NR 812.26(6)(h)2.2. If the loop for a heat exchange drillhole has been grouted into the drillhole and cannot be removed, the loop shall be evacuated of all fluids and cement or bentonite grout shall be pumped into the loop. The loops may be left in place after grouting or may be cut off below ground surface. NR 812.26(6)(i)(i) Flowing wells. Materials for filling and sealing a flowing well shall be neat cement or neat cement with approved additives to increase the grout density and shall meet the requirements of s. NR 812.11 (15). The flow of water at the ground surface from a flowing well shall be reduced or stopped prior to filling and sealing using one of the following methods: NR 812.26(6)(i)1.1. Centering a tremie pipe in the drillhole or casing within an inflatable packer. NR 812.26(6)(i)2.2. Extending the well casing to a height above the piezometric surface. NR 812.26(6)(i)3.3. Placing chlorinated sand-free pea gravel in a bedrock well from the bottom of the well to no higher than 40 feet from the bottom of the casing pipe. NR 812.26(6)(i)4.4. Pumping water out of a nearby well completed in the same flowing formation. NR 812.26(7)(7) Well and drillhole filling and sealing reports. NR 812.26(7)(a)(a) A well and drillhole filling and sealing report shall be filed with the department no later than 30 days after the well or drillhole is filled and sealed. NR 812.26(7)(b)(b) The filling and sealing report shall be filed with the department electronically by the person performing the filling and sealing work and shall include all of the following information: NR 812.26(7)(b)1.1. A complete and accurate description of the location of the well or drillhole that was filled and sealed. NR 812.26(7)(b)6.6. The presence of any unused wells or drillholes that are not filled and sealed for which they have knowledge. NR 812.26 HistoryHistory: CR 18-095: r. and recr. Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7-1-20; correction in (4) (a) (intro.) made under s. 35.17, Stats., and correction in (6) (i) (intro.) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register June 2020 No. 774; CR 25-013: am. (5) (m) (intro.), (6) (g) 2. Register February 2026 No. 842, eff. 3-1-26; correction in (6) (g) 2. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register February 2026 No. 842. NR 812.27NR 812.27 Pump installer requirements. A pump installer shall perform pump installing in accordance with all of the following requirements: NR 812.27(1)(1) License requirement. A person who performs pump installing work on a potable water supply well is required to obtain a license in accordance with the requirements under ch. NR 146 prior to performing such work. NR 812.27(2)(2) Location requirement. A pump installer may not install a pump in a new well that is not properly located according to the minimum location and separation requirements under s. NR 812.08. A pump installer may not install a pump in an existing well that does not meet the location criteria under s. NR 812.42 (1), except when the reporting requirements under s. NR 812.04 (2) are complied with. NR 812.27(3)(3) Pits. New well pits shall comply with the minimum standards of s. NR 812.36 and the conditions of a department approval. Existing pits and alcoves shall comply with the conditions of a department approval to construct the pit or alcove, or to the minimum standards of s. NR 812.42 (2). NR 812.27(4)(4) Pitless adapters and units. Pump installers installing pitless adapters and pitless units to make subsurface connections to wells shall meet the requirements of s. NR 812.31. Nonpressurized conduits may not be used. NR 812.27(5)(5) Disinfection and well seals. The pump installer shall disinfect and flush any potable well and water system according to s. NR 812.41 (1) and (2) upon completion of the original pump installation and thereafter, any time the well is entered for rehabilitation, redevelopment, reconditioning, or cleaning or if the well is entered for the purpose of installing, replacing, or repairing any equipment located within the well. Disinfection and flushing shall be completed before the system is placed into service. The pump installer shall seal or cover the well with a vermin-proof cap or seal meeting the requirements of s. NR 812.30. The pump installer may designate the owner, the property lessee, or any other person to flush the system. NR 812.27(6)(6) Water sample collection, analysis and reporting. The pump installer shall collect water samples, submit them to a certified laboratory for analysis, and provide the test results as specified in s. NR 812.46. NR 812.27(7)(7) Notification of contaminated wells. Pump installers shall notify the well owner as soon as practicable, but no later than 48 hours, after the pump installer is informed that the water from the well contains contaminant levels in excess of the standards specified in s. NR 812.06. NR 812.27(8)(8) Bacteria positive wells. Pump installers shall return to the well site to diagnose and attempt to correct a problem when an initial sample from a potable