UIC Program Guidance Related to Well Classification

The guidance documents and memorandums provide below were developed by the UIC program to inform decision-making, clarify issues and questions, and guide UIC program implementation consistent with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the federal UIC regulations.  They are guidance related to injection well classifications.

EPA is committed to ensuring that the guidance documents posted here are consistent with the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d).  Please contact Jeff Jollie (jollie.jeff@epa.gov) if you have any questions or concerns.

• Reinjection of Water Produced in the Recovery Of Gas From Storage Field - Region V and the State of Illinois (pdf) (244 KB, May 31,1984)
  Clarification on when the injection of waste from pipeline transported natural gas is classified as Class I non-hazardous and injected below the lowermost USDW.
• Classification of Disposal Well Injecting Brine Containing NaNO3 - Region 8 (pdf) (191.1 KB, May 31, 1984)
  Clarification from HQ to Region 8 indicating the Shell CO2 project in CO. The processed waste water from a CO2 production well is a Class I non-hazardous waste injection well injecting below the lowermost USDW.
• Classification of McElmo Dome Disposal Wells (pdf) (8.42 MB, April 5, 1985)
  Provides Agency concurrence for the classification of two injection wells used to inject wastes from Shell Western McElmo Dome field in CO as Class I non-hazardous.
• Wells Used to Inject Spent SULFA-CHECK Slurry (pdf) (2 MB, May 2, 1986)
  Provides justification for classification as Class II.
• Memo on Classification of Wells Used to Inject Air Scrubber Waste or Water Softener Regeneration Brine Associated with Oil Field Operations (pdf) (779.9 KB, July 31, 1987)
  Identifies (aside from enhanced recovery operations) the four kinds of fluid that may be injected into Class II wells and indicates that state UIC program directors determine if a fluid falls into one of the four categories.
• Nitrogen Injection Well Permits Amoco Production Company (pdf) (3.61 MB, 1991)
  Responsiveness Summary addressing public comments received on EPA; s intent to issue four UIC permits and single AE for AMOCO's Nitrogen Injection Pilot Project in La Plata County, CO.
• Classification of Experimental Nahcolite Solution Mining Wells of Industrial Resources Inc in Region 8 (pdf) (6.43 MB, May 31, 1984)
  Policy statement indicating that the solution mining wells used in the operation proposed by AmerAlia belong in the Class II injection well category.
• Concurrence on the Classification of Wells in an In-Situ Nahcolite Leaching Facility in Colorado Ameralia Inc (pdf) (687.1 KB, October 5, 1999)
  Provides HQ concurrence on classification of two experimental wells proposed by Industrial Resources, as Class V experimental. Upon commercial operation, they would become Class III.
• Classification of Wells Injecting Treated Steam From Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plan (pdf) (192.21 KB, May 31,1984)
  Classification of wells injecting secondary effluent as Class V wells. Presuming that the stream does not contain any hazardous waste not removed by the treatment process, the wells are Class I in when they inject below the lowermost USDW, and Class V if they inject into above a USDW.
• Classification of the West Sak Pilot Area West Sak Aak (pdf) (1.43 MB, August 17, 1984)
  Provides HQ concurrence on a proposed classification of Class V experimental wells proposed by Arco Alaska, INC. Upon commercial operation, they should be reclassified as Class II.
• Classification of Heating Air Conditioning Return Flow Systems (pdf) (1.05 MB, January 15,1985)
  HQ response to a Region 4 request for clarification on the classification of a certain non-contact cooling/water heat exchange system. If properly constructed and maintained the system would not meet the definition of Class V well.
• Classification of Infiltration Galleries Under the UIC and RCRA Programs (pdf) (1.29 MB, February 4, 1992)
  The purpose of this guidance is to provide clarification as to which type of infiltration galleries may be classified as injection wells.
• Conflicting Regulation of Infiltration Galleries by the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water and the Office of Solid Waste (pdf) (940.45 KB, July 26, 1991)
  Recommends UIC regulations be clarified to the extent necessary to indicate that leach fields, septic systems with leach fields/drain fields, and infiltration galleries are injection wells.
• Classification of Septic System Drain Fields and Infiltration Galleries As Underground Injection Wells (pdf) (2.23 MB, January 23, 1992)
  The purpose of this guidance is to provide clarification as to which type of infiltration galleries may be classified as injection wells.
• Requirements for Inventory of Class V Septic Systems (pdf) (323.61 KB, January 8, 1987)
• Cathodic Protection Wells Memo (pdf) (3.66 MB, July 181986)
  Policy statement indicating that cathodic protection systems are not covered by the UIC program.