Environmental Protection

Groundwater - Well Permits

Ground Water | Pollution | Protection Program | Well Permits

Well Construction Permitting Regulations

If you are planning on installing a well and/or a septic tank system you must obtain a well and septic permit from the Alachua County Health Department. There are different guidelines for drilling a well in Alachua County depending on which water management district you are in.


In St Johns River Water Management District  (SJRWMD) a permit is required for the construction, repair or abandonment of:

  • A well greater than or equal to six inches in diameter
  • A public supply well
  • A well located in a FDEP delineated area
  • Or an injection wells

No permit is required if the well is less than six inches in diameter. However, a well completion report  must be submitted to the SJRWMD and ACEPD as part of the Well Registration Code.

In addition, a consumptive use permit (CUP) is required if:

  • A well is greater than or equal to six inches in diameter
  • Average annual use of 100,000 gallons/day or greater
  • Capacity to pump 1,000,000 gallons/day or more


In the Suwannee River Water Magement District (SRWMD) portion of the county the property owner must obtain a permit from the SRWMD  prior to the construction, repair, or abandonment of any well. You may also need a Water Use Permit  if you intend to use the water for anything other than residential/domestic uses.