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Rental Property Domestic Well Testing Requirements (AB 2454)

Historically, domestic wells have been largely unregulated, leaving gaps in water quality monitoring for tens of thousands of Californians, particularly renters who lack the means to test or address contamination issues. Assembly Bill 2454 (Lee, 2024) introduces new requirements for owners of private domestic wells serving a rental property in certain areas to participate in a water testing program. Below is an overview of these new requirements, how they may apply to you, and how to find an eligible domestic well testing program.

These new requirements apply only if the following conditions are met:

  1. Domestic well provides water to rental properties, AND
  2. Domestic well is located within the program boundaries of a free testing program funded or regulated by the State Water Board and/or a Regional Water Board.

If the domestic well meets both of these criteria, domestic well owners are required to:

  1. Test the well water using the free testing program.
  2. Share the test results with residents/tenants within 10 days of receiving them, along with guidance on how to interpret the results.
  3. Provide safe drinking water if the test results show an exceedance of safe drinking water standards, AND the program offers free replacement drinking water solutions (bottled water, hauled water, filling stations, etc.).

Domestic well owners are prohibited from imposing any charge, increasing any fee, rent, or other charge related to water testing or the provision of safe drinking water.

Terminology used in these materials:

Domestic well owner
A landlord who owns a rental property that uses domestic well to provide drinking water to the residents of that rental property.

Resident
Anyone who lives in a rental property that gets its drinking water from a private domestic well.

Domestic wells
A privately-owned water source (well) that provides drinking water to one or a small number of homes. Unlike public water systems, private wells are not connected to city/municipal water lines and are maintained by the property owner rather than a water utility company.

QUICK LINKS

Well Testing Program Directory

Over the years, multiple entities have developed domestic well testing and interim drinking water replacement programs. These programs are generally called Domestic Well Programs and can be managed by non-profits, regional organizations, or county or state governmental agencies. While many of these programs are administered, established, or funded by the State Water Board, they vary significantly in terms of requirements, geographic coverage, funding sources, administration, and how the public can access them. There are currently 11 domestic well programs funded or regulated by the State Water Board and/or Regional Water Board.

Services
The services offered by each domestic well program vary. Some domestic well programs provide well water testing services only; some provide interim drinking water replacement services (bottled water, hauled water, point-of-use filtration systems, water refill station kiosks); some provide well maintenance and repair; and some provide a combination of services.

Applying
Each domestic well program has a different application process and eligibility criteria. Visit the specific program’s website or contact the program administrator directly to obtain eligibility criteria and the application.

Well Testing Program Directory

Frequently Asked Questions

Who needs to participate in testing?
Domestic well owners must participate in testing if the well:

  • Serves rental properties, AND
  • Falls within the boundaries of a free testing program funded by the State Water Board and/or Regional Water Board.

How do I know if the property or domestic well falls within the boundaries of a free testing program?
Using the Well Testing Program Directory, select your county and view which programs are in that area. Then, check the program area column to ensure that the program encompasses the entire county. Sometimes a program will only include a regional water subbasin or will coordinate across county lines. Most programs have an online tool to check eligibility on their website, or you can contact the program administrator directly for assistance.

What kind of programs should be used for testing domestic well water?
Domestic well owners must use free well testing programs that are funded or regulated by the State Water Board and/or the Regional Water Board.

If the domestic well water is contaminated, what are the domestic well owner responsibilities for providing safe drinking water to residents?
Domestic well owners are required to provide safe drinking water to residents/tenants if:

  • The domestic well test results demonstrate an exceedance of safe drinking water standards, AND
  • The well testing program offers free replacement drinking water, AND
  • The domestic well owner and/or the residents meet eligibility criteria to receive replacement drinking water.

If the owner of a domestic well does not qualify for a testing program but the resident of the rental property does, the domestic well owner must participate in the testing program on the resident’s behalf, if it is allowed by the testing program. Contact the program administrator to confirm whether interim drinking water solutions are available and to check eligibility.

Do all programs provide free replacement water?
No, not all programs provide free replacement drinking water. The domestic well programs funded or regulated by the State Water Board and/or a Regional Water Board all vary in scope of services provided and eligibility criteria. The programs that do supply free replacement water, typically supply it only if the well water test results demonstrate that contaminants have exceeded safe drinking water standards. Some programs only provide free water if a specific contaminant is found in exceedance, such as nitrate. Contact the program administrator for more guidance on what conditions must be met for free replacement drinking water.

If the program used to test the well water does not provide free replacement water, do domestic well owners need to pay out-of-pocket to provide replacement drinking water to residents?
No. If the program used to test the well water does not provide free replacement drinking water, domestic well owners are not required to provide replacement water for residents that obtain drinking water from the domestic well.

Resources for Domestic Well Owners and Renters

Background on Groundwater and Domestic Wells

Factsheets for Common Water Contaminants
Below are factsheets of common water contaminants found in groundwater across California. These resources were developed by the State Water Board’s Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program.

Contact Information

SAFER@waterboards.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 445-5615