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Well services cover that whole system: diagnosing and replacing pumps, pressure tanks and switches, inspecting the casing and cap, raising a buried wellhead, disinfecting the well after repairs, and properly sealing a well that is no longer used. Drilling, deepening or sealing a well is regulated work done by licensed well contractors, while the electrical side of a pump installation belongs to a licensed electrician.
Ontario and Quebec both set rules for how wells are built and closed, and both governments remind owners that keeping their water safe is their own responsibility. Regular testing is part of that job; our water testing page explains what to test for and how often.
Drilled wells vs dug wells: how they differ
A drilled well is bored by a drilling rig, lined with a steel or plastic casing and usually reaches water in bedrock or in deep layers of sand and gravel. Its narrow casing, sealed at the surface, leaves surface water few ways in, which is why a well-built drilled well tends to resist contamination and dry spells better than a shallow one.
A dug well is a wide, shallow hole lined with concrete tiles, stone or brick that collects groundwater close to the surface. Because its lid and joints are harder to seal and the water it draws is shallow, a dug well is more exposed to runoff, to a nearby septic system and to a falling water table in a dry summer.
- Drilled well: deep, narrow and cased, usually fitted with a submersible pump.
- Dug well: wide and shallow, lined with concrete tiles, often served by a jet pump in the basement.
- Sand-point or driven well: a small pipe driven into shallow sandy soil, found mostly at cottages and on older properties.
Submersible vs jet well pumps, and the role of the pressure tank
A submersible pump sits down inside the well casing and pushes water up to the house through a drop pipe, with its power cable running alongside. A jet pump sits above ground, in the basement or a pump house, and draws water up by suction, which suits dug wells and other shallow sources.
Whatever the pump, a pressure tank sits between it and the plumbing. Inside, a cushion of air compresses as water comes in and pushes water back out when a tap opens, so the pump doesn't start every time someone runs the water. A pressure switch starts and stops the pump between two set pressures. When the tank loses its air charge or its bladder fails, the pump turns on and off in rapid bursts that wear it out early.
- Submersible pump: quiet and out of sight, but pulling it out of the well takes a crew and lifting equipment.
- Jet pump: easy to reach for service, but it can lose its prime when air gets into the suction line.
- Pressure tank: its air charge should be checked at each service call, since a waterlogged tank is a frequent cause of pump trouble.
Common well problems: low pressure, no water, cloudy water and short cycling
Most well problems first show up as a change at the tap. Some point to the pump or the tank, others to the well itself or to the water it draws. When the pump runs without stopping or the house has no water, switching off the pump's breaker, if the panel is dry, protects the motor until a well contractor arrives.
- Low or fluctuating pressure: often a pressure switch out of adjustment, a clogged sediment filter, a waterlogged tank or a worn pump.
- No water at all: a tripped breaker, a failed pressure switch, a burned-out pump, a broken pipe in the well or, after a long dry spell, a water level that has dropped below the pump.
- Cloudy, sandy or muddy water: sediment entering through a damaged casing or screen, or surface water getting in after heavy rain or snowmelt, which calls for a bacteria test.
- Short cycling, with the pump starting and stopping every few seconds: usually a pressure tank that has lost its air charge, or a leak somewhere in the system.
- New taste, odour or colour: something has changed in the water or the well, so use another source for drinking until it has been tested.
Well construction and decommissioning rules in Ontario and Quebec
In Ontario, wells fall under the Wells Regulation (Regulation 903) made under the Ontario Water Resources Act. The province explains that licensed well contractors must use licensed well technicians holding the proper class of licence to do or supervise any work on your well, and that a well record must be completed and sent to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Keep a copy with your property papers.
In Quebec, the drilling and construction of residential wells are governed by the Water Withdrawal and Protection Regulation, and the Régie du bâtiment du Québec has a contractor licence subclass, 2.1, specifically for drilled wells. The environment ministry publishes a technical guide on water withdrawals subject to municipal authorization, so contact your municipality before a well is drilled, deepened or sealed, and ask the contractor for a copy of the drilling report, the form the ministry provides to document that work.
