How much does it cost to register a well. And does it cost anything to submit a modification or a change of ownership?
The fee to register a well which pumps 50 or fewer gallons per minute is $70. The registration fee for a well that pumps greater than 50 gallons per minute is $110. Instructions for completing Water Well Registration forms and fee schedules for monitoring, observation, or remediation sites involving multiple wells can be downloaded 
Water Well Registration Instructions. You can also contact the Groundwater Section of the Department at 402-471-2363.
How can I convert my GPS coordinates to ¼ ¼ S-T-R?
GPS coordinates can be converted to ¼¼ Section-Township-Range locations at our website, http://nednr.nebraska.gov/dynamic/Geo2LegalCalc/LocationEntry.aspx. Please note that there are three ways GPS coordinates may show up on your particular unit:
- Decimal Seconds, which will give you a reading that shows up as three separate numbers, i.e. 40 22 14.2, -099 12 36.1
- Decimal Minutes, which will give a reading composed of two numbers, i.e. 42 30.562, 101 10.254
- Decimal Degrees, which will give you a reading that is just one number, i.e. 42.452342, 101.283745.
When you click on the link above, you will be taken to a page where you can enter your GPS reading. Notice that there are three tabs just above and to the left of the boxes for your entry. These tabs correspond to the three ways your GPS unit may read. Decimal Seconds is the tab in which this page always opens. If your GPS unit provides one of the other types of readings listed above, simply click on the corresponding tab on our Conversion page, and you will get the right number of boxes in which to enter your particular GPS reading. Once you have entered your coordinates, click the submit button, and you will be taken to a page with an aerial photo of the well location, as well as the ¼¼ Section-Township-Range location based on the GPS reading, which you will find just above the aerial photo.
What information is required for all wells drilled prior to 2002?
The Water Well Registration form, has the following line of instruction for registering an old well: Owner Registering well drilled prior to 2002: Minimum Required Sections - 1, 3(a,b,c,e,f), 5, 6, 7, 8(a,g,i), 9d. This line of instruction can be found at the very bottom of page 4 of the registration form. It is the last line of printing on that page.
How can I find my house well that was drilled many years ago on your website?
Information on individual wells can be found on our website, http://nednr.nebraska.gov/dynamic/wells. This page offers numerous options for finding your wells. Looking up your well by owner’s name is the default option when you open this page. If you’d like to find information by using information other than the owner’s name, simply click the checked box next to Owner’s Name to uncheck that box, click the box next to whichever information option you’d like to search by, and click the Submit button. This will take you to a page where you can either enter your information, or select a choice from a drop down box. Please note that domestic wells (wells which provide water to a house for drinking, cleaning, etc.) that were drilled prior to September 9th, 1993 were not legally required to be registered, so many of those wells were never registered with the Department, and we have no information for them. If you are searching our website and not finding the information you’re looking for, please contact our office at 402-471-2363 and ask for the Groundwater Section.
How do I get a permit for a well?
To obtain a permit to drill a well, you must call your local Natural Resources District (NRD) office. If you are unsure which District office you need to contact, you can find your NRD at this link: https://www.nrdnet.org/nrds/find-your-nrd.
What do I need to do to decommission my well?
Well decommissioning must be performed by a licensed water well contractor, according to Nebraska Revised Statutes §46-1233. Your local Natural Resources District (NRD) may have a cost share fund to help defray the expenses associated with hiring a contractor to properly decommission your well. If you are unsure which District office you need to contact, you can find your NRD at this link: https://www.nrdnet.org/nrds/find-your-nrd.
The water from my faucet smells/tastes bad. What should I do?
The Environmental Health Section of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has information about drinking water, and can test to determine what the problem may be. You can contact DHHS at 402-471-3121, and ask to speak to someone in the Drinking Water Program, or you can send an email to DHHS.drinkingwater@nebraska.gov. Your local Natural Resources District (NRD) may also offer water testing. If you are unsure which District office you need to contact, you can find your NRD at this link: https://www.nrdnet.org/nrds/find-your-nrd.
Is there a fee to file a Change of Ownership, Modification, Decommissioning form?
There is no fee for filing a Notice of Change of Ownership, a Water Well Registration Modification, or a Notice of Water Well Decommissioning.