well is positive for coliform bacteria. Corrective action should be taken no later than 10 days after the pump installer is informed of a total coliform bacteria-positive result or prior to the well being placed into service, whichever is later. After corrective action the well shall be disinfected and flushed in accordance with s. NR 812.41 and sampled in accordance with s. NR 812.46 (1). NR 812.27(9)(9) Backflow prevention. Potable water supplies shall be protected to prevent back-flow, back-siphonage and cross-connections according to the requirements in s. SPS 382.41 and s. NR 812.32 (1) (f). NR 812.27(10)(10) Noncompliance. When a pump installer has performed pump installation work not in compliance with this chapter, the pump installer shall return to bring the system into compliance. The pump installer shall pay all costs for bringing the installation into compliance with this chapter, other than those costs that would have been charged for an initially complying installation. NR 812.27(11)(11) Open annular space. A pump installer may not install a pump in a well having an open annular space that extends deeper than twice the depth of the pitless adapter or pitless unit. When an annular space is open to a depth greater than this depth, the pump installer shall inform the well driller so that the well driller knows to return to the job site and seal the annular space according to s. NR 812.20. The pump installation shall not be completed until the well driller has resealed the annular space. If the annular space is open to a depth less than or equal to twice the depth of the pitless adapter, the pump installer may seal the open annular space with an approved granular bentonite hydrated with clear water from an uncontaminated source. NR 812.27(12)(a)(a) When required to measure well casing pipe depth by this chapter or at the request of the department, the pump installer shall document the measurement on a form specified by the department and submit the form to the well owner and the department no later than 30 days after performing the measurement. NR 812.27(12)(b)(b) The pump installer shall provide complete and accurate information on the form, including well owner information, well location, well casing pipe depth, total well depth, and distances to potential contaminant sources. NR 812.27 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1991, No. 421, eff. 2-1-91; am. (2), (4) to (6), cr. (8) and (9), Register, September, 1994, No. 465, eff. 10-1-94; correction in (9) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, September, 1996, No. 489; correction in (9) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672; CR 13-099: am. (5), r. and recr. (6), am. (8), (9), cr. (10), (11) Register September 2014 No. 705, eff. 10-1-14; CR 18-095: cr. (intro.), r. and recr. (1), am. (3), (5), r. and recr. (6), am. (7), r. and recr. (8), cr. (9) (title), (10) (title), am. (11), cr. (12) Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7-1-20; correction in (1) (b) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register June 2020 No. 775; CR 25-013: renum. (1) (intro.) to (1) and am., r. (1) (a), (b), renum. (2) (intro.) to (2) and am., r. (2) (a), (b), am. (3) to (5) Register February 2026 No. 842, eff. 3-1-26. NR 812.28NR 812.28 Pump installation equipment and supply pipe. Pump installers shall use pump installation equipment and supply pipe that meet all of the following requirements: NR 812.28(1)(1) Lead prohibited. All material permanently installed in a well by a pump installer and any solder or flux used to make connections within a well shall be lead-free as defined under section 1417 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended. NR 812.28 NoteNote: Section 1417 of the Safe Drinking Water Act defines “lead-free” as not containing more than 0.2 percent lead when used with respect to solder and flux and not more than a weighted average of 0.25 percent lead when used with respect to the wetted surfaces of pipes, pipe fittings, plumbing fittings, and fixtures.
NR 812.28(2)(2) Wellhead equipment. Well caps and seals shall be weather- and vermin-proof compression-type components and shall attach securely to the well. Nuts and bolts shall be made of materials that minimize corrosion. Any component attached to a wellhead shall enter the well in a manner that maintains sanitary integrity and prevents the entrance of contaminants or vermin into the well. NR 812.28(3)(3) Pitless adapters and pitless units. Pitless adapters and pitless units installed on a well shall meet the requirements of s. NR 812.31. NR 812.28(4)(4) Supply pipe. Pipe used for year-round installations shall be protected from freezing. Pump discharge and supply piping shall conform to all of the following requirements that are applicable: NR 812.28(4)(a)(a) Metal pipe. Metal discharge and supply piping shall conform to the specifications for steel pipe under s. NR 812.11 or shall conform to the requirements for pipe and tubing for water services and private water mains under s. SPS 384.30 (4) (d). NR 