Alberta water well owners have access to a host of information, tools, resources, and experts to help them.
The Working Well program (www.workingwell.alberta.ca) offers province-wide, hands-on workshops for well owners to learn the basics of groundwater, well construction, common well problems, contamination risks, importance of well reclamation, and best management practices. The website also has fact sheets on topics such as well construction, maintenance, and protecting the groundwater supply along with videos on how to shock-chlorinate a well and take water samples. (Fact sheets and brochures can also be obtained by calling 310-3773 or emailing [email protected].)
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Water Wells that Last is a comprehensive publication on well maintenance and groundwater protection — it can be found at www.agriculture.alberta.ca (search for ‘wells that last’).
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The Alberta Water Well Information Database contains approximately 500,000 well records, with nearly 4,000 new drilling reports added annually. The database includes chemical analysis reports up to the end of 1986, springs, flowing shot holes, test holes, and pump tests conducted on the wells. It can be found at www.aep.alberta.ca (search for ‘well water database’).
The Rural Water Quality Information Tool assesses the quality and suitability of water sources for privately owned and operated water supplies based on the data you provide. It assesses water used for human consumption, livestock, irrigation, and chemical spraying applications. The site also provides information on sampling, testing, and treatment. The tool can be found at www.agriculture.alberta.ca (search for ‘rural water quality’). More information of water sampling and understanding test results can be found at www.myhealth.alberta.ca (search for ‘water sample testing’).
The Alberta Water Well Drilling Association has a list of licensed water well contractors, suppliers, and other resources at its website, www.awwda.ca.
