Drinking Water / Wells

The mission of the Drinking Water Program is to protect public health by assuring that residents and visitors to Jefferson County have access to a safe and reliable supply of quality drinking water and that it is reasonably available. By enforcing and monitoring laws regulating public and private water supplies, the Drinking Water Program minimizes the threat of waterborne disease.

IMPORTANT CHANGES DURING COVID-19: Staff work is limited to that which supports Group B water systems or emergency repairs to private systems.

Program Services


  • Potable Water Review: The program reviews water availability to meet building permit requirements pursuant to the Growth Management Act.
  • Public Water Supply Systems: The program provides technical assistance for small public water supply systems.
  • Testing: The program provides water bottles for homeowners to conduct bacteriologic testing of their drinking water.
  • Well Construction Inspections: The program inspects construction of individual water wells for new wells, reconstruction, decommission and replacement.
  1. Is someone available to answer my questions?
  2. I want to know about wells in the area and need to find a well log or water well report. How do I do that?
  3. How do I find a well driller?
  4. Why is the State Department of Ecology in charge of water wells?
  5. How is Jefferson County involved with drilling of wells?
  6. How do I obtain a variance for a well?
  7. I need to test my well water to get a building permit, what should I do?
  8. I just want to test my well water for my own reasons. What should I test for and how?
  9. How do I decommission a well?
  10. I want to store water in containers. Do I need to add something like chlorine to the water? How do you purify your water? How long is it safe to keep in bottles?
  11. How far does a well have to be from a septic system?
  12. What information do I need to know about as a private well owner?
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