Well Record

A Well Record is a provincial document capturing a groundwater well's construction details, drilled depth, casing specifications, estimated yield, and water quality data as reported at the time of drilling. In British Columbia, Well Records are maintained by the provincial government and are publicly searchable through the BC Groundwater Wells and Aquifers (GWELLS) database, available at no cost on the BC Government website. The database is administered under the authority of the Water Sustainability Act, which governs groundwater regulation in BC.

Under the Real Estate Services Act (RESA) and BCFSA guidance, a licensee representing a seller must disclose all material latent defects known to them, and the existence of a well and its condition would typically qualify as material information. While RESA does not prescribe a specific checklist for well disclosure, sellers and their licensees are expected to provide accurate information about the property's water supply, including any available Well Record. Buyers should request the Well Record and any related water test results as part of their contractual subject conditions.

A buyer's due diligence on a well-water property in BC typically includes obtaining the Well Record from the GWELLS database, commissioning a current potability test to confirm the water meets BC Drinking Water Guidelines, and arranging a flow rate test to verify adequate yield for the intended use. The Well Record provides historical construction data but does not reflect current water quality or yield, so independent current testing is strongly recommended. Buyers should also confirm whether the well was drilled by a licensed well driller as required under the Water Sustainability Act.

A BC Well Record generally contains the well's geographic location, date of construction, drilled and cased depth, static water level, estimated yield at the time of drilling, lithological log, and the name of the licensed driller. Its primary limitation is that the data reflects conditions at the time of drilling and does not account for changes in aquifer levels, seasonal fluctuations, contamination, or well deterioration that may have occurred since. Buyers should treat the Well Record as historical reference information and supplement it with current flow and potability testing.

A Well Record itself does not determine ALR status, which is governed by the Agricultural Land Commission Act (SBC 2002, c. 36) and administered by the Agricultural Land Commission. However, on ALR properties, the well's yield and water quality documented in the Well Record can be relevant to confirming the viability of farm use, irrigation capacity, or any non-farm use application. Water licences and groundwater authorizations are governed separately under the Water Sustainability Act, and buyers of ALR properties with wells should confirm whether any applicable groundwater licence or authorization is in place with the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.

Yes, a BC Well Record typically identifies the drilling contractor, and buyers or licensees can cross-reference this information with the provincial registry of licensed well drillers maintained under the Water Sustainability Act and the Groundwater Protection Regulation. Wells drilled without a licensed contractor or wells that do not meet construction standards under the Groundwater Protection Regulation may pose legal and safety risks and could affect property insurability. If the Well Record is missing, incomplete, or the well appears unregistered in GWELLS, this should be flagged as a due diligence concern.

Yes, under the Groundwater Protection Regulation made pursuant to the Water Sustainability Act, licensed well drillers in British Columbia are required to submit a well record to the provincial government within a prescribed period after completing well construction, alteration, or decommissioning. This obligation rests with the driller, not the property owner, and the submitted records become part of the publicly accessible GWELLS database. Property owners who discover their well is not recorded in GWELLS should consult the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship for guidance on how to address the gap.

Under the Real Estate Services Act (RESA) and BCFSA's professional conduct standards, a real estate licensee must disclose all known material facts about a property, including facts that could reasonably affect a buyer's decision. If a licensee is aware that a property relies on a private well and has access to or knowledge of a problematic Well Record—such as a very low yield or contamination history—that information must be disclosed to the buyer. Licensees should advise buyers to obtain and review the Well Record from the GWELLS database and to conduct independent current water testing as part of their subject conditions.

Yes, buyers in BC commonly include a subject condition in their Contract of Purchase and Sale that makes the contract conditional upon the buyer reviewing and approving the Well Record and receiving satisfactory results from a current potability and flow rate test. The subject condition should specify a reasonable removal deadline, identify who bears the cost of testing, and clearly describe the standard the buyer considers satisfactory. Licensees should ensure the subject clause is clearly drafted, and both parties should retain copies of all test results and the Well Record for their records.

Well Records stored in the BC GWELLS database are publicly accessible government records and are not subject to the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) restrictions that apply to privately held personal information, as they are administered by a public body under provincial open-data policy. However, if a licensee collects, uses, or shares additional personal information about a property owner in connection with well inquiries—such as contact details or health-related water test results—that information would be subject to PIPA obligations, including limiting collection to what is necessary and obtaining appropriate consent. Buyers and licensees should handle any supplementary water quality reports or personal health-related documents with appropriate care under PIPA.