What Happens When You Discover an Old Water Well on a Suburban Property?

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you will probably already know that I had a unique situation in one of my recent transactions. After nearly 20 years as a Sacramento real estate agent, I do not have many "firsts" anymore, and this situation definitely was a new one for me!

In rural property transactions, it’s pretty typical to come across homes that rely on water wells for water rather than municipal water. In many rural areas (around here think places like Elverta, Wilton, Rio Linda, Herald, etc), municipal water systems don’t exist as they are located too far outside of cities or county service areas, where public water infrastructure is only extended so far...when I sell a home with a water well, we commonly inspect them for structural integrity, water quality and quantity, and that the pump equipment works well. No big deal...another day at the office.

But in suburbia, encountering a water well is a lot less common. So when I’m representing a buyer on a suburban home and we learn there’s a old well on the property, my antennae go up. And that’s exactly what happened recently in Carmichael. 

The home is fully connected to public utilities now: water, sewer, etc. But as we reviewed the property disclosures, the seller noted something unusual: an old water well in the backyard. It hadn’t been operational for decades. Just... there. And the hole just covered with a small piece of concrete the size of a garden paver.

Naturally, my buyer had questions. And so did I. We started digging (figuratively of course, LOL). I reached out to my go-to local well service contractor to learn more about the rules and risks. Turns out, unused wells -- especially old ones -- can pose serious hazards. For one, they’re often incredibly deep (this one was measured to be 138 feet deep!). That is a major safety risk. Remember the story of Baby Jessica? No one wants a hidden vertical shaft on their property, especially if they have kids or pets. 

And then there’s the environmental angle. If surface water from a storm, or someone washing their car, or sprinkler runoff after fertilizing the lawn gets into that well it could carry contaminants directly into the groundwater supply. That’s a big deal for neighborhood water districts that depend on groundwater for their water. 

State law requires that abandoned wells be properly destroyed—meaning sealed from bottom to top with approved materials like concrete, to prevent contamination and collapse. Sacramento County Department of Environmental Management oversees this process in the county. The process has to be handled by a licensed C-57 well contractor, with permits, inspections, and documentation filed. 

So this week, I stood in the backyard of that Carmichael home as the County supervised the destruction of that old well. The contractor pumped concrete all the way to the surface—officially sealing off that 138-foot well shaft once and for all. In this case, we negotiated that the seller pay for this...and it was not cheap.

It was a great reminder: even in the middle of suburbia, properties can come with surprises.

If you’re buying or selling a Sacramento home and come across something like this, don’t panic—but do ask questions. The solution might just be a little concrete, some paperwork, and peace of mind.