VWWA Position Statement

Adopted February 27, 1999

Position 2: Citizen's Right to Choose a Water Source

The Virginia Water Well Association believes that American citizens should have the following rights:

• The right to install a properly constructed water well on private property.
• The right to use a properly tested and constructed private water well as source of potable water.

Rationale

Water wells, both private and public, are legal in every state. Properly constructed wells provide a safe, economical, custom-designed water source for both domestic and industrial use. During times of drought, wells provide an excellent alternative water resource for overburdened surface water supplies.

This nation has a strong tradition of upholding an individual's right to make choices about the use of property. Laws and regulations which deny a citizen's right to access ground water supplies on private property by limiting the right to own or construct private wells, go against that tradition. Clearly, citizens should have the right to choose a drinking water source.

In the long run, restricting a citizen's right to a private well also represents a health hazard. For, when these laws are seen in the light of such problems as water shortages, frequent problems with quality and quantity control in public systems, and the potential threat of deliberate public system contamination, it becomes clear that these laws are neither good public policy nor in the interests of the public health.

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