The Bureau of Water Systems and Well Permitting does not maintain a “Well Registry” of the wells in New Jersey but only maintains information of those wells for which:
- A Well Driller has been issued a permit by the Bureau to construct or modify a well “Well Permit”,
- A Well Driller has submitted as built details of a well “Well Record”,
- A Well Driller has submitted details of the sealing and abandonment of a well “Well Decommissioning.
As a result the information the Bureau maintains is that which was received with the permit application, well record or well decommissioning submissions, subsequent changes in property ownership, blocks and lots etc are not recorded.
Online Search
The Bureau of Water Systems and Well Permitting has implemented an online search function that will allow for the identification of well permit numbers and basic well information that may address your well search needs.
You are required to have completed the necessary online searches prior to the submission of an Individual Well Search Request as the application form is now part of the online report.
These online search reports are available under the “Well Permitting” section of the Department’s Data Miner (OPRA) application.
There are no fees associated with these initial online searches.
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Individual Well Search
The Department manages millions of well permits/records/abandonment reports for wells throughout the State. In order to facilitate our attempts to locate a well permit/record/abandonment report, please provide the following information.
Please note: The well permit and record numbers are used to track information. Property owners should keep this info on file for future reference.
1. Well Drilling Permit Number
The Bureau realizes that in most cases the property owner does not have this number to provide a quicker service the Bureau has implemented an online search feature to allow you to obtain the permit number.
The online search report generates the application form that you will need to submit to obtain the permit documents.
If the search does not provide the necessary permit numbers you need to submit copies of the search report to demonstrate that the online search cannot locate the details as this will allow the Bureau to respond more efficiently and quicker to your request.
To request an individual well search that was unsuccessful online you will need to provide the following information.
2. Well Owner at Time of Installation/ Abandonment
Contact Local Tax Assessor’s Office to determine ALL previous owners of the property or homebuilder if the current owner did not have the well installed. The well permit is issued to the person or company that owned the property at the time the well was installed.
3. Year Well was Installed/ Abandoned
Give the approximate age of the facility/well if exact installation date is unknown.
4. Lot and Block Numbers
Current and at Time of Installation or Abandonment. Contact your local tax assessor for previous lot and block.
5. Address of Property
The street address, closest intersection, municipality and county should be included (a photocopy of a map with the property located would be helpful). Map not required for abandonment report searches.
6. Additional Well Information
Casing material and diameter can be determined by a visual inspection of the well. Casing length, well depth, well driller, and any other information should be included on the well search form to aid in the search process.
7. Well Search Fee
No fee for homeowner requests or searches associated with well decommissioning requests. All other requests $10 per well, with check payable to Treasurer, State of New Jersey. Searches will not be processed until payment is received. This fee is to help offset costs incurred in performing the search and is not refundable if a permit/ record/ abandonment report cannot be found.
The request needs to be submitted on the correct application form which is available at:
Requests to be sent to:
Bureau of Water Systems and Well Permitting, Attn: Well Search
Mailing: P. O. Box 426, Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Phone: 609-984-6831 Fax: 609-633-1231
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Radial Well Searches
The Bureau of Water Systems and Well Permitting has implemented an online search feature that will allow for the identification of well permit numbers and basic well information by municipality(s) and block and lot(s) that may address your well search needs.
Radius Well Searches are most commonly performed for two reasons. The first is to determine wells that may be affected by an area of contamination. The second is as part of the requirement to modify or apply for a new water allocation permit. Please select from the list of manual radius well searches and/or computer radius well searches and then carefully follow the procedure for submission detailed below.
Radius searches may be performed in our office, using our database. To schedule an appointment please call (609) 984-6831. Have the Latitude and Longitude (degrees, minutes, seconds) or State Plane NAD 83 US Feet coordinates ready so we may perform a “preliminary search.”
MANUAL RADIUS WELL SEARCHES
(WELLS ARE NOT PLOTTED)
Radius Price
¼ mile $55
½ mile $115
1 mile $230
2 mile $430
Service Provided: A photocopy of atlas sheet search area, all well records and logs or other information on file.
COMPUTER RADIUS WELL SEARCHES (Not Online/Data Miner Searches)
(WELLS ARE PLOTTED)
Radius Price
5 mile $50*
10 mile $50*
Service Provided: A printout of 100,000 gpd Diversions and reference info. & map of atlas sheet scale showing locations
Map is ½ atlas sheet scale.
*No charge, if requested for water allocation permits.
PROCEDURE FOR SUBMISSION
- Written request on company letterhead with service requested, specified clearly (___ mile computer radius or ___ mile radius well search)
- Check made payable to “Treasurer, State of New Jersey”
- Latitude and Longitude, in degrees, minutes, seconds, accurate to one second. No State Plane Coordinates.
- Photocopy of a topo/quad map with the site identified (Atlas Sheet or USGS of letter size)
- Submit all above information on the correct application form to the following address:
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Water Systems and Well Permitting
Radius Well Search Requests
PO Box 426
Trenton, NJ 08625-0426
Requests will be returned if any of the information is incomplete or if coordinates do not match the map.
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