You’re clearing brush behind an old farmhouse and find a ring of concrete with a rotting board on top. Or your home just connected to city water and the old well is sitting unused in the yard. By the end of this guide you’ll know why that well matters, what your state likely requires, how the sealing is done, and where to look for help paying for it.

Why an unused well is a bigger problem than it looks

An unused well isn’t just a hole in the ground. It’s a shortcut into the groundwater that you and your neighbors drink.

• A direct path for contamination. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) calls an abandoned well “a direct conduit from the surface to the aquifer below.” Contaminants skip the natural filtering that soil provides, and TCEQ notes a small amount of chemical can contaminate a very large volume of groundwater.
• Your neighbors’ water, too. The Wisconsin DNR warns that contamination entering an unused well can spread through the aquifer to nearby drinking water wells.
• A safety hazard. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) says children and small animals can easily fall into an unprotected well. TCEQ adds that even covered wells can be dangerous because the surrounding soil may cave in.
• Liability. MDH notes that property owners can be held responsible if an unsealed well contaminates drinking water.

The scale is large. The Texas Groundwater Protection Committee estimates there are about 150,000 abandoned wells in Texas alone.

Do you have to plug an abandoned well? State rules vary

In general, a well that is no longer used and isn’t kept in good working condition must be sealed. Who is allowed to do it depends on your state.

State	Who may seal the well	Record to file
Minnesota	MDH-licensed well contractor only; homeowners cannot	Well and Boring Sealing Record to MDH; owner gets a copy
Wisconsin	Licensed well driller or pump installer only (since June 1, 2008)	Well Filling and Sealing Report, filed online by the contractor
Kentucky	Kentucky certified water well driller	Plugging record to the Division of Water and owner within 60 days
Indiana	Licensed driller or pump installer for wells abandoned on or after Jan. 1, 1988; owners may seal older ones	Check with Indiana DNR
Iowa	Property owner or a certified well contractor	Abandoned Water Well Plugging Record (Form 542-1226) through the county
Texas	Landowner or a licensed driller or pump installer	State plugging report to TDLR within 30 days

Sources: MDH, Wisconsin DNR, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Indiana DNR, Story County (Iowa) Environmental Health, TCEQ. Minnesota exempts wells covered by a Water Well Maintenance Permit, and Texas does not treat a well as abandoned if it has a good casing, pump and column or has been properly capped. If your well sits in a Texas groundwater conservation district, the district may have its own application and fees.

Mistake to avoid: Don’t fill an old well with rocks, trash or yard soil. Random fill leaves gaps that let water channel through, and in most states it isn’t a legal seal. Use the approved materials and procedure for your state.

How abandoned well plugging works

The details vary by well type, depth and state code, but contractors follow the same basic sequence.

1. Gather the records. The contractor looks up the well log for depth, diameter and casing information. The Wisconsin DNR notes construction reports exist for many wells back to 1936.
2. Measure the well. Depth, diameter and water level determine how much material is needed.
3. Remove the pump and debris. Pumps, pipe, wiring and anything dropped into the well come out. Wisconsin’s DNR says obstructions may need to be drilled out.
4. Disinfect if required. Texas and Kentucky guidance include chlorinating the well before sealing.
5. Fill from the bottom up. For deeper wells the material goes in through a tremie pipe that reaches the bottom, so the well fills without gaps. Wisconsin lists approved materials including neat cement grout, sand-cement grout, concrete and bentonite chips. TCEQ explains that bentonite swells to about 10 times its dry size, forming a very tight seal.
6. Cut the casing below grade. Kentucky allows a certified driller to cut grouted casing at least 5 feet below the ground surface. TCEQ says to cut casing below plowable depth or as far below ground as possible. Alabama Cooperative Extension states that no part of the casing should remain above the surface after sealing.
7. Backfill and grade. The area is filled with soil and graded so water drains away.
8. File the sealing record. The contractor (or owner, where allowed) submits the state form and gives you a copy.

Dug wells and pits need extra steps. Wisconsin requires removing the top 5 feet of curbing on a dug well, and for well pits, breaking up the floor and at least one wall before filling with clean clay, silt or soil.

