Minnesota well sealing: 2 counts explained

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Minnesota's initiative sealed 64 unused public water supply wells and 1,189 private wells between 2012 and 2021.

Key takeaways

• Keep public and private well counts separate.
• Check the period, program, and unit before comparing counts.
• Gather your property's well records before asking about an unused well.

The goal is plain reading. This post is not a how-to guide for sealing a well, and it does not replace advice from your county or from a licensed water professional. It is meant to help you read the numbers accurately and to know what questions to ask.

What well sealing means

Well sealing is the process of permanently closing a well that is no longer in use. An unused well left open or poorly closed can create a direct path for surface water and debris to reach the groundwater below. Other wells draw from that same groundwater. Sealing closes that path so the well can no longer carry material downward.

A helpful picture is a hole in a fence. Sealing does not remove what is already on the other side of the fence, but it stops the hole from letting new things through. That is why sealing is best understood as a protection measure.

People often mix sealing up with other work on a well. Repairing a pump, replacing a pressure tank, or testing water quality all keep a well in service. Sealing takes a well out of service for good. Because the two kinds of work answer different questions, a count of sealed wells tells you nothing about how well the rest of the system is working.

Where the figures come from

The sealing numbers come from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), which publishes an overview of its Clean Water Fund initiatives. That overview traces the effort back to a 2008 vote. In the department's words, "In 2008, Minnesota voters took a bold action to protect our drinking water resources, protect and enhance natural habitats, improve our parks and trails, and preserve our cultural heritage."

The same page explains the reasoning behind that vote: "The vote to confirm the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment affirms the cultural importance of water in our “Land of 10,000 Lakes” and the desire to provide safe and sufficient drinking water for all Minnesotans."

Those two statements set the purpose of the work. Drinking water is the focus, and well sealing is one of the efforts the page describes. The figures are not a general count of every well closed in the state, and reading them that way leads to wrong conclusions. The rest of this post explains why.

The two counts

The key sentence comes from the same MDH page: "Between 2012 and 2021, 64 unused public water supply wells and 1,189 private wells were sealed through this initiative."

That one sentence holds two counts, and they describe different kinds of wells. Keeping them separate is the first step to reading the figures correctly.

64 unused public water supply wells

A public water supply well is a well that serves a public water system, meaning a system that provides water to a community rather than to one property. The page reports 64 of these unused wells sealed over the period from 2012 through 2021.

Because the count is for unused wells, it does not describe public wells that are still in service. A public well that is pumping water for a community is not part of this number.

1,189 private wells

A private well serves a single property, such as a home or farm. The page reports 1,189 private wells sealed over the same years. This is the larger of the two counts, and it is the one most homeowners will find relevant.

These counts measure sealing activity, not reasons for sealing or the condition of the water.

Why the two counts should stay separate

It is tempting to add them together into one total, but that total would mix two groups that differ in use, ownership, and purpose. An unused public well is not the same kind of event as a private well sealed on a homeowner's property. Adding them hides that difference. Reporting the two counts side by side keeps the detail visible.

What the figures do not measure

It helps to be clear about the limits. The sentence describes a particular set of wells over a particular period, so several things are outside it.

• Sealings outside the initiative. Any well closed through some other route is not in these numbers.
• The total number of wells in Minnesota. A sealed count says nothing about how many wells exist, in use or otherwise.
• How many unused wells remain. The figures record wells that were sealed. They do not say how many unused wells are still open.
• Water quality. The figures do not report test results, contamination levels, or whether any water was unsafe.
• Your own well. Whether a particular property's well was sealed, or should be, is a question the state figures cannot answer.

When a number is used in a headline or a conversation, ask what it covers before you draw a conclusion.

How to read a count like this

Any published count is only as clear as its definition. Before you give a number of sealed wells much weight, try to answer five questions.

First, what period does it cover? The sentence in this post covers 2012 through 2021. A count for a single year, or for a different span of years, cannot be compared directly without accounting for the difference in time.

Second, which kinds of wells are included? Here the two groups are unused public water supply wells and private wells.

Third, which program produced the count? A count from one program is not a count of all sealing activity, and other efforts may keep their own records.

Fourth, what is being counted? A count of wells is not a count of properties, owners, or people. One property can have more than one well, so a well count and a property count may tell different stories.

Fifth, what does the number not claim? Check whether a comparison asks the count to answer a different question.

Asking these questions does not make a figure wrong. It makes the figure useful. A careful reader knows what the number means and what it cannot support.

Putting the numbers in context

Is 1,189 private wells a large number or a small one? Its size cannot be judged without a comparison. A count gains meaning only when you compare it with something, such as the total number of wells in an area or the number that were unused to begin with. Without either comparison, it would be a mistake to call the figure high or low.

