No. The Regulation clearly states that even shallow holes which are exempt from the Regulation must still be backfilled according to one of the following two methods:
a) Preserve and keep clean the major horizons of soils removed from the hole, and backfill the hole with this material in the same relative positions that they originally occupied.
b) Backfill with a sealant such as commercially produced dry bentonite, or with clean, uncontaminated soil that has a grain size that is the same or finer than the soil that was originally excavated.
Holes which are to be abandoned within 30 days must still be backfilled with a suitable sealant.
Exemptions and Well Construction
- I just need a temporary hole – shouldn’t I be exempt from the Reg?
- Are there ever situations when a well is exempt from Regulation 903?
- I don’t need a well pipe – can you backfill my hole with cuttings?
- My well is not exempt from the Reg – what are the implications?
- Can’t your crew backfill above the screened zone with cuttings – like my old driller did?
Tagging and Well Records
- Do you have to tag my well and file a Ministry Record?
- Does it cost extra to file the well record?
- What can I do so that my wells qualify for a single cluster record instead of multiple records?
- It’s extremely difficult to get the property owner’s signature for a cluster record. Can’t I just sign the form myself, as the owner’s consultant?
- Can I Remove the Well Tag that Kodiak Has Affixed to the Well?
Well Abandonment
- We give our clients cost estimates to install wells and do testing – but we never include costs for removal. Do we really have to remove the well when our project is done?
- I want my well removed and there are no ongoing operations at this property and no chance of contamination. Why does the Kodiak crew insist on backfilling my abandoned well with sealant?
- Does a Well Record Have to Be Filed When A Well Is Abandoned?
