Public Records
Here’s how to check your own well data in the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) imaged records data base. You should know your wells Registration or 55- _______ number. It appears on any written communications with the ADWR.
Log on to www.azwater.gov go to the Imaged / Public Records logo and click there. Look for Imaged Records on page 2, click on it.
Click on “Click here” to log into the Imaged Records
On the bright yellow page click on “Logon” button
Top of Right hand side of next page find 55 Well Registry, click it.
Chose Find by Well Number and click it.
Enter your 55-000000 well number and press Find.
If it finds your well file it will show an “Open” sign on the upper middle of the page. The file will open and you can read, copy, or print any or all of the pages in your well file. You may have to install the ADWR’s Fortis software to view your files.
Check to see if the following forms are contained in your file.
DWR 55-40 Notice of Intend to Drill, Deepen, Replace or Modify a Well
If your well is a pre 1980 well it may not have a NOI but it should have a Registration of Existing Wells form completed and filed by n.l.t. 1985.
DWR 55-55 Well Driller Report and Well Log
This form should have been completed by the well driller and submitted to the ADWR within 30 days of completing the well.
DWR 55-56 Pump Installation Completion Report
This form should have been completed by the well owner at the time the well was equipped. The owner had 30 days from the time it was equipped to submit this form to the ADWR. A new 55-56 form should be submitted each time the pump setting is changed.
DWR 55-71A Request to Change Well Information
This four option form can be used to change well location information, the Registered well owners name and address, to change the well driller to be used to drill or deepen the well, or any other small item about the well.
Statement of Claimant Form for either Domestic or Irrigation Use
This form should be completed and filed with the ADWR to protect your water right in your well as may be adjudicated in a law suite filed by the Gila River Indian Nation. This suite may not be settled for many years and to protect your right to continue to use your domestic well you should file a completed form. The form can be found by going to the Permits/ Reporting option pull down on the Main Menu. Look for Forms and Applications and click on it. Scroll down to the line of Click Statement of Claimant. We are located in the Upper Santa Cruz watershed. Chose a form for claiming either Irrigation or Domestic water use. Which ever one fits your well type.
The Importance of Ground Water in our Lives
For anyone who’s interested in the earth sciences, there is nothing more interesting and more essential to our lives than water. We can, and should, learn all about water and especially the importance of ground water upon which all of us in Tucson rely so heavily. Too few of our citizens realize that all our potable water comes from water wells. Unlike Las Vegas and some Phoenix area cities, we Tucsonans have no naturally occurring surface water to treat and drink. Protecting our ground water supply from over use and contamination is essential for our survival. Awareness of its importance is the first step in protecting it for our future generations.
Information regarding private ground water and wells for classroom education, or private well owner use, can be found at the following web sites. The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) at www.ngwa.org, or at www.wellowner.org. They will be promoting Ground Water Awareness Week March 7 -13, 2010. They also have a web site for Kids with an awareness of the value of ground water. www.groundwateradventures.org. Check it out!
There is also the American Ground Water Trust at www.agwt.org. They have a section called The Teacher Institutes. They have a lot of free information about ground water for teachers and private well owners alike. The Water Systems Council also has excellent material for teachers and private well owners alike. They can be found by logging on to www.watersystemscouncil.org. They have posters and videos, and down loads that talk about wells and ground water. There is also the Groundwater Foundation which can be found at www.groundwater.org. They have a lot of free information about this most precious of all resources.
Locally the University of Arizona’s water well related web site www.wellownerhelp.org with links to another Arizona well locating web site www.sahra.arizona.edu/wells. There is a wealth of informative information on these two sites for private well owners, teachers and students. All of these organizations have links to other web sites, such as the USGS with tons of information for well owners.
For more information, see www.azwwa.org or contact Gary. Remember,
GOT WATER? THANK A WELL DRILLER OR
PUMP INSTALLER