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Online Table of Required Well Clearances: Distances Between Drinking Water Wells and Septic Systems, Treated Soils, Farm Buildings, & Other Site Features InspectAPedia®  -     Setbacks and clearances for wells Distances from private well to other site features U.S. HUD/FHA Well Clearance Distances Table U.S. EPA Well Clearance Distances

Well clearances and distances to other site features: This document provides a table giving the required distances between wells and other site features which could affect drinking water quality - potential sources of well contamination. If a property takes its drinking water supply from a site where these distances are violated, or where there are other reasons to be concerned for water quality, the well water should be tested regularly. Our procedure is to perform an extensive broad-spectrum water test, depending on what we know about the property, its history, and its location. We're not only concerned for bacterial contamination - the common "water coliform test".

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Water serving a farmhouse near an apple orchard might get extra testing for pesticides or fertilizers. Water at a property where fuels or heating oil were stored close to a well may need water testing for petroleum products. Site features which risk well contamination include nearby cesspools, drywells (for gray water), soils which have been chemically treated, such as to provide a termite barrier, farm buildings, manure piles, livestock yards, silos, and fertilizer storage.

Consideration should also be given to surface water runoff from adjoining properties, orchards (pesticide-treated), highways and roads, or properties with above ground or buried storage tanks such as for heating oil, fuel oil, or farm and orchard chemicals. Also see Drinking Water Supply, Contamination Levels, Water Testing Procedures and for other site clearance distances see SEPTIC CLEARANCES for required distances between septic systems and other site features.

The table below gives distance requirements between drinking water supply wells and septic systems, farm buildings, chemically-treated soils (such as for termites) and other property features which may affect drinking water quality. Common guidelines require at least 50' clearance distance between a well and a septic system tank or 150' between a well and a septic drainfield or leaching bed but you will see that different authorities may recommend different distances.

Local soil and rock conditions can make these "rules of thumb" unreliable. See the U.S. "One and Two Family Dwelling Code, Section P-2510-Combined Seepage Pits and Disposal Fields," and Table P-2504, "Location of Sewage Disposal System." Other references are cited at the end of this table. A separate table SEPTIC CLEARANCES gives the required distances between septic systems and other site features.

Online Tables of Required Well Clearances to Site Features

US-HUD/FHA Well Clearance Distances

WELL & SEPTIC SYSTEM CLEARANCE DISTANCES - TABLE NOTES:
Distances from a drinking water well to the contamination sources above are in feet unless otherwise stated.

HUD distances to septic drainfield, and similar components changed from 75' to 100' prior to 10/2009 - thanks to a reader [anonymous by request].

-1 Distance from source of pollution - proposed construction, US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, FHA, Local acceptable standard No. 3, June 18, 1992, Ref. Hud Handbook 4910.1 Chg 1, Appendix K, Pg K-27

(SUP2) The recommendations or requirements of the local health authority shall apply.

(SUP3) This clearance may be reduced to 15 feet only where the ground surface is effectively separated from the water bearing formation by an extensive, continuous and impervious strata of clay, hardpan, or rock.

(*EP) For Existing Properties. If the locality permits distance requirements less than those prescribed by FHA, the property may be considered eligible for a mortgage insured by FHA provided that the lender submits evidence in the case binder that the subject property is in compliance with the applicable local or state distance requirements and meets the conditions stated in Mortgagee Letter 2002-25.

Is your well located on your property?

Individual Water Systems/Wells should be located on the subject property site. If not, they must be on an adjacent property, and evidence of water rights and recorded maintenance agreement must be provided for acceptance of the well as the primary source of water for an FHA insured property.

Is a Hand Dug or Driven Point Well Acceptable to HUD?

New wells must be drilled, no less than 20 feet deep, and cased. Casing should be steel or other casing material that is durable, leak-proof, and acceptable to (either) the local health authority and (or) the trade or profession licensed to drill and repair wells in the local jurisdiction. Additional information on new wells, pumps, and storage tanks construction information may be referenced from HUD Handbook 4910.1, Appendix K and 24CFR 200.926d(f) [DJF note: we removed the link to this CFR citation because it is not working at the HUD site; accurate link citation needed]

Is a Cistern an Acceptable Water Supply for HUD Financing?

Cisterns:HUD Handbook 4150.2 Section 3-6 indicates that properties served by cisterns are not acceptable for mortgage insurance. However, the HOCs have the authority to consider waivers in areas where cisterns are typical.

Our photo (above left) shows a hybrid system: this outdoor cistern is filled by pumping from an open casing in a drilled well that was inserted in the bottom of a dug well that went "dry" (photo, above right).

As will be apparent to readers, both the open top of this cistern and the open casing in the bottom of the dug well are sources of water contamination.

