Well Inspections and Old Well Sealing in Northeast Wisconsin

Well inspections for a home sale

Under state law, only a licensed water well driller or licensed pump installer may be paid to give a statement on a well. A home inspector may not hold that license.

• The inspector looks over the parts of the well and pump that the code covers.
• They search the property for other wells, even unused ones. Each well gets its own form.
• Water is tested for coliform bacteria, nitrate and arsenic.
• The inspection does not cover the house plumbing or the wiring.

No state rule says a well must be brought up to code before a sale. Buyers and sellers can negotiate repairs, and a lender may require them as part of a loan.

Unused wells must be sealed

Wisconsin requires a well to be properly filled and sealed once it is taken out of service. An open old well is a direct path for surface water to reach the water you drink.

Only a licensed well driller or pump installer may fill and seal a well. The owner cannot do it, and the work is reported to the DNR online.

Older properties sometimes have more than one well, which is why a sale inspection looks for them. If you find a pipe or a cover you cannot explain, ask a driller to look.

Questions to ask

• Do you hold a DNR water well drilling or pump installer license?
• Which lab runs the water tests for the inspection?
• Did you find any other wells on the property?
• Is filling and sealing the old well a separate price, and do you file the report?