Abandoned Artesian Well Plugging Program (AAWP)

District staff on site of a well plugging operation
Cutaway illustration of abandoned artesian well plugging
Abandoned artesian wells can waste water and threaten groundwater quality.
The District’s AAWP Program helps identify, control, and properly plug wells to protect Florida’s water resources –
offering FREE well plugging to property owners within the 18 counties we serve.

How it works

  • Submit Property Owner Application

    Property owners may apply for assistance by using the link above. If you are not the property owner, and wish to report a concern, please contact our Regulatory department at 407-215-1463.

  • Inspection Within 30 Days

    After your application is received, a SJRWMD inspector will contact you to schedule an onsite appointment for the initial inspection.

  • Well Plugged Approximately 90 Days

    Following completion of the initial inspection, the SJRWMD will contact you again to schedule the actual well abandonment. Scheduling timeframes may vary depending on workload, regulatory requirements, and contractor availability. During the actual abandonment by a SJRWMD contractor, a SJRWMD hydrologist will be onsite to supervise and available to answer your questions.

Report an artesian free-flowing well

Contacts

General information or assistance with application Jolene Knight 386-329-4319 or 386-643-1152
Technical guidance or scheduling questions Gary Foster 386-329-4421
Permitting assistance or non-homeowner concerns Isaac Crenshaw 407-215-1463
What is an artesian well?

An artesian well is a well that has been drilled into an aquifer in a location where the underground pressure is great enough for the water to rise inside the well. In some cases, the water is under enough pressure to rise from the aquifer to the land’s surface without needing a pump. These artesian wells are known as free-flowing wells.

They may waste large amounts of water, allow contaminants into groundwater, and impact drinking water quality.

Water flowing continuously without a pump. Old or unused well structures on your property.

Yes. The District offers free well plugging for eligible properties within its 18-county area when you participate in the program.

The District covers all or part of 18 counties in northeast and east-central Florida. Counties entirely in the District are Brevard, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Nassau, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns and Volusia. Counties partially in the District are Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Lake, Marion, Okeechobee, Orange and Osceola.

  1. The site is evaluated by a SJRWMD inspector.
  2. A licensed contractor pumps cement into the well.
  3. The well is sealed from the bottom up to stop water flow and prevent contamination.

Most wells are plugged within approximately 90 days after the application is received. Please note various factors may affect the timeline.

Because each well is different and several factors can affect the timeline, we are unable to provide a specific schedule in advance. We will contact you when your well is ready to be scheduled for plugging.

Yes. Florida law requires well owners to control the flow of artesian wells and to permanently plug wells that cannot be controlled.

Costs can vary depending on size and depth of the well, but typically range several thousand dollars per well.

No. If you are experiencing a well related emergency or an urgent water supply issue, please contact a licensed well contractor immediately.

Apply by clicking the button above or going to sjrwmd.com/report-well/

No. Non-property owners may report a concern by contacting our Regulatory department at 407-215-1463.

Click here to apply for assistance