What abandoned well plugging costs

Few state agencies publish a single price, because the job varies so much. MDH says sealing costs depend on access to the well, local geology, debris in the well, depth and diameter, and recommends getting more than one estimate. MDH adds that costs can drop if a contractor is already on site drilling a new well, or if several neighbors schedule sealing together.

The one hard figure we could verify comes from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: in Nebraska’s Shell Creek watershed, 23 domestic and livestock wells were decommissioned between 2005 and 2007 at an average of $354 per well, and UNL notes that with cost-share the owner’s share was often under $100. Prices have changed since then, so treat this as a historical example and get current written quotes.

Pro tip: Ask each contractor to itemize pump removal, materials, labor and filing fees. Most grant programs require an itemized estimate anyway.

Cost-share programs that can help pay

Several states and many counties help pay for sealing. Nearly all share one rule: get approved before the work begins.

Program	What it pays	Key conditions
Wisconsin DNR Well Abandonment Grant	75% of eligible costs	Family income of $65,000 or less (reduced amounts from $45,000 to $65,000); licensed contractor; no reimbursement for work done before the approval letter
North Carolina Agriculture Cost Share (CCAP)	75% of actual cost, up to $1,500 per well	Well abandoned for over three years; certified contractor files a GW-30 record
Iowa Grants to Counties (example: Story County)	Up to $500 per well	Contact the county before plugging
Nebraska Natural Resources Districts	Typically 60% to 75% of costs	Rates vary by district; follow the district’s procedures
Minnesota local programs	Varies	MDH says preapproval is typically required

To find a program near you, call your county health department, soil and water conservation district or extension office.

Filing the sealing record (and keeping your copy)

The sealing record is your proof the well no longer exists. Wisconsin’s DNR notes these reports matter for property transfers and contamination investigations. In Minnesota, sellers must disclose all wells on the property, and MDH says a properly sealed, buried well usually doesn’t need to be dug up at sale, as long as the sealing is documented. Store your copy with your deed and other well records.

Found an old well on your property? Do this

1. Keep people and pets away. Cover any opening securely and mark the spot.
2. Don’t climb in, and don’t drop anything in. Pits can contain dangerous gases, and debris makes sealing harder.
3. Look for records. Search your state’s well database and property records. Our guide on how to find a buried well lists where to look.
4. Decide: use it or seal it. A well in good condition may be repaired and put back into use; MDH notes that any repairs must meet current construction standards. Otherwise, plan to seal it.
5. Check cost-share first. Apply before hiring anyone.
6. Get two or more quotes from licensed contractors.
7. Keep the sealing record.

If your active well is near the old one, test it for coliform bacteria and nitrate, since an open well nearby can be a pathway for contamination.

Frequently asked questions

Can I plug my own abandoned well?

It depends on your state. Texas and Iowa allow property owners to plug their own wells, and Indiana allows owners to seal wells abandoned before 1988. Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kentucky require a licensed or certified contractor.

How much does it cost to seal an abandoned well?

It depends on depth, diameter, access and debris. UNL Extension reported an average of $354 per well for a 2005-2007 Nebraska project. Get current quotes and check for cost-share programs, which often pay 60% to 75%.

Is there a grant to cap an old well?

Often, yes. Wisconsin, North Carolina, Iowa counties and Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts all offer cost-share. You usually must be approved before work starts.

What happens if you don’t seal an abandoned well?

It can let surface contamination into the aquifer and nearby wells, and it’s a fall hazard. In states like Minnesota and Texas, owners can be held responsible for resulting pollution or injury.

Is it OK to just put a cap on an unused well?

In some states, a properly capped well in good condition isn’t considered abandoned. Texas, for example, allows this. Check your state’s rules before relying on a cap alone.

Related guides

• How to find a buried well
• Buying a home with a well
• Well cap replacement

Sources

• Minnesota Department of Health – Sealing Unused Wells
• Wisconsin DNR – Well Abandonment Grants
• TCEQ – Landowner’s Guide to Plugging Abandoned Water Wells (RG-347)
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension – Well Decommissioning Process and Cost Shares

This guide is for general information. Well sealing rules differ by state and county; check with your health department and hire a licensed well contractor where your state requires one.