Well Water

The Ridgefield Health Department approves the location and construction of all private wells. This involves making sure that here are no known sources of pollution within a certain radius of the proposed well location. A review of the Well Completion Report for proper construction, depth and yield, and storage is performed as well. A water analysis is required on all new wells prior to final approval.

Wells may only be installed by CT licensed contractors. The permit must be applied for by a licensed contractor and be accompanied by their Department of Consumer Protection form (State of CT). To apply for a well permit, click here to print the hard copy of the application. This must be filled out and hand signed. You can uploaded this after the applicant has created the online permit here, or drop it off at the Annex, together with the State of CT Well permit original. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call (203) 431-2745.

Private Well Water Quality Testing

The Ridgefield Health Department recommends that all private well owners test their wells on an annual basis. While most well water is of good quality, some wells can become contaminated from a variety of sources including agriculture, industry, transportation, or incorrect disposal of household chemicals, use of lawn chemicals, or a faulty septic tank.

Some contaminants in drinking water have been linked to cancer and toxicity, posing a risk to human health. Many contaminants often have no taste, odor, or color. Their presence can only be determined by laboratory testing. It is the homeowner's responsibility to keep their self-supplied well water free from health risk.

What are some common contaminants?
There are several types of contaminants that can be present in your well water. Some of them pose health related concerns, while other only affect taste and color of the water. A standard water analysis will test for bacteria, color, turbidity, chloride, copper, hardness, iron, manganese, sodium and pH. More tests can be added to further test water quality, if necessary. Most contaminants discovered through water analysis can be corrected by a licensed well contractor.

When to test your water
The Ridgefield Health Department recommends that prospective home buyers test the water in a home with a private well prior to purchase. Once you’ve purchased the home testing should be conducted annually. However, the following conditions would prompt more frequent testing:

• Heavily developed areas with land uses that handle hazardous chemicals
• Recent well construction activities or repairs. We recommend taking a bacterial test after any well repair or pump or plumbing modification, but only after substantial flushing of the water system. 
• Contaminant concentrations above state or federal standards found in earlier testing
• Noticeable variations in quality like a water quality change after a heavy rain or an unexplained change in a previously trouble-free well (i.e. funny taste, cloudy appearance, etc.). When taking any sample, it is recommended that it be taken after a heavy rain-storm. These events tend to highlight condition of improper well construction or poor soil filtration.

What the tests tell you
Test results will reveal the level at which any of the tested substances were found in you water sample. The mere presence of these contaminants in the well water does not necessarily imply that there is a problem. However, when levels exceed state of federal health standards, you should take steps to correct the situation. Several methods are available from commercial contractors to treat contaminated water.

Who to contact for well water quality testing
A well water analysis can be completed by any state approved testing laboratory. A sample of approved testing laboratories in our area include (but are not limited to):

You can also ask your real estate agent, neighbor or friend for their recommendations. 

For more information about well water quality, click here to visit the Water Quality Association website.

You may also contact the wellcare® hotline sponsored by the Water Systems Council by calling 888-395-1033.

The hotline is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (eastern time) Monday-Friday. Click here for a list of frequently asked questions about wells. Answers are provided by the Water Systems Council.

Geothermal Wells
Please note that a well permit is required from the Town of Ridgefield for Geothermal Wells used for heat.