812.28(4)(b)(b) Joints between pipe and fittings of different metals. Dielectric unions shall be installed at the point of connection of dissimilar metal materials. NR 812.28(4)(c)(c) Plastic pipe. Plastic pipe may not be used for buried pipe in soils known to be contaminated with volatile organic chemicals. Plastic pipe shall conform to the standards for pipe and tubing for water services and private water mains specified under s. SPS 384.30 (4) (d) and shall have a minimum pressure rating of 150 pounds per square inch. When a plastic pipe extends through the seal of a well with an aboveground discharge, the portion of the plastic pipe extending aboveground from the well shall be protected from sunlight, or the plastic pipe used shall be of the type with inhibitors recommended for use in direct sunlight. NR 812.28 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1991, No. 421, eff. 2-1-91; am. Register, September, 1994, No. 465, eff. 10-1-94; corrections made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, May, 2000, No. 533; correction made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672; CR 13-099: am. Register September 2014 No. 705, eff. 10-1-14; CR 18-095: am. Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7-1-20; CR 25-013: r. and recr. Register February 2026 No. 842, eff. 3-1-26. NR 812.29(1)(1) General requirements. Except as provided in sub. (3), a pump installer shall ensure that the watertight well casing pipe for a well terminates at least 12 inches above the established ground surface, above a pumphouse or building floor or above any concrete or asphalt platform surrounding the well casing. NR 812.29(2)(2) Driveway ramps. When a low capacity well is located in an area of traffic or where the well terminus is at risk of contact by vehicles, machinery, equipment or any other hazard that poses a significant threat of damage to the well terminus, the well shall be protected from physical damage by either using rigid metal posts or comparable barriers or by terminating it within a driveway ramp constructed in accordance with s. NR 812.36. NR 812.29(3)(3) Wells in floodplains. For a well in a floodplain, the top of a well and an overflow outlet from a flowing well shall terminate at least 2 feet above the regional flood elevation. A pit or alcove may not be installed to enclose a well or pump installation. NR 812.29(5)(5) Wells in walkout basements. When a well terminates in a walkout basement meeting the requirements of s. NR 812.08 (2) (d), the top of the well shall terminate a minimum of 12 inches above the basement floor. NR 812.29 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1991, No. 421, eff. 2-1-91; CR 13-099: renum. section to (1), (3), (4) and am., cr. (2), (5) Register September 2014 No. 705, eff. 10-1-14; CR 18-095: am. (1), (3), r. (4), r, and recr. (5) Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7-1-20; CR 25-013: cr. (1) (title), (2) (title), (3) (title), (5) (title) Register February 2026 No. 842, eff. 3-1-26. NR 812.30NR 812.30 Vermin-proof well caps and seals. NR 812.30(1)(1) Requirements. A new well shall be sealed or covered with a weather- and vermin-proof compression type well cap or seal meeting the requirements of this section and installed on or in the top of the well casing pipe. NR 812.30(2)(2) Well seal type. When a sanitary well seal is used to cover the upper well terminal, it shall have a one-piece top plate. A split top plate seal may not be installed unless it is enclosed in a substantial, permanent weather-proof shelter meeting the requirements of s. NR 812.40. NR 812.30(3)(3) Well vent. A screened downward facing well vent or other vent may be provided for the well cap or seal for drilled wells. When the well is a flowing well and the well head must be maintained watertight or when there is concern for air-entrained bacteria to enter the well through the vent, the vent opening may be plugged watertight with a threaded plug. Vent pipes extending above the well casing pipe shall terminate in a downward facing bend and shall be screened. Screens shall be made of material not easily corroded and shall be firmly seated in the vent opening. Vent openings incorporated as part of the underside of a well cap or seal are allowed. NR 812.30 NoteNote: The department recommends a vent be provided for the well cap or seal of a well that has significant water level drawdowns during normal pump operation. This recommendation does not apply to flowing wells.
