Forms & Resources
Required for every completed or abandoned well. Due within 10 days per R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-13.2-5.
Get Form from RIDOH ↗Apply or renew your Well-Drilling Contractor or Pump Installer license online.
DBR Portal ↗Required Submission
The Well Completion Report must be filed with three parties:
- Well owner (provide copy)
- Local building official (town/city where well is located)
- RI Department of Health (Drinking Water Quality office)
There is no state fee for filing the completion report (aside from local permit fees that vary by municipality).
Licensing Requirements
Rhode Island requires licensed contractors per R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-65.2 (Well-Drilling, Pump Installer, and Water-Filtration Contractors Law).
License Fees
Continuing Education
- Hours required: 10 hours per 2-year renewal cycle
- Topics: Must relate to well drilling, pumps, or water treatment
- Providers: Board-approved providers only (see CRB website for current list)
- Record retention: Keep certificates for 3 license cycles (~6 years)
Exam Requirements
Applicants must demonstrate relevant drilling experience and pass a state-approved exam administered by PSI. No exemptions after April 1, 2020.
The Board sends renewal notices ~60 days before expiration. Renew online through the DBR portal before your license expires to avoid the $50 late fee.
Reporting & Documentation
Well Completion Report Requirements
The report must include:
- Well location (address, coordinates)
- Depth and lithology (formation descriptions)
- Water-bearing zones encountered
- Static water level
- Casing sizes, materials, and depths
- Grouting/sealing information
- Pump test data (if conducted)
- Driller's name, license number, and signature
The completion report must be filed within 10 days of finishing the well or abandonment work. This is mandated by R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-13.2-5.
Abandonment/Sealing Reports
Use the same Well Completion Report form to document decommissioned wells. The top of the casing must be cut off and sealed ≥4 ft below ground. Note "decommissioned" on the report and indicate grouting method.
Construction Standards
Standards governed by 440-RICR-10-00-6 and 216-RICR-50-05
Casing Materials
- Steel: New ASTM A-53, minimum Schedule 10
- PVC: NSF/ANSI-certified (ASTM F480, labeled "NSF-pw")
- Fiberglass: Must meet NSF-61/ASTM D-2996
Annular Seal (Grouting)
- Drill hole must be at least 3 inches larger than casing
- Fill continuously with no voids
- Cement grouts must meet DOH specifications (neat or sand-cement mixtures)
- Bentonite may be added to cement grout
- Casing typically sealed at least 18 inches into bedrock (or 18 ft below grade for deep wells)
Setback Requirements
Disinfection
After drilling, wells must be chlorinated and flushed. State regulations require zero coliform before placing well in service. Standard practice is shock chlorination (50-100 ppm bleach, 24-hour stand time, flush to <2 ppm residual, retest).
Permits
Local Well Permits
Rhode Island has no statewide drilling permit fee beyond licensing. However, most municipalities require a local well permit from the town/city building department. Fees vary by town ($50-$200 typical).
Public Water Availability Restriction
RI law generally forbids drilling a new well if public water is available. If municipal water mains reach the property, owners must connect to the public system. Verify local rules before drilling.
High-Capacity Wells
Wells for new public water systems or major capacity increases require approval by the Water Resources Board and RIDOH per R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 46-15. Very large groundwater withdrawals may trigger DEM water appropriation review.
Special Permits
- Geothermal heat-exchange wells: May require DEM Underground Injection Control approval (WQC permit)
- Monitoring wells: Must comply with DEM groundwater injection regulations
- Abandonment: Only licensed drillers may seal or abandon any borehole that taps groundwater
Drilling Conditions by Region
RI's largest, most productive aquifers are in glacial stratified drift (coarse sands/gravel) mainly in south-central RI.
- Most productive aquifers (coarse sands/gravel)
- Typical yields: 10-50+ gpm
- Shallower wells possible
- Good water quality generally
- Metamorphic rocks (gneiss, schist)
- Typical yields: <10 gpm
- Heavy-duty drilling equipment required (hammer bits, power rigs)
- Watch for boulders in glacial till
- Triassic sedimentary rocks (sandstone/shales)
- More sand/gravel layers (better yield potential)
- Clay/silt can cement bits
- Variable water quality
- Saltwater intrusion risk (Charlestown, S. Kingstown, Westerly)
- Wells may need to be deeper for fresh water
- Avoid over-pumping to prevent upconing
- Test for chloride levels
Seasonal Considerations
- Frost depth: ~30 inches (2.5 ft) - protect surface piping
- Water table: Peaks in late winter/early spring (snowmelt)
- Spring floods: Can inundate low-lying sites - keep wells above 100-year flood elevation
- Summer droughts: Shallow wells may experience lowered water tables
Typical Well Depths
Domestic wells in RI vary widely with yield targets. As a guide (675-RICR-5 standards):
- 6″ bedrock well for 5 gpm: typically ~100 ft
- 6″ bedrock well for 2 gpm: ~200–300 ft
- 6″ bedrock well for 0.5 gpm: ~450 ft
- Unconsolidated (sand/gravel) wells may be shallower if tapping large aquifers
- Wells near saltwater bodies often extend deeper to ensure fresh water
Special Requirements & Contamination Zones
Arsenic Advisory Areas
RIDOH has identified zones (e.g. parts of Exeter, West Greenwich, etc.) with elevated natural arsenic in aquifers. In these areas, use watertight casings and consider treating/casing deep enough to bypass arsenic-bearing strata.
Wellhead Protection Areas
DEM has designated Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPAs) around all public supply wells (e.g. Pawcatuck, Aquidneck, Pettaquamscutt, and Jamestown). Drillers must not compromise these areas without authorization.
Sole-Source Aquifers
DEM's Groundwater Quality Rules (250-RICR-150-05-03) list RI's sole-source aquifers (e.g. Pawcatuck, Aquidneck). Extra caution is warranted in these areas.
Resources & Contacts
Professional Associations
- Rhode Island Water Works Association – trade group for water supply
- Rhode Island Rural Water Association (RIRWA) – support/training for small water utilities
- National Ground Water Association (NGWA) – national drilling/pumping trade group
Regulatory References
- 440-RICR-10-00-6 – Well-Drillers, Pump Installers, and Water Filtration Contractors rules
- R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 46-13.2 – Drilling of Drinking Water Wells Act
- 216-RICR-50-05-1 – Public Drinking Water construction standards
- 216-RICR-50-05-2 – Private Drinking Water Systems
- R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-65.2 – Well-Drilling, Pump Installer, and Water-Filtration Contractors Law
Sources & References
This guide is based on official sources including:
- Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (DBR)
- Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) – Drinking Water Quality program
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM)
- R.I. Code of Regulations (440-RICR-10-00-6, 216-RICR-50-05-1, 216-RICR-50-05-2)
- R.I. General Laws Chapter 46-13.2, Chapter 5-65.2
All regulatory citations link to official government sources for verification.
Frequently Asked Questions
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