An abandoned well is a direct path from the surface to the aquifer. Health Canada recommends having any well that is no longer used properly sealed by a licensed well contractor, and in Ontario the owner must plug and seal a well that is neither in use nor maintained for future use.
Protecting your wellhead from contamination
Contamination usually gets into a well from the top or along the outside of the casing. Health Canada and the Ontario government both list checks owners can make through the year; any repair to the casing, the cap or the seal around it is a job for a licensed well contractor.
- Keep the well cap secure and watertight, with no cracks or damage.
- Keep the casing above ground: Ontario notes the minimum height is typically 40 cm above the surface, so never bury the wellhead under fill, a deck or a garden bed.
- Make sure the ground slopes away from the well so water can't pond around the casing.
- Look for gaps around the outside of the casing and for cracking, settling or pooling water, and have them fixed.
- Keep fuel, oil, fertilizer, pesticides, salt, pet waste and parked vehicles away; Health Canada suggests a trimmed grassy area of at least three metres around the well.
- Know where your septic system is, since Health Canada names septic systems as a common source of well contamination.
What a well pump repair or replacement involves
A well contractor usually starts at the surface, checking the pressure, the tank's air charge, the switch, the flow and whether the pump is getting power. If the fault is down the well, a submersible pump has to be lifted out with its pipe and cable, inspected, repaired or replaced, then lowered back to the right depth. Any time the well is opened, it should be disinfected afterward and the water tested before the household drinks it again.
The pump runs on its own circuit, and new or modified wiring, a new control box or a relocated disconnect switch is electrical work for a licensed electrical contractor: in Quebec, a member of the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec; in Ontario, a contractor licensed through the Electrical Safety Authority. Water, a metal casing and household voltage are a dangerous mix, so this is never a do-it-yourself job.
Well Services: frequently asked questions
My wellhead is buried in the yard. Is that a problem?
Yes, it should be raised. A buried casing lets surface water, insects and small animals reach the well, and Ontario notes the casing should typically stand at least 40 cm above the ground. A licensed well contractor can extend the casing and fit a proper cap; don't cut into or extend it yourself.
Can I seal an old well myself?
It isn't a good idea. In Ontario, the owner is responsible for plugging and sealing an unused well, and the province strongly recommends hiring a licensed well contractor to follow the steps the regulation sets out. In Quebec, sealing a well is regulated work: check with your municipality and hire a contractor licensed by the RBQ for drilled wells. A poorly sealed well can let surface water reach the aquifer your neighbours drink from too.
Should I test my water after work on the well?
Yes. Health Canada lists well repairs among the times to test, on top of its advice to test well water for microbial contamination at least once every 6 months. The contractor should disinfect the well after opening it; wait for a clean result before drinking the water again. Our water testing page explains what to test for and where to send samples.
Is water from a dug well safe to drink?
It can be, but it needs closer watching. A dug well draws shallow groundwater and its cover and lining are harder to seal, so runoff, a nearby septic system or a flood reaches it more easily than a deep drilled well. Keep the cover tight and the ground sloped away, test regularly, and if results keep coming back positive, ask a well contractor whether a drilled well makes sense.
Sources
- Government of Ontario: Wells on your property
- Health Canada: Well water and your health, protect and maintain your well
- Health Canada: Well water and your health, test your well water
- Quebec Ministry of the Environment: Drilling and building a residential well
- Quebec Ministry of the Environment: Technical guide, water withdrawals subject to municipal authorization
- Quebec Ministry of the Environment: Drilling report
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec: Specialized contractor licence subclasses
- CMEQ: A licence is mandatory
- Electrical Safety Authority: Finding the right contractor
Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Reviewed by Zubair Afzal on September 10, 2026. How we write and check our guides