NR 812.30(4)(4) Hold-down device. Well caps or seals may not be used as a hold-down device to prevent submersible pump discharge piping from coming off a pitless adapter or unit. A locking clamp or other similar device may be used to hold the submersible pump discharge pipe in place. NR 812.30(5)(5) Conduit for electrical wiring. Where electrical wiring emerges from an underground installation to supply well pump equipment it shall be protected from physical damage by installing conductors or cables within a nonmetallic or steel raceway. The raceway material shall be: Listed, Schedule 80 sunlight resistant Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride Conduit (Type PVC), Listed, Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC), or galvanized Rigid Metal Conduit. The conduit shall be threaded tightly into the well cap or shall be secured and sealed in an equivalent manner. Where a direct buried electrical cable supplies the well, the bottom of the conduit providing physical protection shall extend a minimum of 2 feet below grade. The conduit shall be sealed above grade in a watertight manner with a listed fitting, or by use of 100% silicone, urethane, or Butyl caulking. Where the conduit or raceway extends continuously from the well to a building or pump equipment enclosure, both ends of the conduit or raceway shall be sealed in a watertight manner as described in this paragraph. NR 812.30(6)(6) Preparation of top of the well casing pipe. Any jagged edges or other significant irregularities in the top of the well casing pipe shall be removed by the well driller or the pump installer before the vermin-cap or seal is installed. NR 812.30 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1991, No. 421, eff. 2-1-91; am. (1), (3) and (5), Register, September, 1994, No. 465, eff. 10-1-94; CR 13-099: am. (3), r. and recr. (5), cr. (6) Register September 2014 No. 705, eff. 10-1-14; CR 18-095: am. (1) Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7-1-20; correction in (1) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register June 2020; CR 25-013: am. (1), (3), (4) Register February 2026 No. 842, eff. 3-1-26. NR 812.31NR 812.31 Pitless adapters and pitless units. Pump installers installing pitless adapters or pitless units to make subsurface connections to wells shall meet all of the following requirements, as applicable: NR 812.31(2)(2) General requirements. No pump installer or person installing pumps may install a pitless adapter or pitless unit on a well that has a condition in an approval or variance that requires the casing to have a permanent grout envelope that extends to the ground surface. A pitless adapter or pitless unit shall be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and any approval conditions. All subsurface connections shall be made in a watertight manner and in accordance with all of the following requirements that are applicable: NR 812.31(2)(a)(a) Weld-on pitless adapters. A weld-on adapter or pitless unit shall be welded or threaded to the well casing pipe according to sub. (3) or (4). All welding shall be performed in accordance with s. NR 812.18. NR 812.31(2)(b)(b) Pitless adapter and pitless unit sizing and type. The inside diameter of a pitless unit may not be smaller than the inside diameter of the well casing pipe. The pitless adapter shall be constructed to provide complete clearance within the internal diameter of the casing and may connect to the casing by a threaded connection, welded connection, bolted flange with gasket, clamp and gasket, or compression gasket. No part of a pitless adapter may extend into the inside of the well casing pipe prior to the installation of the pump, except that a bolt-through pitless adapter may be installed for a well with polyvinyl chloride well casing pipe that has a permanently attached screen. NR 812.31(2)(c)(c) Pitless adapters and units for school and high capacity wells. An above-ground discharge shall be provided for all school and high capacity wells except that a pitless unit or a weld-on pitless adapter may be installed in accordance with sub. (3) if the welded or threaded joints are pressure tested for leakage using a packer and pressure gauge or by a comparable testing procedure. The adapter or unit joints shall be tested and proven watertight under a pressure of not less than 14 pounds per square inch. A soap and water solution shall be applied to welds to identify any leaks, and all leaks shall be repaired with additional welding prior to starting the pressure test. The pressure shall be maintained for at least 30 minutes. The pump installer shall notify the department at least 24 hours before testing. NR 812.31(2)(dm)(dm) Pitless control modules. Pitless control modules designed to house pressure tanks and control valves at the wellhead shall either be welded watertight to the casing or attached with a threaded coupling. NR 812.31(3)(3) Pitless unit connections to steel well casing pipe. NR 812.31(3)(a)(a) Pitless unit connection procedures. When a well casing pipe is not terminated at the desired depth for the installation of a factory assembled pitless unit, the well casing pipe shall be cut off at the desired height, and the pitless unit may be welded or threaded and coupled to the top of the well casing pipe by one of the following methods as depicted in Figure 1 of ch. NR 812 Appendix: NR 812.31(3)(a)1.1. Cutting off the well casing pipe squarely, providing a bevel for the top of the well casing pipe and welding the beveled end of the unit to the beveled end of the well casing pipe. NR 812.31(3)(a)2.2. Cutting threads on the top of the well casing