7373 – Water well drillers

Water well drillers operate a variety of mobile water well drilling rigs and equipment to drill and monitor residential, commercial and industrial water wells. They are employed by water well drilling contractors and governments, or they may be self-employed.

Profile

Index of titles

Example titles

Apprentice water well driller

Cable tool driller – water well drilling

Churn drill operator – water well drilling

Journeyman/woman water well driller

Water well driller

Water well driller apprentice

Water well driller journeyman/woman

Water well drilling technician

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Review client requirements and proposed locations for water wells

Operate water well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore and dig for residential, commercial and industrial water wells or environmental assessment, and install well screens, casings and other well fixtures

Document geological formations encountered

Clean and disinfect wells in preparation for use

Perform routine mechanical maintenance work on water well drilling rigs and equipment

Install, test, maintain and repair water well pumps, piping systems and equipment and perform pumping tests to assess well performance

May provide other drilling services, such as repair or dismantling of existing water well structure, elevator shaft drilling and hydro pole drilling.

Water well drillers may specialize in a specific method of drilling, such as cable, rotary, auger, hammer or reverse circulation drilling.

Employment requirements

Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Completion of a two- to three-year water well drilling apprenticeship program or two to three years of work experience in the trade combined with college or industry courses in water well drilling is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.

Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

Additional information

Mobility is possible among the various well drilling operators in this unit group.

Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.

Exclusions

Drillers – underground mining (in 8231 Underground production and development miners)

Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers (8232)

Surface mining, quarrying and construction drillers (in 7372 Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction)

Water well drilling contractors and supervisors of water well drillers (in 7302 Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews)