ENROLLED
Page 1 of 3
Regular Session, 2013
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 150
BY REPRESENTATIVES PYLANT AND GAROFALO AND SENATOR THOMPSON
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To urge and request the Department of Natural Resources, office of conservation, in
consultation with the Water Resources Commission, to study, report, and make
recommendations on the availability of qualified water well drillers, water well
driller licensing requirements, and their impact on the rates charged for drilling of
water wells and to submit the report and recommendation to the House Committee
on Natural Resources and Environment and the Senate Committee on Natural
Resources on or before February 15, 2014.
WHEREAS, the water resources of the state are a precious natural resource necessary
for public health, safety, and economic well-being; and
WHEREAS, the water resources of the state and the United States, generally, are in
high demand and are in need of conservation and protection; and
WHEREAS, an important aspect of conservation and protection of our water
resources is ensuring that only qualified water well drillers install water wells, not only for
the sake of their customers, but also for the general public; and
WHEREAS, every person, firm, or corporation engaged, or desiring to engage in the
business of drilling water wells is by law required to be licensed; and
WHEREAS, despite the current demand for water well drillers, the decline in the
number of licensed water well drillers has outpaced new drillers; and
WHEREAS, the demand for water wells, especially for shallow wells less than two
hundred feet for agricultural use, has increased; and
WHEREAS, the decrease in the availability of licensed water well drillers and its
potential impact on the rates charged have led land owners to seek options to install water
wells themselves on their own land for agricultural use; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 150
Page 2 of 3
WHEREAS, Act No. 437 of the 2009 Regular Session of the Legislature transferred,
along with other responsibilities ground water resource management, the administration of
the laws, rules, and regulations providing for the licensing of water well drillers from the
Department of Transportation and Development to the Department of Natural Resources,
office of conservation; and
WHEREAS, the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment
considered House Bill No. 208 with great discussion on several issues, including the demand
of, the qualifications for, the two-year apprentice requirement for, and the testing
requirements for licensing water well drillers, and the role of the advisory committee,
created by R.S. 38:3098.6.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the Department of Natural Resources, office of conservation, in
consultation with the Water Resources Commission, to study and report a detailed review
of the availability and demand for qualified water well drillers, the demand for shallow water
wells less than two hundred feet for agricultural use, the rules and regulations regarding the
licensing of water well drillers, including but not limited to qualifications, the two-year
apprentice requirement, and the testing of water well drillers, as well as the role of the
advisory committee created by R.S. 38:3098.6, in ensuring that only qualified water well
drillers are licensed to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment and
the Senate Committee on Natural Resources by February 15, 2014.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge
and request the Department of Natural Resources, office of conservation, in consultation
with the Water Resources Commission, to propose recommendations to address the concerns
of the availability of qualified water well drillers and its impact on the rates charged,
changes, if any, to the rules and regulations on the licensing of qualified water well drillers,
including but not limited to changes to qualifications, the two-year apprentice requirement,
and the testing of prospective water well drillers, to ensure that the state's precious natural
water resources are protected for public health, safety, and economic well-being, and report
any such recommendations to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment
and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources by February 15, 2014. ENROLLEDHCR NO. 150
Page 3 of 3
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
Department of Natural Resources, commissioner of conservation.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE