Mississippi private well rules

Who licenses well work in Mississippi

A Mississippi licensed well driller must be used to drill water wells.

MDEQ keeps records on drilled and plugged wells in the state.

A property owner or lessee may drill a well on their own property without a water well contractor license if it only supplies water to the single family home that is their permanent residence (farm uses are also covered). They must still follow state construction standards.

Sources: MDEQ licenses drillers and pump installers; Homeowner may drill own domestic well

Who may work on a well pump

Anyone, individual or company, who installs or services water well pumps in Mississippi must hold an MDEQ license.

A pump company must have an individual license holder who is responsible for the competency of all its installers.

The rules count pulling and reinstalling a pump for service, repair or replacement as pump installation.

Sources: Pump installers need an MDEQ license; Pump service is covered

Does the state require well testing?

MDEQ recommends a yearly well maintenance inspection that includes a coliform bacteria test.

Water should also be checked whenever its taste, odor or appearance changes, or any time the water system is serviced.

After a new drinking water well is disinfected, it must be pumped until the water is chlorine free, and the sample must be free of coliform bacteria.

Sources: Annual inspection and coliform test recommended; New wells must test free of coliform

Getting your water tested in Mississippi

The Mississippi State Department of Health tests private wells for bacteria only. Minerals, chemicals and other contaminants must be tested by a private laboratory.

Through the online application, the Department will take a water sample from your well and test it for bacteria.

The online application says an invoice of $10 plus a processing fee is emailed within one business day.

Samples can be dropped off at a county health department the same day they are collected for overnight shipment to the Public Health Laboratory.

Sources: MSDH tests for bacteria only; Apply online for sampling; County health department drop off

Disinfecting a well

MSDH's procedure uses 4 cups (1 quart) of unscented household bleach in 5 gallons of water, poured down the well.

The chlorinated water should stand in the well at least 8 hours, and 24 hours if possible.

If two rounds of disinfection do not clear the contamination, MSDH says to contact a licensed water well contractor.

New drinking water wells must be disinfected with at least 50 mg/l free chlorine for at least 24 hours.

Sources: Bleach mix; New wells

Plugging an unused well

Wells 25 feet deep or more that reach water bearing layers must be decommissioned by an MDEQ licensed water well contractor.

Wells less than 25 feet deep may be plugged by someone other than a licensed contractor, but the same procedures and reporting apply.

MDEQ may consider a well abandoned if it has not been used in the past 12 months.

An MDEQ fact sheet says state regulations require the owner to properly decommission a well within 90 days of abandoning it.

Sources: Licensed contractor for wells 25 feet or deeper; 90 day deadline

Checking a contractor's license

MDEQ compiles a current list of licensed water well drillers, pump installers and special purpose drillers.

MDEQ advises homeowners to always ask to see the driller's license.

MDEQ advises insisting on a written agreement or contract before work starts.

MDEQ's homeowner checklist says to use licensed or certified drillers and pump installers whenever a pump is installed or the system is serviced.

Sources: State list of licensees; Ask to see the license; Use licensed pros for pump service