Chapter NR 812

NR 812.26(6)(d)3. 3. Drillholes 3 inches in diameter or greater shall be filled with drilling mud, cuttings, bentonite pellets, or bentonite chips to fill and seal the drillhole up to 10 feet below ground surface. From the existing ground surface to 10 feet below grade, the drillhole shall be filled with bentonite chips or pellets and hydrated with clear water obtained from an uncontaminated source.

NR 812.26(6)(d)4. 4. The top 18 inches near the surface may consist of asphalt, concrete, sand and gravel base coarse, or native soil. Sealing material in drillholes completed in agricultural areas may be terminated 30 inches below the ground surface and clean native soil may be placed on top of the settled sealing material to avoid interference with agricultural activities.

NR 812.26(6)(e) (e) Wells completed in bedrock formations.

NR 812.26(6)(e)1. 1. Wells completed in bedrock formations shall be filled completely and sealed from the bottom up with neat cement grout, sand-cement grout, concrete, bentonite chips, or pellets except bentonite chips are not allowed for wells and drillholes less than 3 inches in diameter.

NR 812.26(6)(e)2. 2. Chlorinated sand-free pea gravel may be used to fill and seal an uncontaminated bedrock well deeper than 250 feet. Pea gravel may be poured without the use of a tremie pipe provided the well is sounded at 50-foot intervals to prevent bridging. When using pea gravel, the well shall be filled from the bottom up to 20 feet below the bottom of the casing pipe, or up to the 250-foot depth, whichever is deeper.

NR 812.26(6)(e)3. 3. When a well extends through the Maquoketa Shale formation, a neat cement grout, concrete, or bentonite chip or pellet plug at least 40 feet thick shall be placed and centered at the contact surface between the Maquoketa Shale and adjacent geologic formations, both above and below. When a well extends through the top of the uppermost Cambrian Sandstone formation or the top of the Eau Claire Formation of the Cambrian Sandstone, a neat cement grout, concrete, or bentonite chip or pellet plug at least 40 feet thick shall be placed and centered at the upper formation boundary whenever these layers are present in the open bedrock drillhole.

NR 812.26(6)(f) (f) Drillholes completed in bedrock formations. Drillholes completed into bedrock formations shall be filled and sealed from the bottom up with neat cement grout, sand cement grout, bentonite chips, or bentonite pellets except bentonite chips are not allowed for wells and drillholes less than 3 inches in diameter.

NR 812.26(6)(g) (g) Dug and bored wells.

NR 812.26(6)(g)1. 1. Dug or bored wells shall have the cover removed and the top five feet of curbing or concrete wall removed. Rock curbing may be caved into the drillhole as the well is being sealed only if done in a manner to prevent bridging. The well shall be filled and sealed using clean clay or silt, clean native soil, bentonite chips or pellets, concrete, sand-cement grout, or neat cement grout if constructed in unconsolidated formations.

NR 812.26(6)(g)2. 2. Dug or bored wells constructed partially or completely into bedrock shall be filled and sealed with neat cement grout, sand-cement grout, concrete, or bentonite chips or pellets to a point at least two feet above the top of the bedrock. The remainder of the well or drillhole may be filled and sealed using any of the materials listed in par. (c) 1.

NR 812.26(6)(g)3. 3. Dug or bored wells 18 inches in diameter and smaller shall be filled and sealed by means of a tremie pipe, except when bentonite chips or pellets are used or when clean clay or silt or clean native soil is used and the dug or bored well is 25 feet deep or less.

NR 812.26(6)(h) (h) Heat exchange drillholes. The filling and sealing of heat exchange drillholes shall be completed according to all of the following requirements:

NR 812.26(6)(h)1. 1. If the loops for a heat exchange drillhole have not been grouted in place and can be removed from the drillhole, the loops shall be removed before filling and sealing.

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)2. 2. The materials and method of filling and sealing.

NR 812.26(7)(b)3. 3. The construction of the well or drillhole.

NR 812.26(7)(b)4. 4. The geologic features of the well or drillhole.

NR 812.26(7)(b)5. 5. The Wisconsin Unique Well Number of the well, if known.

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 History History: 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.

subch. III of ch. NR 812 Subchapter III — Requirements for New Pump Installations and Water Treatment

NR 812.27 NR 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. An individual who performs pump installing is required to be a licensed pump installer except that a license is not required for any of the following individuals provided all other requirements of this subchapter are met:

NR 812.27(1)(a) (a) An individual who is employed by a licensed pump installer or a person registered as a business to perform pump installing.

