide and are a cause for concern especially in suburban and formerly communities that are converting from water well use to municipal water supplies. Many regions have specific laws related to abandoned wells and their management, with the aim of reducing the risk of pollution and injury related to empty wells.
The risk of injury is obvious: someone could fall into an abandoned water well and not be able to get out. The fall could injure or kill someone, and unless help is provided quickly, the fall victim could die in the well. Especially if an abandoned well is in a remote area, it can take days to realize that someone has fallen into the well. Abandoned water wells also pose a threat to wildlife for the same reason.
In the case of an abandoned water well, the well can serve as an accumulation site for pollutants and release these pollutants into the natural environment. These pollutants can include materials leached from septic tanks, which can pose a threat to human health if they enter groundwater through an abandoned well. Abandoned oil and gas wells can also serve as a source of pollution and unexpected releases or flares of material could pose a safety and health risk.
If a well is temporarily mothballed, it may simply be plugged. Capping consists of covering the well so that the contents are not accessible. Ideally the cork should be clearly labeled and checked regularly for any signs of intrusion or damage which could indicate that the cork is about to fail. Also, capping is not meant to be a permanent measure, and people can be penalized for not properly managing an abandoned well if they leave a well closed for too long.
If a well is indeed abandoned and will never be used again, it must be sealed. The goal of sealing is to restore the conditions that were present in the ground before the well was drilled. Sealing is done by a licensed well driller and typically requires a permit from whatever local authority manages the digging and sealing of wells. Sealing must be done carefully to avoid injury and to properly seal the well so that no problems arise with the abandoned well in the future.
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