Section 256.603

Title XVI CONSERVATION, RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

Chapter 256

Effective - 28 Aug 1991   

  256.603.  Definitions. — As used in sections 256.600 to 256.640, the following terms mean:

  (1)  "Abandoned well", a well shall be deemed abandoned which is in such a state of disrepair that continued use for the purpose of thermal recovery or obtaining groundwater is impractical and which has not been in use for a period of two years or more.  The term "abandoned well" includes a test hole or a monitoring well which was drilled in the exploration for minerals, or for geological, water quality or hydrologic data from the time that it is no longer used for exploratory purposes and that has not been plugged in accordance with rules and regulations pursuant to sections 256.600 to 256.640;

  (2)  "Board", the body created in section 256.605;

  (3)  "Certification report", a form to be sent to the division upon completion of any well which shows the location, static water level, total depth, initial pumpage, hole size, casing size and length, and name of well owner;

  (4)  "Division", the division of geology and land survey;

  (5)  "Driller's log", a record accurately kept at the time of drilling showing the depth, thickness, character of the different strata penetrated, location of water-bearing strata, depth, size and character of casing installed, together with any other data or information required on the certification report forms;

  (6)  "Examination", an assessment of professional competency administered to applicants;

  (7)  "Heat pump installation contractor", any person, including owner, operator or drilling supervisor who engages for compensation in the drilling, boring, coring, or construction of any well in the state for extracting thermal energy;

  (8)  "Monitoring well installation contractor", any person, including owner, operator, or drilling supervisor who engages for compensation in the drilling, boring, coring, or construction of any well in this state which is drilled for geologic data, water quality, or hydrologic data;

  (9)  "Permitted well driller", any person who holds a permit issued pursuant to the provisions of sections 256.600 to 256.640;

  (10)  "Person", any individual, whether or not connected with a firm, partnership, association, corporation, or any other group or combination acting as a unit;

  (11)  "Pump installation contractor", any person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of installing or repairing pumps and pumping equipment;

  (12)  "Registration report", a form to be sent to the division upon completion of plugging of an abandoned well, raising casings, lining wells, deepening of wells, major repairs and alterations, and jetted wells;

  (13)  "Well", an excavation that is drilled, cored, bored, washed, driven, dug, jetted, trenched, or otherwise constructed when the intended use of such excavation is for the acquisition of groundwater supply, for monitoring, thermal exchange or for exploration for minerals or geologic or hydrologic data; but such term does not include a cistern, an excavation made for the purpose of obtaining or for prospecting for oil or natural gas, or for construction foundation data, dewatering of construction sites or dewatering of existing structures, observation wells used as a part of an underground storage tank leak detection system of a minimal depth, as determined by the board by rule, or for inserting media to repressure oil or natural-gas-bearing formations;

  (14)  "Well installation contractor", any person, including owner, operator, and drilling supervisor who engages for compensation in the drilling, boring, coring, or construction of any well in this state.  The term, however, shall not include any person who drills, bores, cores, or constructs a water well on his own property for his own use or a person who assists in the construction of a water well under the direct supervision of a permitted well installation contractor and is not primarily responsible for drilling operations;

  (15)  "Well owner", any person or corporation who is the party responsible for having a well drilled and whose name appears on the well registration or certification form.

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(L. 1985 S.B. 281 § 2, A.L. 1991 S.B. 221)