Well Sealing Procedures before the Water Directorate
Geo Costa Rica provides technical assistance and manages well sealing procedures before the MINAE Water Directorate in Costa Rica. We first review the well's technical and administrative status and, when sealing is appropriate, can coordinate its execution, documentation and follow-up with the authority.
Do you have a well you no longer use or whose legal status is unknown?
Finding an old, abandoned or undocumented well on a property does not automatically mean it must be sealed or that it is illegal. The first step is to identify the abstraction point and review the available records.
What well is present?
We review the location, known characteristics, identification and observable condition of the existing well.
Is there a file or permit?
The absence of documents in the owner's possession does not, by itself, prove that an institutional authorization or file never existed.
Which procedure applies?
Once we understand the situation, we can determine whether to retain the well, review its use, undertake another procedure or proceed with sealing.
What is well sealing?
Well sealing is the procedure by which a drilled groundwater well is physically closed in accordance with regulations and the work is subsequently documented before the MINAE Water Directorate.
Determine why closure is needed
It may be voluntary, administrative, technical or the result of a Water Directorate decision.
Close the well correctly
The well must be closed using the prescribed technical procedure, rather than simply covered or left abandoned on the property.
Report the sealing
The work must be supported by the documentation required for submission to the Water Directorate.
First, we must identify the type of situation involved
Before discussing sealing, concessions or other procedures, it is essential to distinguish the well's technical and administrative status.
Well with records to be verified
A permit, well number, administrative file or concession may exist even if the current owner does not possess all the documents.
Well drilled without the required permit
If drilling without the required authorization is confirmed, the well must not be presented as automatically eligible for legalization. The general regulatory framework provides for sealing the drilled well.
Hand-dug well or other abstraction point
The type of abstraction and applicable current procedure must first be determined. It should not automatically be classified as an unauthorized mechanically drilled well.
Well that must be closed
This may involve voluntary closure or sealing ordered by the Water Directorate in light of the circumstances of the file.
I bought a property with an undocumented well: we must investigate first
The fact that the seller or new owner does not have well documents does not automatically prove that the drilling was unauthorized. Earlier information may exist in institutional records.
Identify
Location, characteristics and possible identification numbers associated with the well.
Search for records
We review records, administrative files and available documentation.
Review water use
We establish whether a concession, prior authorized use or other procedure exists.
Determine the next step
Administrative procedure, concession, further review or sealing.
It must not be offered as an ordinary “regularization” process
The Regulation on Well Drilling and Groundwater Use establishes that the Water Directorate shall order sealing when drilling occurs without the required permit or after its validity has expired.
This is why Geo Costa Rica first verifies the records and administrative status before recommending a procedure to the owner.
Sealing may be voluntary or result from a Water Directorate decision
The owner decides to close the well
The well may no longer be needed, may have been replaced by another source or may simply no longer form part of the property's water supply strategy.
Regulations allow an owner to seal a well voluntarily, following the applicable technical and documentation procedure.
The Water Directorate orders closure
The authority may order sealing through a reasoned decision when the circumstances established by regulations arise.
The administrative file and decision must be reviewed to coordinate subsequent actions correctly.
Why should an abandoned well not simply be covered or filled without proper controls?
A well creates an artificial connection between the surface and the subsurface. When it is no longer used, closing it should prevent this structure from remaining an unnecessary pathway into the groundwater system.
Prevent uncontrolled entry
An abandoned well can become a potential route for surface water or other materials to enter the subsurface.
Protect groundwater
Proper closure seeks to reduce artificial pathways that could facilitate contamination or unwanted hydraulic connections to the aquifer.
Remove an abandoned structure
An unused well may also pose a physical condition requiring appropriate management on the property.
How do we approach well sealing?
The starting point can vary depending on the well's administrative and physical condition, but the process can be organized into a clear sequence.
Identification
We locate and characterize the existing well.
Background records
We review available permits, files, concessions and records.
Assessment
We determine which procedure applies to the case.
Coordination
We arrange the participants needed for closure.
Preparation
Equipment and well conditions are reviewed before execution.
Sealing
Closure is carried out in accordance with the applicable procedure.
Records
We document the work performed and supporting evidence.
Notarial deed
Sealing is documented in accordance with the regulatory requirement.
Water Directorate
Documentation is submitted and the administrative file is followed up.
Well sealing ends with documentation, not merely physical closure
Geo Costa Rica can organize the technical and spatial information associated with closure and coordinate the documentation required for the file.
Geo Costa Rica coordinates the process without having to be the company physically sealing the well
Our role is to represent the client's technical needs, review background records, organize the procedure, coordinate the necessary participants and keep the documentation aligned with the application before the Water Directorate.
A well is part of a hydrogeological system
A borehole penetrates geological materials and establishes an artificial connection to groundwater. When it no longer serves a purpose, its closure must also take aquifer protection into account.
A constructed connection to the subsurface
The depth, configuration and aquifer tapped form part of the technical history that should be understood before closure.
