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HomeWater CodeDiv. 7Ch. 10Art. 1§ 13700 Underground Water Well Regulation

§ 13700 Underground Water Well Regulation

Water Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 13700 Underground Water Well Regulation

Key Takeaways

  • •Most of the water we use in the state comes from underground, and it can get dirty or unsafe.
  • •The state cares a lot about how wells (like water wells or monitoring wells) are built, kept up, or closed down because these things affect the cleanliness of underground water.
  • •If wells aren’t taken care of properly, it can hurt people’s health and safety.

Example

A farmer digs a new well on their land to water their crops.

The farmer must follow the state’s rules for building and maintaining the well. If they don’t, the well could pollute the underground water, making it unsafe for drinking or farming.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 13700 Underground Water Well Regulation

The Legislature finds that the greater portion of the water used in this state is obtained from underground sources and that those waters are subject to impairment in quality and purity, causing detriment to the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state. The Legislature therefore declares that the people of the state have a primary interest in the location, construction, maintenance, abandonment, and destruction of water wells, cathodic protection wells, groundwater monitoring wells, and geothermal heat exchange wells, which activities directly affect the quality and purity of underground waters. (Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 581, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

underground sourceswater wellscathodic protection wellsgroundwater monitoring wellsgeothermal heat exchange wells

Related Statutes

  • § 13701 Well Contamination Prevention
  • § 11900 Fish And Wildlife Protection
  • § 11901 Water Project Conservation Funding
  • § 6455 Pre-1965 Dam Approval Requirement
  • § 6456 Dam Application Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Water Code. Section 13700.
View Official Source