Forms & Resources
Required for every completed well. Due within 60 days.
Access eForms Portal ↗Required after pump installation. Due within 60 days.
Access eForms Portal ↗All Required Forms
- GWS-31: Well Construction and Test Report
- GWS-32: Pump Installation and Equipment Test Report
- GWS-173: Well Permit Application
- Advance Notification: 24-hour notice before drilling (if permit requires)
- Plugging/Abandonment Report: After well decommissioning
Licensing Requirements
Colorado requires Board-licensed contractors for all well drilling and pump installation work per CRS Title 37, Article 91.
License Types
Continuing Education
- Hours required: 8 hours per calendar year
- Providers: Board-approved only (e.g., Colorado Water Well Contractors Association)
- Topics: Hydrogeology, drilling techniques, pump systems, sanitation, safety
- Deadline: Certificates must be filed by January 15 annually
- Consequence: License expires February 1 if CE not certified
License Renewal
Licenses can be renewed for 1-3 year terms. Renewal applications with fees must be submitted by February 1 of the renewal year. Late renewals require a $100 reinstatement fee.
Reporting & Documentation
Well Construction Report Requirements (GWS-31)
The well construction report must include:
- As-built well location (UTM coordinates)
- Depth and lithology (formation descriptions)
- Casing sizes, materials, and depths
- Aquifers perforated and water-bearing zones
- Grouting/sealing details (depths, materials, centralizers)
- Static water level measurements
- Yield estimates and pump test data
- Water quality observations
Construction Standards (2 CCR 402-2)
Casing Requirements
- Surface casing must be steel pipe ≥19 ft long
- PVC casing is prohibited above grade
- Used oil-field pipe is prohibited
- All casing must be new or unused (except reused from previous well)
Annular Seal (Grouting)
- Annular space between borehole and casing must be cement-grouted
- Centralizers required every 50 ft in grouted intervals
- Follow Rule 10.5 grouting specifications
- Seal must prevent contamination from surface or inter-aquifer flow
Setback Requirements
Note: Local ordinances may be stricter. Always verify local requirements. Board approval is required for any variance from these minimum setbacks.
Disinfection (Rule 15)
All new, reconditioned, or repaired wells for human consumption must be disinfected before leaving the site. Follow AWWA C651 standards (incorporated by reference in Rule 15). Dosing and proving residual chlorine required.
Flowing/Artesian Wells
Flowing or artesian wells must be controlled or plugged at construction completion. Control equipment must be maintained and operational (2 CCR 402-2-10.9).
Permits
State Well Permits
All new wells require a state permit from the Division of Water Resources per CRS 37-90-137. The only limited exception is domestic use up to 15 gpm and 2 acre-feet/year for two single-family residences, but even exempt uses often need registration.
- Application: Complete appropriate form on DWR eForms portal
- Review time: Up to 49 days for complete applications
- Fee: Several hundred dollars (varies by well type)
- Posting: Permit must be posted at well site during drilling
Special Permits
Shallow geothermal wells (<2,500 ft, Denver Basin) require a separate Operations Permit from DWR. Follow 2 CCR 402-10 regulations. Ground-Heat-Exchanger contractor licensing now required (HB 25-1165).
Temporary monitoring holes (<18 months, no pump) can be drilled with 72-hour notice. Any monitoring well with pump or longer-term use must be permitted like a production well.
Drilling Conditions by Region
- Fractured crystalline basement and sedimentary aquifers
- Typical depths: 100-500 ft (alpine/foothills)
- Slow drilling in hard granite or gneiss
- Alluvial fans: higher yields in sand/gravel
- Aquifers: Lyons, Arapahoe, Laramie formations
- High Plains aquifer (Ogallala Formation)
- Unconfined, shallow (tens to few hundred feet)
- Easy drilling in sand/gravel
- Require sand-control screens
- Issues: collapsing sands, high sediment
- Thick sequences (up to 1,500+ ft)
- Confined aquifers, often artesian
- Layers: Denver, Arapahoe, Laramie-Fox Hills
- Harder drilling through interbedded shale/sandstone
- Pressure control required for flowing wells
- Alluvial and shallow sedimentary aquifers
- Aquifers: Ogallala, Arikaree, Niobrara
- High water tables near rivers
- Coarse, high-quality water common
- Spring flooding can impact drill sites
Spring: Snowmelt can raise water tables and flood low-lying well sites. Consider drawing down aquifers after wet seasons.
Resources & Contacts
Regulatory References
- 2 CCR 402-2 – Well Construction, Pump Installation Standards
- 2 CCR 402-2-10 – Minimum Construction Standards for Water Wells
- 2 CCR 402-14 – Board of Examiners Licensing Rules
- CRS Title 37, Article 91 – Well Drillers Licensing Law
Professional Associations
- Colorado Water Well Contractors Association (CWWCA): Industry training and resources
- National Ground Water Association (NGWA): National industry guidance
- American Water Works Association (AWWA): Colorado Section resources
Frequently Asked Questions
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