New Hampshire Permitting

 

NH department of environmental services

NEW HAMPSHIRE GEOTHERMAL WELL PERMITTING QUICK REFERENCE

Department

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

Groundwater Discharge Program

Contact Info

Mitch Locker

29 Hazen Drive

Concord, NH

03302-0095

(603)271-2858

(603)271-5171 fax

mitchell. [email protected]

 

Website

Official Site – Ground Water Discharge

Federal EPA NH-DES has Primacy

  • Federal EPA not required on Public or Private Property.
  • Must be registered with Federal EPA if located on tribal lands.

 

The property owner is solely responsible for ensuring that the documentation and information submitted is appropriate for the current laws, regulations, or guidelines.

Summary:

  1. All geothermal systems whether closed loop (horizontal and vertical), standing column wells, direct-exchange, or supply/diffusion wells, currently drilled or to be drilled, must be registered with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) Groundwater Discharge Program.
  2. Geothermal Bores must only be installed by a contractor licensed with the NH-DES Water Well Board.
    Horizontal Closed Loop trenches or fields that are not well bores are not required to be installed by a licensed contractor.
  3. Fact Sheet: http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/index.htm – Under Groundwater Protection look for: “WD-DWGB-22-23 Requirements for Geothermal Systems in New Hampshire”
  4. Filing is a “registration” not a “permit” and there are currently no fees associated to submitting the forms. There are additional document attachments required when submitting the registration, refer to the appropriate form listed below.
  5. Registration Forms can be found at the official website, above.
    “Residential” is categorized as one single-family unit and requires submittal of the form titled, “Registration Form for Single Family Residential Geothermal and Ground Source Heat Exchanger Systems”.
    “Commercial” is categorized as anything more than one single-family unit and requires submittal of the form titled, “Registration Form for Industrial, Commercial, Institutional, or Multi Unit Geothermal/ Ground Source Heat Exchange Systems Using Underground Injection Control (UIC) Wells”.
    NOTE: Additional reporting, permitting, and/or registration requirements apply if water discharge from the geothermal well system exceeds 20,000 gallons in any 24-hour period. Refer to the commercial application form for more information.
  6. Additional Geothermal Well Driller Requirements: In addition to reporting, registration, and permitting requirements to comply with all applicable codes and regulations regarding the drilling of water wells, Geothermal heating and cooling projects that drill at least three wells in excess of 1,000 feet or more in depth at one site or property, must provide a description or geologic log from the deepest borehole that contains information on the geological formations or materials encountered while drilling. For more information regarding these reporting requirements, contact Dr. David Wunsch at 603-271-6482, or by email at: [email protected] .
    The well driller shall submit appropriate well bore information to:
    Department of Environmental Services
    New Hampshire Geological Survey
    Attention: Geothermal Reporting
    29 Hazen Drive, P.O. Box 95
    Concord, New Hampshire 03302-0095
  7. In addition to requirements, other local regulations and permits may apply. Check with the local Board of Health to determine whether a local well permit is also required for your type of geothermal well. Local requirements may vary across the state. Also, if your residential well will be used as a dual use standing column well and drinking water well, check with the local plumbing inspector to determine whether your town allows the dual use. Most but not all towns allow dual use wells for residential applications under proper conditions. However, dual use is not typically approved for commercial geothermal applications.

Water Energy Distributors, Inc. provides this information as a courtesy to our valued customers and clients. The information and references contained are valid to the best of our knowledge on the date that it was published. Guidelines, regulations, and permitting or registration requirements may change at any time without notice.