Know Your Well: Build A Well Binder
Think of a well binder as a health record for your well. Most well owners keep records for their homes, vehicles, and finances, but many do not keep important information about one of their most valuable assets: their water well. Having key documents organized and readily accessible can save time, money, and frustration when questions and problems arise about your well.
A well binder is simply a dedicated place to store important well records. Whether you use a three-ring binder, a folder, or a digital file system, keeping these documents together makes it easier to find the information you need when scheduling maintenance, troubleshooting problems, selling your property, or applying for assistance programs.
Some of the most important documents to include in your well binder are:
- State Well Report
- Well registration records
- Water level measurements and Well Watch reports
- Water quality test results
- Pump installation and repair records
- Well maintenance records
- Invoices and receipts related to the well
- Contact information for your well driller, pump installer, and groundwater district
Your State Well Report is often the cornerstone of a well binder because it contains valuable information about your well's construction, depth, water level at the time of drilling, and the geologic formations encountered during installation. Water level measurements are also important because they provide a history of how groundwater conditions have changed over time. Tracking this information can help identify potential issues before they become emergencies.
A well binder is also an excellent place to keep notes about your well, including maintenance performed, changes in water quality, pump replacements, or other observations. These records can be extremely helpful years later when trying to understand changes in your well's performance.
The more you know about your well, the better prepared you will be to maintain it and protect your water supply. Creating a well binder is a simple step that can help you become a more informed and confident well owner.