# Well Abandonment in Palm Bay, FL | Coastal > Well abandonment in Palm Bay: when an unused well must be plugged, who permits it in Brevard, how grout sealing works and options for flowing artesian wells. URL: https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/well-abandonment/ An unused well is an open path from the surface to the aquifer. Proper abandonment fills it with approved grout from the bottom up, under a permit, and leaves a record the next owner can rely on. ## Sealing a well that is no longer in use [Coastal Palm Bay Well Pump Repair](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/) offers well abandonment for private wells in Palm Bay and the communities on our [service areas](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/service-areas/) page. The plugging itself is performed by a Florida-licensed water well contractor under the applicable permit. Abandonment, sometimes called decommissioning or plugging, permanently seals a well so it can no longer carry water, contamination or pressure between the surface and the aquifers it penetrates. It is a construction task in reverse, and it follows the same logic as building a well. A new well relies on its casing and its grout seal in the annular space to keep surface water out. An abandoned well needs the entire bore filled for the same reason. Dropping a cap on the casing, burying it or filling it with dirt leaves the pathway in place underground. ## When is a well considered abandoned in Florida? Under Florida Statutes section 373.303, a well is abandoned when its use has been permanently discontinued, or when it is in such disrepair that continued use is impracticable. A well that simply sits idle for a season is not automatically abandoned, but one that will never be used again, or that cannot reasonably be returned to service, meets the definition. That definition matters because abandonment is regulated work. Florida statute section 373.313 provides that, where required to protect groundwater, prior permission is obtained before abandoning a well. A broken, unusable well left open is still a well in the eyes of the rules, and the responsibility for it stays with the property. ## Why an open, unused well is a risk An unused well is a direct conduit. Surface runoff, fertilizer, septic effluent, fuel or floodwater that reaches an open or poorly capped casing can travel straight down to the aquifer without the filtering that happens as water soaks through soil. That contamination does not stay at one property; neighboring wells can draw from the same groundwater. Our guide to a [well after flooding](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/guide/well-after-flooding/) explains how floodwater reaches a wellhead in the first place. A well can also connect aquifers that are naturally separated. Where a bore passes through more than one water-bearing zone, such as the shallow and deeper aquifers compared in our [shallow vs deep well guide](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/guide/shallow-vs-deep-well/), water can move up or down the casing between them. In parts of the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Floridan aquifer is under enough artesian pressure that wells flow at the surface without a pump, so an open well can bring mineralized water upward and waste it continuously. Open or loosely covered casings are also a physical hazard to children, pets and livestock, and corroded casings can let soft ground collapse around them. ## Common reasons to abandon a well Most abandonment jobs start from a property change rather than an emergency. The usual triggers are below. - A replacement well has been drilled because the old one failed, was poorly constructed or reached an unsuitable aquifer - The house has connected to a utility supply and the well will not be kept for irrigation or another use - A failed well whose casing, screen or seal cannot be repaired, as described on our [well rehabilitation](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/well-rehabilitation/) page - An unknown old well discovered during clearing, construction or a home inspection, a possibility on rural parcels in places such as [Malabar](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/service-areas/malabar/) or [Grant-Valkaria](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/service-areas/grant-valkaria/), whose town plans describe rural residential land served by private wells and septic - A property sale where the buyer or lender wants an unused well resolved - A free-flowing artesian well that is wasting water or bringing up poor water ## Connecting to utility water does not automatically retire a well Some owners keep a private well for lawn watering after the house moves to utility water; Melbourne, for example, supplies water within its service area and sells water wholesale to West Melbourne, while many properties in those cities still run a separate [irrigation well](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/irrigation-well-pump-repair/). Keeping the well in service is a reasonable choice when it is maintained, capped and separated from the house plumbing. Our guide on [irrigation wells versus house water](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/guide/irrigation-well-vs-house-water/) covers that arrangement. If the well will never be used again, it fits the abandoned-well definition and should be plugged. A well permit does not relieve an owner of county, municipal, utility, drainage-easement or reclaimed-water requirements, so any utility conditions on connection are confirmed separately. Owners in [Melbourne](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/service-areas/melbourne/) and [West Melbourne](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/service-areas/west-melbourne/) should check the utility's own rules before deciding. ## Who performs abandonment and which agency permits it The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County advises that anyone planning to install or abandon a well in Brevard must contact a Florida licensed water well contractor. Under section 373.323, the water well contractor license issued by a water management district is the license needed to construct, repair or abandon a well. Abandonment is licensed well work, not a homeowner or handyman task. Permitting follows well diameter. DOH-Brevard permits wells under six inches in diameter except in delineated areas, and the St. Johns River Water Management District permits wells six inches or larger and all wells in delineated areas, with applications through the District's ePermit system. Wells are abandoned according to Chapters 40C-3 and 62-532 of the Florida Administrative Code. The permit request is made on the State of Florida permit application form, and the contractor confirms which office handles the specific well. Our [Florida well permit guide](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/guide/well-pump-permits-florida/) explains how well work differs from pump work. ## How a well is plugged The exact