Drilling a water well in Arizona is not as simple as calling a driller and picking a spot on your land. Arizona tightly regulates groundwater, and every new well begins with formal permission from the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR). Understanding that process can save you time, money, and frustration—especially in rural or shared-well situations.
Before any drilling can occur, the property owner or driller must file a Notice of Intent to Drill with ADWR. This is required by A.R.S. § 45-596. ADWR reviews the application to ensure the well is permitted under Arizona’s groundwater laws. Once permission is approved, the ADWR issues written authorization and the well must be drilled within one year. If that deadline passes, the process starts over.
Water wells may only be drilled by a contractor licensed by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. These licensed well drillers are the gatekeepers of the process. They submit the Notice of Intent, perform the drilling, and are responsible for the initial regulatory reporting. Here is a list of licensed well drilling companies in Arizona.
Within 30 days after drilling, the well driller must file a Well Driller’s Report with ADWR. This report is far more precise than in decades past. It must include the well’s latitude and longitude measured by GPS using the NAD83 datum, reported in degrees, minutes, and decimal seconds. Older wells often have nothing more than a hand-drawn map showing a rough location, which is why many legacy wells are difficult to identify or verify today.
Once ADWR receives the completion report, it assigns the well a unique well registry number. That number becomes the well’s legal identity. It’s similar to a Vehicle Identification Number or Social Security Number. It is how the well is tracked in the state’s database and how future owners, lenders, and title companies verify that a well exists and is lawful.
Arizona does impose minimum construction standards for domestic wells under A.R.S. § 45-594, and drillers themselves are licensed under A.R.S. § 45-595. But those rules are surprisingly limited. ADWR requires only basic construction data and does not regulate the quality of workmanship, the performance of the pump, or the long-term reliability of the system.
Even more surprising to many property owners: Arizona imposes virtually no regulatory standards on the contractors who equip, repair, or service private wells and pumps. There are no state-mandated experience requirements, performance standards, or continuing education rules for pump installers and well service companies. Once the well is drilled and reported, the ongoing responsibility for the well’s condition, documentation, and compliance rests entirely with the registered well owner. It is up to well owners to properly maintain the well and well system, keep accurate documentation, and test water for contaminants.
If you have questions about drafting a well share agreement or sharing a water well in Arizona, contact the Dunaway Law Group at 480-702-1608 or message us HERE.
The information provided is informational only, does not constitute legal advice, and will not create an attorney-client or attorney-prospective client relationship. Additionally, the Dunaway Law Group, PLC limits its practice to the states of Arizona and New York.