Water Wells: How to Manage a Water Well

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The Working Well Program Helps Rural Residents Learn to Better Manage Water Wells
Country living is the ultimate dream for many urbanites, but most people who decide to live the dream and move to a farm or acreage soon discover that there are challenges they never anticipated. Properly managing a water well is a new adventure for those who are used to city living and one that even long-time rural residents can struggle with. Private well owners have a legal responsibility and a vested interest in properly managing their water wells and protecting groundwater for future generations. Fortunately, they are not completely on their own when it comes to learning how to be wise stewards of this vital resource.

“More than 450,000 people in Alberta rely on groundwater and wells for their primary water needs and the Working Well program was designed to help them learn to properly manage their water wells,” says Ron Stojanowski, past chair of the steering committee for Alberta’s Working Well program. “Working Well brings all the experts and their resources together with a common goal to help educate private well owners and help ensure that Alberta’s groundwater reserves stay healthy and clean.”

There is a lot to know about proper well management and Working Well provides information and resources to private well owners free of charge. Well owners can take advantage of free workshops, online resources, fact sheets and interactive activities and exhibits, and learn firsthand from industry experts about proper well management. It’s a program that is delivered through the combined efforts and expertise of Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Alberta Health, Alberta Health Services, the Alberta Water Well Drilling Association and rural municipalities.

“We have found the Working Well workshops to be very effective,” says Garett Broadbent, Director of Agriculture Services for Leduc County. “Agricultural Fieldmen in Alberta’s rural municipalities are often the first to get the calls from residents when they need information on how to manage their wells. With Working Well in place, rural municipalities and residents have an information source they can turn to. It’s a way to connect the experts with the people who need their expertise.”

Proper water well maintenance and management helps protect drinking water and underground aquifers, and having one place with accurate information on how to take care of a well is a real asset for private well owners. “You can’t always believe everything you read online,” Stojanowski says. “But each one of our expert partners has contributed to the information on the Working Well website, and in the workshops, and private well owners can be sure they are getting the most accurate and up-to-date information to properly manage their wells.”

More About the Working Well Program
Since 2008, Working Well has been providing resources to water well owners interested in learning how to protect and maintain water wells. To learn more and find out upcoming workshop dates, visit the Working Well Program website

Water Wells: How to Manage a Water Well

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