Page 1 of 137
North Carolina Water Well Contractor Exam COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS
YEAR-JUST RELEASED
Summarized Exam Coverage – North Carolina Water Well Contractor Exam
The North Carolina Well Contractor Certification exam is administered by the Well Contractors
Certification Commission (WCCC) under NC General Statute 87, Article 7A . Applicants must be at least
18 years old, complete an application with proof of experience or education, and pass the exam with a
score of 70% or higher . Exams are offered for Grade A, Grade B, and SP-WP (Specialty Pump-Well
Professional) levels. Key topics include:
• Well Construction Standards (15A NCAC 02C) : casing specifications (minimum thickness,
material), grouting requirements (materials, annular space sealing, tremie method), setback
distances (septic tanks, property lines, contamination sources), well disinfection (chlorine
concentration, contact time), well development, abandonment procedures, pitless adapters,
and well screens .
• Regulatory Compliance: definitions (artesian well, static water level, drawdown,
consolidated/unconsolidated formation), well logs (submission timeline, content), sanitary
surveys, wellhead protection, and permit requirements for high-capacity wells (≥100,000 gpd) .
• Pump Installation (SP-WP) : submersible pump selection, jet pumps (shallow vs deep well),
constant pressure systems, variable frequency drives (VFDs), pressure tanks, pressure switches,
cut-in/cut-out settings .
• Electrical (NEC) Requirements: bonding and grounding of metal well casings, motor control
centers, conductors and disconnects (within 6 feet of wellhead), overload protection, GFCI and
GFPE, grounding electrodes, and NEC 250.52(A)(1) requirements .
• Safety: handling drilling fluids, grout mixing, equipment operation (tremie pipe, casing
handling), falling object protection, lockout/tagout for pump work, personal protective
equipment (PPE), excavation safety (trenching), overhead power lines, and confined space
entry.
• Recordkeeping: well logs, maintenance records, disinfection logs, continuing education (16
hours for SP-WP renewal), annual certification renewal, and notification of address changes .
1. A well contractor is drilling a new residential water well in unconsolidated sand. According to 15A
NCAC 02C, what type of casing is most appropriate to prevent borehole collapse and isolate the aquifer
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during the drilling process?
A) PVC casing without grout
B) Steel casing
C) Wood casing
D) No casing needed until after drilling
Answer: B — Steel casing provides structural stability and prevents collapse when drilling through
unconsolidated materials, as required under NC well construction standards .
2. A homeowner wants a new well drilled 75 feet from their existing septic tank drainfield. Under 15A
NCAC 02C .0100, what is the minimum required setback distance from a septic tank to a private well in
North Carolina?
A) 25 feet
B) 50 feet
C) 100 feet
D) 200 feet
*Answer: B — NC regulations require a minimum 50-foot setback between a new well and a septic
tank .*
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3. During the completion of a well in a confined aquifer, the contractor measures the water level and
finds that the water rises 15 feet above the land surface without pumping. What is the correct term for
this type of well, and what immediate action must be taken to control flow?
A) A flowing artesian well; it must be capped and flow controlled to prevent waste and erosion
B) A shallow well; no action needed if flow is stopped
C) A dry well; the well must be abandoned immediately
D) A recovery well; it requires a permit from DEQ
Answer: A — An artesian well occurs when groundwater is under sufficient pressure to rise above the
land surface; uncontrolled flow must be prevented by a proper cap or control valve .
4. A well contractor is called to replace a malfunctioning submersible pump. The electrical panel is
located 25 feet from the wellhead. According to NEC standards for pump installations, what is the
maximum allowable distance from the wellhead to the pump disconnect means?
A) 2 feet
B) 6 feet
C) 8 feet
D) 12 feet
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Answer: B — NEC requires that the pump disconnect be readily accessible and within sight of the
wellhead, generally within 6 feet .
5. After completing a new well, the contractor must disinfect the well to ensure it is free from bacterial
contamination. What is the standard chlorine concentration and contact time recommended by NC
health guidelines for disinfecting a new well?
A) 10 ppm chlorine for 30 minutes
B) 50 ppm chlorine for 15 minutes
C) 100 ppm chlorine for 30 minutes
D) 200 ppm chlorine for 10 minutes
*Answer: C — NC health guidelines recommend a 100 ppm chlorine solution with a 30-minute contact
time for well disinfection after construction or repair .*
6. A well contractor must submit a well log to the state regulatory agency after completing a new well.
Under North Carolina regulations, what is the required timeframe for submitting the well log?
