Section R12-15-802. Scope of Article

This Article shall apply to man-made openings in the earth through which water may be withdrawn or obtained from beneath the sur- face of the earth, including all water wells, monitor wells and pie- zometer wells. It shall also apply to geothermal wells to the extent provided by A.R.S. § 45-591.01, and all exploration wells and grounding or cathodic protection holes greater than 100 feet in depth. However, this Article shall not apply to the following:

1.        Man-made openings in the earth not commonly consid- ered to be wells, such as construction and mining blast holes, underground mines and mine shafts, open pit mines, tunnels, septic tank systems, caissons, basements, and natural gas storage cavities.

2.        Injection wells and vadose zone wells which are subject to regulation by the Arizona Department of Environmen- tal Quality.

3.        Oil, gas, and helium wells drilled pursuant to the provi- sions of A.R.S. Title 27.

4.        Drilled boreholes in the earth less than 100 feet in depth which are made for purposes other than withdrawing or encountering groundwater, such as exploration wells and grounding or cathodic protection holes; except that in the event that groundwater is encountered in the drilling of a borehole, this Article shall apply.

Historical Note

Adopted effective March 5, 1984 (Supp. 84-2). Amended

effective June 18, 1990 (Supp. 90-2).