See Cisterns for more information about this water source.

Is Water Purification Equipment Required by or Acceptable to HUD for HUD Financing?

Individual Residential Water Purification Equipment - If a property is otherwise eligible for insurance but does not have access to a continuing supply of safe and potable water without the use of a water purification system, the requirements in Mortgagee Letter 1992-18 must be satisfied. Our photo (left) shows a UV light water treatment system installed to address low-level bacterial contamination in a private water supply. See WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES for details. The HUD letter states that effective 5 June 1992, [we quote key portions of the document]: Effective immediately, the Department (HUD) will accept individual water purification units on all single family properties including both proposed and existing construction. This Mortgagee Letter sets forth the requirements for HUD acceptance of these individual water purification units. This Mortgagee Letter supersedes Mortgagee Letter 91-4 dated January 25, 1991. B. CERTIFICATION BY LOCAL (or STATE) HEALTH AUTHORITY. A local (or State) health authority certification must be submitted to HUD which certifies the following: 1. That a "point-of-use" or "point-of-entry" water purification unit is operating on the property. If "point-of-use" equipment is used, a water purification unit must be employed on each water supply source (inside and outside faucet) serving the property. (If a "point-of entry" system is used, a separate water supply system carrying untreated water for flushing toilets may be used); 2. That the water purification unit is sufficient to assure an uninterrupted supply of safe and potable water, adequate to meet household needs; 3. That the water supply, when treated by the water purification unit, meets the water quality standards of the local (or State) health authority. If there are no local (or State) water quality standards, then water quality must meet the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as prescribed in the National Primary Drinking Water requirements in 40 CFR Parts 141 and 142; and 4. That there exists a Plan that provides for the monitoring, servicing, maintenance, and replacement of the water purification equipment, and which meets the requirements listed in paragraph G below.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA Well Clearance Distances

US-EPA Distances from Well to:
Septic tanks			50 [This distance may not be acceptable by most local, state, and other agencies and probably needs updating - DJF]
Septic leach fields			50 [This is unlikely to be acceptable by most local, state, and other agencies and probably needs updating - DJF]
Livestock yards			50 [This is unlikely to be acceptable by most local, state, and other agencies and probably needs updating - DJF]
Silos			50 [This is unlikely to be acceptable by most local, state, and other agencies and probably needs updating - DJF]
Petroleum Tanks			100
Liquid Tight Manure Storage			100
Pesticide & Fertilizer Storage & Handling			100
Manure stacks			250
Water supply piping to Septic Tank/Field			10

TABLE NOTES:
Distances are in feet unless otherwise stated
EPA references above and for other EPA information see Well Construction and Maintenance [Details to Help Avoid Well Water Contamination] US EPA

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WELL CHLORINATION SHOCKING PROCEDURE

• Thanks to a reader [anonymous by request] (10/19/09) for pointing out updates to the US-HUD well clearance tables.
• Additional distance information may be referenced from HUD Handbook 4910.1, Appendix K, 24CFR Sec. 200.926d [dead link removed by DJF, proper citation needed] & Mortgagee Letter 2002-25.
• Cisterns: HUD Handbook 4150.2 Section 3-6 indicates that properties served by cisterns are not acceptable for mortgage insurance. However, the HOCs have the authority to consider waivers in areas where cisterns are typical.
• Please see: HUD Handbook 4150.1, Rev-1, Sec. 12-16 and 12-17 and "Central Water and Sewage Systems", 4075.12 REV, 4150.2 Section 3-6 [NOTE: this pertains to public systems and community central water and sewage systems and not private installations- DJF] 24CFR 200.926(f) [Code of Federal Regulations, not a working link - DJF, here is the main link to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)]

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More Information About Septic Systems - Onsite Waste Disposal Design, Maintenance, Repair

• Drinking Water Supply, Contamination Levels, Water Testing Procedures
• SEPTIC CLEARANCES for required distances between septic systems and other site features.
• Inspecting Septic Systems: Inspection, Test, Diagnosis, Repair, & Maintenance: Our Online Septic Book: Septic Testing, Loading & Dye Tests, Septic Tank Pumping, Clearances, details of onsite waste disposal system inspection, testing, repair procedures.
• The Septic System Information Website - Extensive, Detailed Consumer and Industry Information on Septic System Inspection, Testing, Maintenance, Alternatives for on-site waste disposal
• Alternative & Advanced Designs for Septic Systems for discussion and links to (on-site waste disposal) System Designs for Problem Sites & Soils. Books, Consultants, Engineers, Designers. Alternative septic system designs can substantially reduce the normal required distances between septic system components and wells, lakes, streams, and property boundaries.
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