&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
     Office of
Ground Water and
 Drinking Water

      EPA 816-F-01-041
                                                   FACT SHEET
                                INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISPOSAL  WELLS
What is an industrial waste
disposal well?
What types of fluids are injected
into industrial waste disposal
wells?

Do injectate constituents exceed
drinking water standards at the
point of injection?
What are the characteristics of
the injection zone of an
industrial waste disposal well?


Are there any contamination
incidents associated with
industrial waste disposal wells?
Are industrial waste disposal
wells vulnerable to spills or
illicit discharges?

How many industrial waste
disposal wells exist in the
United States?

Where are industrial waste
disposal wells located within the
United States?

How are industrial waste
disposal wells regulated in
states with the largest number
of this type of well?

Where can I obtain additional
information on industrial waste
disposal wells?
            Industrial waste disposal wells are Class V underground injection control (UIC) wells used to
            inject non-hazardous wastewater generated by a variety of industrial, commercial, and service
            establishments. Industrial waste disposal wells are frequently configured as gravity-fed dry
            wells or as industrial drainage (or septic) fields that discharge just below the land surface.

            The fluids injected include industrial process wastewater, equipment and facility wash water,
            industrial site drainage, air scrubber wastewater, water softener regeneration brine, and fluids
            from facilities such as machine shops, laudromats, meat processing plants, and carwashes.

            The quality and characteristics of injected process wastewater depend substantially on the
            nature of the operations producing the waste and the handling and treatment of the waste
            prior to injection. A variety of organic and inorganic chemicals may be present in injected
            fluids at low concentrations. Available data indicate that metals (including arsenic, cadmium,
            chromium, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and silver) and organic chemicals (including
            benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, toluene, trichloroethylene, and xylenes) have in
            some instances exceeded primary drinking water standards or health advisory levels.

            Industrial waste disposal wells typically inject above underground sources of drinking water
            (USDWs) into various geological formations, terrain, and soils. A very small portion of
            industrial waste disposal wells are designed to pump large volumes of pre-treated wastewater
            into relatively deep (greater than 40 feet) geologic formations.

            Documented and suspected contamination incidents associated with industrial waste disposal
            wells have been reported in 18 States. Apart from the small number of these incidents that can
            clearly be linked to industrial waste disposal wells, the causes of the majority of these
            incidents are masked by complications such as the presence of other contamination sources
            (leaking underground storage tanks and wastewater lagoons). In addition, many of these
            contamination incidents are more than 10 years old, came from anecdotal information or
            secondary references, have limited documentation, and resulted from illegally operated Class
            IV wells that dispose hazardous wastes and are banned nationwide.

            Some industrial waste disposal wells may be vulnerable to spills or illicit discharges of
            hazardous substances because they are located in commercial or industrial facilities where
            such substances are handled and may be released.

            There are at least 10,675 documented industrial waste disposal wells and more than 37,800
            industrial waste disposal wells estimated to exist in the United States.


            Industrial waste disposal wells are documented in at least 33 states. Ten states (NY,  VT, IA,
            UT, WV, PA, CA, NH, WA, and OH) account for more than 90 percent of the documented
            number of wells).

            Individual permit: NH, NY, OH, UT, VT, WA  (existing wells), and WV.

            Permit by rule: CA, IA, and PA.

            Ban: WA (new wells).

            For general information, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline, toll-free at 800-426-4791. The
            Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
            Eastern Time. For technical inquiries, contact the Underground Injection Control Program,
            Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (mail code 4606), EPA,  1200 Pennsylvania
            Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20460. Phone: 202-564-3751. Email: hotline-swda(g)epa.gov.

-------