This is a common trap with public figures. A bare number invites a reaction, but the reaction depends on a comparison the reader has to supply. If you want to judge the figure, look for the matching base figure in the same source, and be cautious about any comparison you build yourself from numbers gathered in different ways.

Why well records matter

Counting sealed wells depends on knowing where wells are, so records play a role. The same MDH page makes a related point: “In addition, over 100,000 backlogged well records were entered into the database.”

A backlog means records were waiting to be entered. Once records are in a database, they are easier to search and to check against what is in the ground. For a homeowner, the practical lesson is simple: a well's record is useful information. Keep copies of any documents you have about your well, and ask whether a record exists for it. For help starting that search, see find old well records.

Drinking water limits in general

Sealing is one part of protecting drinking water. Another part is the set of limits on what can be in the water itself. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describes the basic idea this way: "Primary standards and treatment techniques protect public health by limiting the levels of contaminants in drinking water."

The EPA page directs readers to the detailed regulations: "Read the drinking water section of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 141)"

The regulations are where the detailed limits are set out. Do not assume a general summary covers your situation. Read the regulation text or ask a knowledgeable office. For related questions, see well water standards for private and public supply.

If you have a private well

Here are steps a homeowner can take with the information above. None of them replaces professional advice.

1. Find your records. Look for any documents from when the well was drilled or last serviced. Ask your county or MDH whether a record exists.
2. Identify every well on the property. Old wells are sometimes forgotten, covered over, or hidden in a yard or field. A well you no longer use still matters.
3. Ask about unused wells. If you find an old well, ask a licensed well contractor to assess it before doing anything. Do not assume that covering it is the same as sealing it.
4. Consider a water test. The sealing figures do not tell you anything about your water. Only a test of your own water can do that.
5. Keep your own file. Record dates of testing, repairs, and any changes to the well, so you have history if a question comes up later. See private well records to keep for help organizing that file.

When a property has an old well

Many properties carry reminders of wells that are no longer in use. An old well may sit under a shed, in a field, behind a garden, or under soil and forgotten. Finding one can be unsettling, but a calm, methodical approach helps.

Start by treating an unused well as a real feature of the property, not a minor detail. An open or partly covered well can be a physical hazard to people and animals, even if nobody has used it in years. Keep children and pets away from it until a professional has looked at it.

Next, avoid guessing. Covering a well with soil, a board, or debris is not the same as closing it properly. The goal of sealing is to stop material from moving downward toward groundwater, and a cover that does not do that is not a solution. Ask a licensed well contractor to evaluate the well and explain what, if anything, it needs.

Then check the records. A record can help you learn where a well was drilled and when it was installed. Records differ in how complete they are, so treat what you find as a starting point rather than a final answer.

Finally, keep notes. Write down where the well is, what you observed, who inspected it, and what was done. A clear file helps you, a future owner, and anyone who later asks about the property.

Buying a home with a private well

If you are buying a home with a private well, the well is part of what you are buying, and it deserves the same attention as the roof or the foundation. A statewide sealing count cannot tell you anything about the well on the property you are considering. The seller's knowledge and the property's records can.

Ask the seller what records they have, including any service notes or test results. Ask whether any other wells on the property are unused, and whether any have ever been sealed, and if so, by whom. An honest answer is more useful than any statewide total, because it describes the property in front of you.

Bring a licensed professional into the process before you commit. A home inspector or a licensed well contractor can explain what you learn and what questions remain. If the answers are unclear, that is a reason to look further, not a reason to assume everything is fine.

Related guides: Flooded private well: 7 mistakes to avoid before drinking · Lead in well plumbing: 7 dates and limits to check.

Questions to ask a professional

When you talk to a licensed contractor or your local office, these questions help:

• Is this well in use, and does anything on the property depend on it?
• What records exist for this well, and where are they kept?
• What would sealing involve for this specific well?
• Who handles the work, and what documentation will I receive afterward?

Bring the record and any notes you have. A clear picture of the well makes the conversation more useful.

Today, gather your well records and write down one question to ask your county or a licensed well contractor.

Common questions

Does a sealed count mean my water is safe? No, a sealing count does not establish whether your water is safe. Only testing of your own water can tell you what it contains.

Is a sealed well the same as a well that is not in use? No, an unused well may still be open. Sealing is the step of closing it for good, which is why the two should not be treated as the same thing.

Why is the public count smaller than the private count? The reason for the difference is unknown. Read the two counts as they are reported, and do not treat the gap as a measure of how common either kind of well is.

Can I use these numbers to judge my neighborhood? No, statewide figures cannot describe your neighborhood. For local information, ask your county or MDH.

What if I find an unused well on my property? Keep people and pets away from it and ask a licensed well contractor to evaluate it. The section on old wells above lists these steps in more detail.

Does this post tell me the rules for sealing? No, it explains how to read the sealing counts. Ask a licensed professional or your local office what applies to your situation.