Register as a water well driller or pump installer in B.C.

To be a registered well driller or registered well pump installer under the Water Sustainability Act (WSA), you must be at least 19 years old, certified by a recognized authority and listed on the provincial registries.

Certifications for well drillers

Acceptable certifications to practice as a registered well driller in B.C. are:

• Certified as a Water Well Driller by the Government of B.C. through the SkilledTradesBC
• Certified as a Geotechnical/Environmental Driller by the Government of B.C. through the SkilledTradesBC
• Certified as a Geoexchange Driller by the Government of B.C. through the SkilledTradesBC
• An equivalent certificate issued by another province or territory of Canada
• If certified prior to 2013, a certificate as a Ground Water Drilling Technician issued by the Canadian Ground Water Association.

Certifications for well pump installers

Acceptable certifications to practice as a registered well pump installer in B.C. are:

• Certified as a Well Pump Installer by the Province of B.C. through the SkilledTradesBC
• An equivalent certificate issued by another province or territory of Canada
• If certified prior to 2013, a certificate as a Ground Water Pump Technician of a particular class by the Canadian Ground Water Association.

Unregistered drillers and pump installers

If you are not registered with the province, you are not legally permitted to perform most well drilling or pump installation activities in B.C. However, you can work as an unregistered well driller or well pump installer under the direct supervision of a registered well driller, registered well pump installer, or a professional with a competency in hydrogeology or geotechnical engineering. If you are unregistered and work without direct supervision, you are in contravention of the WSA and may be subject to enforcement procedures.

Removal from the registry

You may be removed from the register of well drillers or well pump installers if you:

• Fail to meet a requirement for registration (for example, falsifying experience or evidence)
• Fail to maintain a requirement for registration
• Are no longer actively working in Canada as a well driller or well pump installer.

Responsibilities

For any updates to information listed in the well driller and well pump installer registries including:

• Name
• Contact information
• If you are no longer actively working in Canada

You must notify the Deputy Comptroller within 60 days by mail or by email to GroundWater@gov.bc.ca.

You are responsible for knowing, understanding and complying with the standards set out in the WSA and the Groundwater Protection Regulation for drilling, constructing, maintaining and decommissioning wells, and installing pumps and other works.

• Part 3, Division 3, Water Sustainability Act
• Groundwater Protection Regulation 

Requirements under other statutes

You should be aware that there are requirements under other regulations for working on a well. These can include:

• Safety Standards Act
• Safety Standards General Regulation
• Electrical Safety Regulation
• Drinking Water Protection Act
• Health Hazards Regulation

Make sure you understand all of the components of the job and the related legislation and regulations before you begin work.