Groundwater Advisory Determination for Saltwater Disposal Wells

Expedited processing is not available for saltwater disposal letters.

How to request a Groundwater Advisory Determination for Saltwater Disposal letter, which outlines groundwater protection measures for disposal well activities regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas.

To request a Groundwater Advisory Determination Saltwater Disposal (SWD) letter, submit the following documents:

• One copy of your completed Form W-14 (Instructions for Form W-14)
• One copy of a scaled map showing the well location and surrounding survey lines
• A copy of the current Groundwater Protection Determination letter for the well. If a Groundwater Protection Determination letter is older than five years or it does not exist, please submit a new Form GW-1 (Instructions for Form GW-1); and
• A copy of an electric log that includes the log header and the interval from the land surface through the injection zone:
  • for the existing well, or
  • for a nearby well that is deep enough to show the proposed injection zone, if you are drilling a new well.

Note—If you are unable to obtain an appropriate site map, the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has an online public map viewer that will allow you to locate an existing well, determine the coordinates for a proposed well and retrieve details regarding a specific well. A scaled map printed from the RRC Web site (showing surrounding surveys) can be submitted with the GW-1 Form.

You may send the required documents via email to gau@rrc.state.tx.us , by regular U.S. mail or by an overnight express service.

Once all required information is received and determined complete, the estimated processing time for a Saltwater Disposal letter is ten (10) business days.  If a Groundwater Protection Determination application (Form GW-1) is submitted with a SWD letter application (Form W-14), both letters will normally be issued together within ten (10) business days.  If a Groundwater Protection Determination letter is needed prior to the SWD letter, please submit the Form GW-1 separately along with the expedite fee.

Contact us if you have questions.