A) Within 24 hours
B) Within 48 hours
C) Within 30 days
North Carolina Water Well Contractor Exam COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS
YEAR-JUST RELEASED
Summarized Exam Coverage – North Carolina Water Well Contractor Exam
The North Carolina Well Contractor Certification exam is administered by the Well Contractors
Certification Commission (WCCC) under NC General Statute 87, Article 7A . Applicants must be at least
18 years old, complete an application with proof of experience or education, and pass the exam with a
score of 70% or higher . Exams are offered for Grade A, Grade B, and SP-WP (Specialty Pump-Well
Professional) levels. Key topics include:
• Well Construction Standards (15A NCAC 02C) : casing specifications (minimum thickness,
material), grouting requirements (materials, annular space sealing, tremie method), setback
distances (septic tanks, property lines, contamination sources), well disinfection (chlorine
concentration, contact time), well development, abandonment procedures, pitless adapters,
and well screens .
• Regulatory Compliance: definitions (artesian well, static water level, drawdown,
consolidated/unconsolidated formation), well logs (submission timeline, content), sanitary
surveys, wellhead protection, and permit requirements for high-capacity wells (≥100,000 gpd) .
• Pump Installation (SP-WP) : submersible pump selection, jet pumps (shallow vs deep well),
constant pressure systems, variable frequency drives (VFDs), pressure tanks, pressure switches,
cut-in/cut-out settings .
• Electrical (NEC) Requirements: bonding and grounding of metal well casings, motor control
centers, conductors and disconnects (within 6 feet of wellhead), overload protection, GFCI and
GFPE, grounding electrodes, and NEC 250.52(A)(1) requirements .
• Safety: handling drilling fluids, grout mixing, equipment operation (tremie pipe, casing
handling), falling object protection, lockout/tagout for pump work, personal protective
equipment (PPE), excavation safety (trenching), overhead power lines, and confined space
entry.
• Recordkeeping: well logs, maintenance records, disinfection logs, continuing education (16
hours for SP-WP renewal), annual certification renewal, and notification of address changes .
1. A well contractor is drilling a new residential water well in unconsolidated sand. According to 15A
NCAC 02C, what type of casing is most appropriate to prevent borehole collapse and isolate the aquifer
, Page 2 of 137
during the drilling process?
A) PVC casing without grout
B) Steel casing
C) Wood casing
D) No casing needed until after drilling
Answer: B — Steel casing provides structural stability and prevents collapse when drilling through
unconsolidated materials, as required under NC well construction standards .
2. A homeowner wants a new well drilled 75 feet from their existing septic tank drainfield. Under 15A
NCAC 02C .0100, what is the minimum required setback distance from a septic tank to a private well in
North Carolina?
A) 25 feet
B) 50 feet
C) 100 feet
D) 200 feet
*Answer: B — NC regulations require a minimum 50-foot setback between a new well and a septic
tank .*
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3. During the completion of a well in a confined aquifer, the contractor measures the water level and
finds that the water rises 15 feet above the land surface without pumping. What is the correct term for
this type of well, and what immediate action must be taken to control flow?
A) A flowing artesian well; it must be capped and flow controlled to prevent waste and erosion
B) A shallow well; no action needed if flow is stopped
C) A dry well; the well must be abandoned immediately
D) A recovery well; it requires a permit from DEQ
Answer: A — An artesian well occurs when groundwater is under sufficient pressure to rise above the
land surface; uncontrolled flow must be prevented by a proper cap or control valve .
4. A well contractor is called to replace a malfunctioning submersible pump. The electrical panel is
located 25 feet from the wellhead. According to NEC standards for pump installations, what is the
maximum allowable distance from the wellhead to the pump disconnect means?
A) 2 feet
B) 6 feet
C) 8 feet
D) 12 feet
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Answer: B — NEC requires that the pump disconnect be readily accessible and within sight of the
wellhead, generally within 6 feet .
5. After completing a new well, the contractor must disinfect the well to ensure it is free from bacterial
contamination. What is the standard chlorine concentration and contact time recommended by NC
health guidelines for disinfecting a new well?
A) 10 ppm chlorine for 30 minutes
B) 50 ppm chlorine for 15 minutes
C) 100 ppm chlorine for 30 minutes
D) 200 ppm chlorine for 10 minutes
*Answer: C — NC health guidelines recommend a 100 ppm chlorine solution with a 30-minute contact
time for well disinfection after construction or repair .*
6. A well contractor must submit a well log to the state regulatory agency after completing a new well.
Under North Carolina regulations, what is the required timeframe for submitting the well log?
A) Within 24 hours
B) Within 48 hours
C) Within 30 days