pipe with a pipe die and threading a full-standard recessed coupling watertight to the threaded end of the unit and to the top of the well casing pipe. NR 812.31(3)(a)3.3. Welding a pipe nipple, having threads on one end, beveled on the other end and meeting the requirements specified in s. NR 812.11 (6), to the cut off top beveled end of the well casing pipe and threading a full-length standard recessed coupling watertight to the threaded end of the unit and to the nipple. The top of the well casing pipe and the bottom of the pipe nipple to be welded shall both have beveled ends. If the pitless unit has female threads, the unit may be threaded watertight directly to the threaded end of the nipple. NR 812.31(3)(a)4.4. Reaming out the threads of a full standard recessed coupling, at least 1/3 the length of the coupling, and welding the coupling to the top of the cut-off well casing pipe with a fillet weld on the inside or the outside contact surface of the coupling. NR 812.31(3)(b)(b) Restrictions. When installing a factory assembled pitless unit, the following restrictions shall be followed: NR 812.31(3)(b)1.1. The threaded lower end of a pitless unit may not be welded to the cut-off end of a well casing pipe. NR 812.31(3)(b)2.2. The threaded ends of a short model, factory-assembled pitless unit may not be welded to the top of a cut-off well casing pipe nor to the section of riser pipe extending from the unit to ground grade, except that the unit may be welded to the cut-off well casing pipe and to the riser pipe if the ends of the unit, the well casing pipe, and the riser pipe are cut and beveled according to par. (a) 1. NR 812.31(3)(b)3.3. Factory-assembled pitless units, including those fabricated with pitless receiver tanks, may not be connected to the well casing pipe by means of a compressible joint. NR 812.31(4)(4) Pitless unit and pitless adapter connections to thermoplastic well casing pipe. NR 812.31(4)(a)(a) Solvent welding. The thermoplastic coupling shall be threaded onto the pitless unit before it is solvent-cemented to the top of the thermoplastic well casing pipe. Pitless unit connections for thermoplastic well casing pipe are depicted in Figure 2 of ch. NR 812 Appendix. NR 812.31(4)(b)(b) Lubricants and threading casing. Only approved lubricant specifically intended for use with thermoplastic well casing pipe may be used with threaded couplings used for pitless units and pitless adapters. A threaded joint shall be tightened no more than one full turn using a strap wrench. NR 812.31(4)(c)(c) Threaded coupling restriction. Threaded couplings may only be used for installation of pitless units or pitless adapters after placement of the well casing pipe. NR 812.31(4)(d)(d) Riser pipes. Steel pitless units or pitless adapters may not be welded after they are attached to thermoplastic well casing pipe. The portion of the well casing pipe above a short length pitless unit shall be steel or thermoplastic well casing pipe meeting the requirements specified under s. NR 812.11. When thermoplastic well casing pipe is extended above the ground surface, the thermoplastic pipe shall be of the type with inhibitors recommended for use in direct sunlight or shall be contained in a pumphouse or in an oversized steel pipe extending from below the frost depth to the top of the thermoplastic pipe. A permanent tag bearing the message “plastic well casing pipe” shall be attached to the top of any steel riser pipe. NR 812.31 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, January, 1991, No. 421, eff. 2-1-91; am. (intro.), (1), (2) (a), (b) and (d), (3) (a) 3., (5) (a) and Figure 28, cr. (5) (intro.), Register, September, 1994, No. 465, eff. 10-1-94; CR 13-099: am. (2), (4) (e) Register September 2014 No. 705, eff. 10-1-14; CR 18-095: am. (2) (a), (c), (3) (a) (intro.), 3., (b) (intro.), (4) (a), (d), (e), (5) Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7-1-20; correction in (1) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register June 2020 No. 774; CR 21-070: am. (2) (a) Register July 2022 No. 799, eff. 8-1-22; CR 25-013: am. (intro.), cr. (2) (intro.), am. (2) (a) to (c), r. (2) (d), cr. (2) (dm), (3) (a) (title), (b) (title), am. (4) (a), cr. (4) (b) (title), (c) (title), am. (4) (d), r. (4) (e), (f), consol. (5) (intro.), (a), (b) and renum. (5) and am. Register February 2026 No. 842, eff. 3-1-26. NR 812.32(1)(a)(a) General requirements. Pump installations shall be carried out so the pump installation will be: NR 812.32(1)(a)1.1. Installed so it and its surroundings are in a sanitary condition. NR 812.32(1)(a)2.2. Properly sized to provide the volume of water necessary, where obtainable, for an adequate water supply. NR 812.32(1)(a)3.3. Designed to meet the well characteristics and not exceed the yield of the well except when the available aquifer is low producing. NR 812.32(1)(a)5.5. Installed in such manner as to provide adequate protection against contamination of the water supply from any surface or subsurface sources.
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