sequence follows the permit conditions and the rules for that well type, but a proper abandonment generally includes these steps: - Locating the well and confirming its construction from the well log, permit records or field measurement of depth and casing diameter - Removing the pump, drop pipe, wire and other obstructions where required, so the grout can fill the full depth - Disinfecting the well where the rules or permit call for it - Measuring total depth and checking for debris, collapsed sections or blockages - Placing approved grout, Portland cement or natural bentonite slurry, from the bottom of the well to the top so no voids or water pockets remain - Sealing the casing seat and the top of the well as the rules require, and cutting or finishing the casing below grade where that is part of the permitted method - Restoring the surface and documenting the work for the permitting agency and the owner ## Why grout goes in from the bottom up Pouring material in from the top tends to bridge partway down, leaving open water and air beneath a plug that looks solid at the surface. Placing slurry from the bottom upward, typically through a pipe lowered to the base of the well, displaces the water in the bore and fills it continuously. Sand, gravel, soil or chlorine tablets do not create the low-permeability seal that cement or bentonite grout provides. Obstructions change the job. A pump stuck in the casing, broken drop pipe or a collapsed section may need fishing or clearing before grout can reach the bottom, and that work is scoped once the well has been inspected. ## Free-flowing artesian wells and the District plugging program Abandoned artesian wells follow specific rules. Under SJRWMD rules 40C-3.531 and 40C-3.517, they are plugged by a licensed water well contractor after a request on the State of Florida permit application form, using Portland cement or natural bentonite slurry from bottom to top, and the casing seat is sealed with grout from 20 feet below the seat to the top of the well. Florida statute 373.206 also requires the owner of a flowing artesian well to keep a valve that controls the discharge to the water needed for ordinary use. The St. Johns River Water Management District runs an Abandoned Artesian Well Plugging program that plugs eligible abandoned artesian wells at no charge to property owners in its 18 counties, and Brevard lies entirely within the District. Owners apply online through the District's report-a-well page, and an inspector contacts the owner within 30 days. If a well qualifies, that program is usually the first route to check; private abandonment through our service applies to wells that do not qualify or owners who choose a private schedule. Our guide to the [free-flowing artesian well](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/guide/free-flowing-artesian-well/) covers what to do in the meantime. ## Abandoning the old well after a replacement is drilled When a property gets a new well, the old one is normally sealed once the replacement has been completed, tested and connected, so the household is not left without water. Planning both jobs together lets the permit, setbacks and pump transfer be handled in one sequence. [Well drilling](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/well-drilling/) covers the new source, and our [well pump replacement](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/well-pump-replacement/) page explains how equipment that is still serviceable may be evaluated for reuse rather than assumed to move over. ## Records for owners and future buyers Keep the permit, the abandonment documentation and any well log together with the property records. Newer permit records are searchable in the District's ePermit system. For a sale, a documented abandonment answers the question a buyer's inspector will ask when a pipe stub or old concrete pad shows up in the yard. Our guide to [buying a home with a private well](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/guide/buying-home-with-private-well/) explains what records help in a transaction, and a [well system inspection](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/well-system-inspection/) can document a well that is staying in service. ## What drives an abandonment estimate Abandonment cost depends on the well rather than a flat rate. A written estimate itemizes the drivers that apply: Share the well's diameter, any well log and photos of the wellhead through the [contact page](https://coastalpalmbaywellpumprepair.com/contact/) so the estimate can reflect the actual well. - Well depth and casing diameter, which set the volume of grout needed - Obstructions such as a pump, drop pipe, wire or debris that must be removed first - Artesian flow, which can require controlling the discharge before grout will stay in place - Site access for equipment and any surface restoration - Grout material and placement method - Permit fees and documentation ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I fill an unused well with sand or gravel myself? No. Loose fill does not seal the bore, can bridge partway down and leaves a path for surface water to reach the aquifer. Florida requires abandonment to be performed by a licensed water well contractor, using approved grout placed from the bottom up and following the applicable permit. A homeowner fill can also complicate later plugging because the material has to be cleared out. ### Does a well have to be plugged when the house switches to city water? Not automatically. A well that stays in service for irrigation can remain if it is maintained, capped and kept separate from the house plumbing. A well that will never be used again meets the Florida definition of an abandoned well and should be plugged. Utility connection rules are separate from the well permit and are confirmed with the utility. ### What happens to the pump and pipe inside a well being abandoned? They are normally removed where the rules require it so grout can fill the full depth of the well. A pump or pipe that is stuck may need to be fished out or cleared before plugging, which is one reason estimates vary. Whether any removed equipment is worth reusing on another well is evaluated separately and not assumed. ### How can I tell whether there is a forgotten old well on my land? Look for a pipe stub, an old concrete pad, a small pump house foundation or a depression near older structures. Older property records or a well log may show its location, and newer permits are searchable in the District's ePermit system. If you find one, keep people and animals away from it and avoid covering it until it has been inspected. ### Should the old well be sealed before or after a new well is drilled? Usually after. Sealing the old well once the new one is completed, tested and connected keeps the household supplied in the meantime. Each well has its own permit requirements, so the replacement and the abandonment are planned together. If the old well is contaminated or flowing uncontrolled, the timing may need to change to protect the aquifer.