In Australia, people who drill wells or bores to access water from underground must be licensed.
The aim of licensing drillers or people who carry out bore construction, abandonment or any other work on an existing bore is to ensure:
* the protection of the groundwater resource from contamination, deterioration and undue completion
* the long term economic production of groundwater of the best possible quality
There is a National Water Well Drillers’ Licensing System, with Licence Classifications. Under the system now, drillers' licences are classified according to the type of aquifers and are endorsed with the drilling methods that may be used. This ensures the skills, knowledge and experience of a driller will match the groundwater protection requirements. The classifications are:
* Class 1: restricted to drilling operations in single non-flowing aquifer systems ie. water table aquifers.
* Class 2: in addition to operating in Class 1 conditions, permits drilling operations in multiple on-flowing aquifer systems ie. confined aquifers.
* Class 3: in addition to operating in Class 1 & 2 conditions, permits drilling operations in flowing aquifer systems ie. artesian aquifers.
The drilling method endorsements are: Non-drilling rig, Cable Tool, Auger, Rotary Air and Rotary Mud.
Licences are issued by each state and territory.
Please click these links for more information about:
