 Carteret County Environmental Health has been enforcing North Carolina Private Drinking Water Well
Rules since July 1, 2008. The rules affect many people throughout our county and across the State of
North Carolina as nearly half of our State's population obtains their drinking water from a private well.
These rules serve to help further protect the public's health by ensuring private drinking water wells are
constructed in a manner that not only provides safe drinking water to the user, but protects the
groundwater source as well.
Private Drinking Water Well Application and Permitting Process
When a private drinking water well is needed, an application must be submitted to the local health department. Applications must be submitted for new drinking water wells or anytime the existing drinking water well must be replaced or repaired. There is fee for a new drinking water well permit and a reduced fee for a replacement drinking water well. In the event that an existing well must be replaced, the existing well must be abandoned or the replacement well will be considered a new well and the full fee will apply.
Upon receipt of the application, an Environmental Health Specialist will visit the property to ensure that
the location of the proposed well can be approved with respect to setbacks from on-site wastewater
systems, surface water, and other potential sources of contamination . After site approval has been given,
a permit will be issued with a specific location for the well and any instructions pertinent to the
construction of the well.
Throughout well construction, the Environmental Health Specialist will visit the site several times to
ensure proper grouting, well head construction including the well seal, and to sample for possible
bacterial and nutrient contaminants. Once construction is complete, a certificate of completion will be
issued if the well meets all of the required construction standards. This means that the well is approved
for use.
Applicants must be aware that in some parts of Carteret County, hooking up to the available public water
system is mandatory.
Bacteriological Testing
The Carteret County Health Department has a State Certified in-house lab capable of testing for bacterial
contamination in private potable water supplies. Water samples are tested for the presence of total
coliform and E. coli bacteria, which are indicators of bacterial contamination . A water supply should have
no coliform or E. coli bacteria present.
Our Bacteriological Water Quality Laboratory allows the homeowner to draw the water sample
themselves and submit it to the lab for testing. Samples must be taken in a sterile water bottle provided by
the lab and must be returned the same day the sample is taken.
There is a fee for the service, which must be paid when you pick up your sample bottle. Sample bottles
can be picked up in the Environmental Health Division between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm. After
collecting your sample, return the bottle by 3:00pm, Monday through Thursday (sorry no samples are
accepted on Friday). Results are usually ready within 36 hours.
Other Water Tests
Other drinking water tests available through the Health Department include a full chemical or nutrient
sample analysis, a nitrite/ nitrate analysis, and organics analysis including pesticides and petroleum. The
chemical analysis includes testing for pH, Arsenic, Lead, Iron, Calcium, Hardness, Chloride, and Fluoride.
There is a fee per test and the sample must be drawn by a Registered Environmental Health Specialist.
The results are available approximately two weeks after the sample has been taken. These samples are
sent to the North Carolina State Laboratory for Public Health in Raleigh for analysis.
FAQ's
What is a private drinking water well?
By NC General Statute definition, a private drinking water well means any excavation that is cored, bored,
drill , jetted, dug, or otherwise constructed to obtain groundwater for human consumption. These wells
are intended to serve 14 or fewer service connections or 24 or fewer individuals. This
includes wells that supply water directly to private homes and small businesses.
What if bacteria is found in my well?
The local health department will advise you in the treatment of your well if bacterial contamination is
present after the initial chlorination. The well will need to be re-chlorinated and re-sampled. If this does
not eliminate bacterial contamination, the State can be consulted.
What are nutrient or chemical contaminates?
After construction is complete, a sample for nutrient content will be sent to the State Lab for analysis.
The nutrients screened include: pH, arsenic, lead, manganese, copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium,
hardness, alkalinity, nitrates, nitrites, chloride and fluoride.
Many of these contaminants are not hazardous to human health in low doses. Knowing the nutrient
content that occurs naturally in your water can help when deciding whether or not water treatment is
necessary, and if so, what water treatment equipment best suits your needs. Knowing what nutrients are
found in your water can also help you and your medical care provider determine whether or not supplements to your
diet are needed. If a hazardous contaminant, such as lead or arsenic, is found at levels unsafe for human
consumption, the State may be consulted. |
