N.M. Admin. Code § 19.27.4.29 - WELL DRILLING - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

All wells shall be constructed in such a manner as to prevent contamination from entering the well or subsurface, to prevent commingling or inter-aquifer exchange of groundwater, to prevent loss of hydraulic head between hydrogeologic units, and to prevent unintended flood waters or surface water from entering the well and contaminating the aquifer. All well plugging shall be accomplished through filling or sealing the well in such a manner as to prevent the well, including the annular space outside the casing, from being a channel allowing the vertical movement of water. A well driller shall ensure that the appropriate permits, approval, or emergency authorization has been granted by the state engineer prior to the well drilling activities, or ensure that the state engineer has been properly notified in accordance with 72-12-22 NMSA 1978. While conducting well drilling activities, the well driller shall have a copy of the approved permit and plan of operations on site and available for inspection upon request. A well driller shall ensure that well drilling activities are conducted in accordance with the appropriate sections of 19.27.4.30 NMAC through 19.27.4.33 NMAC, and the following requirements:

A. On-site supervision of well drilling: A well driller or drill rig supervisor shall be present at the drilling site during well drilling activities.

B. Materials: Materials and processes used in well drilling shall conform to industry standards acceptable to the state engineer. Acceptable standards include, but are not limited to, standards developed by the national ground water association (NGWA), the American water works association (AWWA), the American standard for testing materials (ASTM), the American petroleum institute (API), the American national standards institute (ANSI), and the national sanitation foundation (NSF). The state engineer shall make the final determination of applicability of standards if any of the acceptable standards are different from one another. Materials used in well construction shall be in new or good condition. No materials or substances shall be introduced during the drilling process that may cause water contamination or contamination to the subsurface. Drilling fluids, additives, sealants, treatment chemicals, and materials as applicable must be designated for potable water well use and be NSF/ANSI standard 60 certified.

C. Cleaning of drilling equipment: All equipment used in the borehole shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition to prevent contamination and to protect the public health. When drilling multiple boreholes on the same site in areas of known or presumed contamination, the equipment will be sanitized between boreholes.

D. Well setbacks: All wells shall be set back a minimum of 50 feet from an existing well of other ownership, unless a variance has been granted by the state engineer. All wells shall be set back from potential sources of contamination such as, but not limited to, septic tanks and sewage leach fields, cemeteries, livestock lagoons and sewage lines, in accordance with applicable federal, state, or local requirements.

E. Requirement to cover or cap well during construction stoppage: During construction stoppage, a well shall be securely covered or capped unless a well driller or drill rig supervisor is on-site tending to the well and takes all steps to protect public welfare.

F. Casing height: The top of the completed well casing shall extend a minimum of 18 inches above the ground and appropriate steps shall be taken to prevent damage to well casings.

G. Flush mount completion: Flush mount completions, such as monitor wells located within traffic areas or in areas where security risks call for discreet completion, shall be completed in a manner that appropriately seals against entry of foreign material and fluids, and with the well casing extending above bottom of the monitoring well vault, and with a monitoring well vault that incorporates a securely fastened lid designed to withstand traffic.

H. Subsurface vault: If a well is completed within a subsurface vault, the casing shall extend a minimum of 18 inches above the floor of the subsurface vault, and be appropriately sealed against entry of foreign materials and fluids.

I. Surface completion: Surface well completions shall be completed in a manner that appropriately seals against entry of foreign material and fluids.

J. Annular space: The annular space between borehole and casing or between casings shall be dimensioned and sealed in accordance with 19.27.4.30 through 19.27.4.33 NMAC. At well completion, the top of any annular space shall be sealed, or fitted with an appropriate cover, preventing entry of foreign materials and fluids and disallowing the upward escape of groundwater.

K. Requirement to cover or cap completed wells and for measurement ports: A permanent well cap or cover shall be securely affixed to the well casing upon completion, unless an installed pump assembly provides secure coverage of or a secure cover for the wellhead. All wellheads shall have a securable opening of at least a 1/2" diameter that allows convenient access for water level measurement. An artesian well that flows (or capable of flowing) at ground surface shall be equipped with a valve to which a pressure gauge may be connected for hydrostatic pressure measurement.

L. Wellhead venting: Vents installed in the wellhead shall be protected against the entrance of foreign materials or fluids by installation of down-turned and screened fittings. All other openings in wellheads shall be sealed to prevent entrance of foreign material and flood waters.

M. Well identification tag: Any well constructed to divert water shall be tagged with a well identification tag in plain view. For above-grade wells, the well identification tag shall be affixed to the exterior of the well casing or cap using an aluminum or stainless steel band or other method approved by the state engineer. For wells finished below-grade, the well identification tag shall be clearly placed inside the well vault next to the well riser or on the first exposed discharge pipe from the well. The state engineer will provide a well identification tag when a permit is issued. The permit holder is responsible for maintaining the well identification tag and replacing missing, damaged, or illegible well identification tags with a duplicate well identification tag.

N. Well record: The well driller shall keep a record of each well drilling activity as the work progresses.

(1) Time for filing: The well driller shall file a complete well record with the state engineer and the permit holder no later than 30 days after completion of the drilling project or well repair.

(2) Form - content: The well record shall be on a form prescribed by the state engineer and shall include the name and address of the permittee, the well driller's name and license number, the state engineer file number, the name of each drill rig supervisor that supervised well drilling activities, the location of the well (reported in latitude and longitude using a global positioning system (gps) receiver capable of five meters accuracy), the date when drilling or other work began, the date when drilling or other work concluded, the depth of the well, the depth to water first encountered, the depth to water upon completion of the well (measured by a method approved by the state engineer), the estimated well yield, the method used to estimate well yield, the size and type of casing, the location of perforations, the location of the annular seal, the location of centralizers, the intervals and types of all annular fill and sealant material, and any other information required by the state engineer. The well record shall include a completed lithologic log. The lithologic log shall include detailed information on the depth, thickness, and lithology of all strata penetrated, including whether each stratum was water bearing.

(3) Forms - Incomplete: Well records deemed incomplete by the state engineer may be returned to the well driller for proper completion and shall be refiled within 30 days of the date of notification.

O. Lithologic samples: When requested by the state engineer, the well driller shall furnish lithologic samples ("drill cuttings") of the hydrogeologic units penetrated during drilling operations. The method of sampling, interval of sampling, and the quantities required will be specified by the state engineer.

P. Removal of drilling materials:

(1) In constructing a well, the well driller shall take all reasonable precautions to protect the producing aquifer from final retention of drilling solids, including cuttings, drilling mud, and drilling fluid additives. Prior to setting of filter pack, or upon completion of well, the well driller shall to the extent possible remove additives and drilling solids introduced into or accumulated in the wellbore during well drilling.

(2) Drilling fluids and cuttings shall be contained on the drilling site or on property under the control of the well owner, and not be allowed to migrate or be discharged off that property except for authorized disposal. Drilling fluids and cuttings shall not be discharged into any waters of the state.

Q. Repair of existing wells:

(1) If a well that is to be repaired or deepened is not in conformance with these rules, the application for permit shall describe the methods and materials by which the well will be brought into conformance with these rules. In the absence of a well log for the existing well it must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the state engineer that the well is in conformance.

(2) If an inner casing is installed to prevent leakage of undesirable water into a well, the annular space between the casings shall be completely sealed by packers, casing swedging, pressure grouting or other methods which will prevent the movement of water between the casings.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 19.27.4.29

19.27.4.29 NMAC - Rp, SE 66-1, Articles 4-11, 4-12, and 4-13, 8-31-2005, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXVIII, Issue 11, June 13, 2017, eff. 6/30/2017