Protect groundwater quality
Proper sealing aims to eliminate an artificial pathway that no longer needs to remain active.
View Hydrogeological AssessmentIf the well has valid records, another procedure may be more appropriate than sealing
A legally developed well may require a review of its concession, ownership, validity, authorized flow, use or technical condition before deciding that it should be closed.
The concession needs to be completed or reviewed
Where the well can be used and a valid administrative pathway exists, the solution may be water resource management rather than physical closure.
View Water ConcessionsThe property or project has changed
Renewals, transfers, changes of use or changes of authorized flow are different matters from well sealing.
First, I need to know what I have
We can assess the records and current condition before making an irreversible decision about the well.
Existing Wells and Water UseSealing an old well and developing a new one are separate processes that should be coordinated
When a property will continue to need groundwater, closing an old well may form part of a broader strategy to develop a new water source.
Review the previous well
Determine its status and whether closure is required.
Assess a new abstraction point
Analyze hydrogeological conditions and a preliminary location.
Apply for a drilling permit
Request authorization to investigate the new location.
Proceed toward a concession
Obtain the information needed for the new water use authorization.
An old well should also be reviewed when purchasing a property
A property may contain an abandoned well, an abstraction point without available documentation, a concession in the former owner's name or a water use arrangement inconsistent with the new project.
Abandoned wells, undocumented wells and well sealing in Costa Rica
What is well sealing?
It is the procedure for closing a drilled well in accordance with established technical and documentary requirements, followed by reporting the closure to the Water Directorate.
Who regulates well sealing in Costa Rica?
The MINAE Water Directorate manages the National Well Registry and applies the Regulation on Well Drilling and Groundwater Use.
Does Geo Costa Rica handle well sealing procedures before the Water Directorate?
Yes. Geo Costa Rica can review the well's records and status, technically coordinate closure, organize the documentation and assist with procedures before the Water Directorate.
I have a well I no longer use. How do I close it legally?
An owner may seal a well voluntarily, but must comply with the regulatory procedure and subsequently submit the required documentation to the Water Directorate.
Can I simply cover or fill an abandoned well?
It must not be treated as a simple filling operation. Decree 43053 establishes a specific procedure for physically closing the well and subsequently documenting the work before the Water Directorate.
I bought a property with an undocumented well. Can it be legalized?
First, it must be verified whether institutional records are truly missing. An owner lacking documents does not automatically mean the well was drilled without authorization. Geo Costa Rica can investigate available records before determining the appropriate procedure.
I have a well drilled without a permit. Can I regularize it?
Subsequent legalization must not be assumed to be an ordinary option. If a drilled well is confirmed to have been constructed without the required permit, current regulations provide that the Water Directorate will order its sealing, without prejudice to exceptional situations expressly established by law.
How can I find out whether my well was drilled legally?
Its identification, location, background information, administrative file and available Water Directorate records can be reviewed. This investigation should be carried out before concluding the well lacks authorization.
Can Geo Costa Rica check whether a well file exists?
Yes. Geo Costa Rica can organize available information, identify the well and review technical and administrative records to guide the appropriate procedure.
What if the well has a concession but I no longer intend to use it?
The administrative file and concession status should be reviewed first. If permanent removal of the abstraction point is chosen, sealing and its associated documentation can be coordinated.
What is the difference between voluntary and ordered sealing?
With voluntary sealing, the owner chooses to close the well. With ordered sealing, the Water Directorate requires closure through a reasoned decision based on circumstances set out in regulations.
Must the pump be removed before sealing the well?
Article 53 requires the notarial deed submitted to the Water Directorate to describe pump removal as well as the sealing. Specific preparations must be coordinated according to the well's condition.
Who physically carries out well sealing?
Execution must be performed with sufficient technical expertise to comply with the applicable procedure. Geo Costa Rica can coordinate the necessary service providers or specialists without presenting itself as a drilling company.
Can Geo Costa Rica coordinate the closure contractor?
Yes. Geo Costa Rica can coordinate physical execution with specialist providers or personnel while integrating the technical, documentary and administrative work.
What documentation remains after sealing?
Regulations require submitting a sealing report to the Water Directorate through a notarial deed describing the closure and pump removal. Depending on the project, photographs, coordinates and other technical records may also be organized.
Can an abandoned well contaminate the aquifer?
An abandoned well may provide a potential pathway between the surface and groundwater, but this does not mean every abandoned well has already contaminated the aquifer. Proper sealing reduces that potential risk.
The next step depends on the well's condition
Do you have an abandoned or unused well, or one whose documentation is unknown?
We can start by identifying the well and reviewing its records to determine whether an administrative procedure, continued water use or coordinated sealing before the Water Directorate is appropriate.
Send us whatever information you have
You do not need to know in advance whether the well is legal, has a concession or must be sealed.
- Property location
- Cadastral survey plan
- Photographs of the well
- Well identification number, if known
- Existing permits, concessions or administrative files
- Water Directorate decision or official letter, if available