The Kentucky Division of Water regulates well drilling and groundwater protection efforts. While it is not responsible for the quality of the groundwater, it is responsible for monitoring groundwater, providing technical assistance and administering the certification of well drillers. The Division regulates protecting groundwater through a document called a Groundwater Protection Plan (GPP).

While many of the activities covered by the GPP are conducted by commercial industries, though there are a few that are often practiced by homeowners, including well construction and septic tanks. Generic GPP's can be found for well owners and septic system owners on the Division of Water website.

Farmers are required to produce a similar plan called a Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan. The Agriculture Water Quality Act requires all landowner/land users with ten or more acres of land, on which any amount is used for agriculture or silviculture operations to develop and implement a water quality plan. The Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan consists of best management practices from six different areas - Silviculture, Pesticides and Fertilizers, Farmstead, Crops, Livestock, and Streams and Other Waters. Each BMP includes definitions and descriptions, regulatory requirements, Agriculture Water Quality Authority requirements, design information, practice maintenance, technical assistance, cost share assistance, recommendations and references.

In Kentucky, a certified well driller is required to install a water well. The Kentucky Division of Water administers the certification of well drillers, and can be contacted to check a driller's certification. You can also find a list of drillers and a corresponding map of certified well drillers by county by following this link to the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet Well Driller Certification Program page.

The following links are to the Kentucky state regulation 401 KAR 6:310. Water supply well construction practices and standards.