Office of Conservation

Natural Resources and Transportation sign agreement to centralize water wells

The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) have completed an agreement to streamline the management of water wells and state ground water under DNR.

DNR Secretary Scott Angelle said that under the agreement signed with DOTD Secretary William Ankner, most aspects of the management of ground water will be within DNR Office of Conservation, as laid out in Act 437 of the 2009 regular session of the state Legislature.

“In transitioning primary water well responsibilities to one agency, we believe we are demonstrating streamlining government at its best,” Angelle said. “I thank Rep. Page Cortez for seeing Act 437 through the legislative process, Secretary Ankner and his staff, as well as Conservation Commissioner James Welsh and his staff for showing the utmost cooperation in working out the details of the agreement.”

The Office of Conservation’s Ground Water Resources Program is charged with conserving water usage and preserving the state’s aquifers. The Water Well installation notification procedures within this program seek information from drillers and citizens on how a well is used and the water source it draws from.

DOTD’s water program has operated to assure proper water well construction, installation, inspection and enforcement.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two agencies allows for merging several databases and proprietary water well information, thereby transferring the management of the DOTD Water Well Drillers Licensing and Regulations Program, the Water Well Registration Program and its enforcement program to DNR Office of Conservation, as part of its environmental division and Ground Water Resources Program.  Additionally, DOTD will continue to provide well inspectors and funding for the program.

“Integrating water policy and regulations under a single governmental entity makes government more effective and efficient in meeting our public responsibilities.  Collaboratively, our agencies have found a workable solution to transfer management of wells without disrupting well inspections,” noted DOTD Secretary William Ankner.

The legislation was passed in the 2009 Regular Session and called for the departments to work together in the transfer of governing authority.  The MOU outlines March 1, 2010 as the target date to complete the merger of regulatory oversight from DOTD to the DNR Commissioner of Conservation.

 “I am glad to see the effort put forth by the agencies to make Act 437 a reality, and its intent to streamline, conserve, and emerge with a one-stop shop to best serve our citizens,” said state Rep. Cortez.