The following minimum standards apply to all waterwells constructed and decommissioned in the state of Washington. It is the responsibility and liability of the water well operator who constructs the well, the property owner, and the water well contractor, to take whatever measures are necessary to guard against waste and contamination of the groundwater resources.

(1) It is necessary in some cases to construct and decommission wells with additional requirements beyond the minimum standards. Additional requirements may be necessary when the well is constructed or decommissioned adjacent to a known, or potential source of contamination. Examples of sources, or potential sources of contamination are found in the well siting section, WAC 173-160-171.

(2) Nothing in these regulations limits the department's authority to approve comparable alternative specifications for well construction as technology in the industry develops, or new and comparable methods of construction become known to the department.