NR 812.27(1)(b) (b) An individual master plumber licensed under ch. 145, Stats., who is installing a pressure tank.

NR 812.27(2) (2) Location requirement. Except when the reporting requirements of s. NR 812.04 (2) are complied with, a pump may not be installed, replaced or serviced in a well that is not properly located according to the minimum location and separation requirements in effect at the time of construction and:

NR 812.27(2)(a) (a) According to the minimum location requirements in effect at the time of installation of any potential source of contamination, if the source was installed more recently, or

NR 812.27(2)(b) (b) According to the minimum location requirements of s. NR 812.08.

NR 812.27(3) (3) Pits. 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 or persons installing pumps shall use approved pitless adapters and pitless units to make subsurface connection to wells as specified in s. NR 812.31.

NR 812.27(5) (5) Disinfection and well seals. The pump installer shall disinfect any potable well and water system according to s. NR 812.41 (1) and (2) upon completion of the original pump installation and thereafter, anytime the well is entered for the purpose of measuring or diagnosing any feature or problem with the well or after 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. Following disinfection, the disinfectant shall be flushed according to s. NR 812.41 (2). The 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 approved for use under s. NR 812.091. 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) (12) Well casing pipe depth measurement.

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 History History: 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.

NR 812.28 NR 812.28 Pump installation equipment and supply pipe. Pump installation products and equipment may not be used unless they are approved for use under s. NR 812.091. Pump discharge and supply piping shall conform to the requirements specified in s. NR 812.11 for steel pipe or shall conform to the requirements in the “Pipe and Tubing for water services and private water mains” table in s. SPS 384.30, except that Type M copper pipe may not be installed underground. Pipe used for year-round installations shall be protected from freezing. Lead-based solder for pipe connections may not be used. Limitations on the use of plastic pipe are found in s. SPS 384.30. Plastic pipe may not be used for buried pipe in soils known to be contaminated with volatile organic chemicals. Plastic pipe may be used as drop pipe installed within a well or for discharge piping between the well and the building served, provided it meets standards specified in s. SPS 384.30 and has a minimum pressure rating of 150 pounds per square inch. When plastic pipe extends through the seal of a well with an above-ground discharge, the portion of the plastic pipe extending above-ground 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 Note Note: The department recommends the installation of torque arresters on the drop pipe for submersible pumps. The department recommends that galvanized pipe not be used when the water quality is known to be corrosive.

NR 812.28 History History: 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.

NR 812.29 NR 812.29 Height of finished well.

NR 812.29(1) (1) 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) 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) 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) 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 History History: 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.

NR 812.30 NR 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 approved for use under s. NR 812.091 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 an approved well cap or seal are allowed.

NR 812.30 Note Note: 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 approved 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 History History: 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.

NR 812.31 NR 812.31 Pitless adapters and pitless units. Pump installers or persons installing pumps shall use pitless adapters or pitless units approved for use under s. NR 812.091 to make subsurface connections to wells. Nonpressurized conduits may not be used.

NR 812.31(2) (2) General requirements.

NR 812.31(2)(a) (a) A pitless subsurface pipe connection to a well casing pipe shall be made with a weld-on, clamp-on, bolt-on or bolt-through pitless adapter or with a pitless unit, except that a bolt-through adapter may only be installed for a well constructed with polyvinyl chloride well casing pipe that has a permanently attached well screen. A weld-on adaptor 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. A pitless adapter or pitless unit shall be installed according to any approval conditions and according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

NR 812.31(2)(b) (b) The inside diameter of a pitless unit may not be smaller than the inside diameter of the well casing pipe. No part of a pitless adapter may extend into the inside of the well casing pipe, except that a bolt-through pitless adapter may be installed for a well with polyvinyl chloride well casing pipe having a permanently attached screen.

NR 812.31(2)(c) (c) 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 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 psi. 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, so that a department employee may witness the test.

NR 812.31(2)(d) (d) An above-ground discharge shall be provided for crystalline (granite) bedrock wells approved for installation of 25 or less feet of well casing pipe. When installing the above-ground discharge, the required neat cement grout surrounding the well casing pipe may not be removed.

NR 812.31(3) (3) Pitless unit connections to steel well casing pipe.

NR 812.31(3)(a) (a) 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) 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) Steel well casing pipe, pitless units or pitless adapters may not be welded after they are attached to thermoplastic well casing pipe. 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.

NR 812.31(4)(b) (b) 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 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) 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 in s. NR 812.11.