How we research, review and correct well guidance

This policy describes how The Well Drilling Guide currently researches and, where a correction is warranted, corrects published material. It reflects actual practice and its limitations; where a review step or channel is not yet in place, we say so plainly.

Source hierarchy and jurisdiction labels

We prefer authoritative primary sources and label each by jurisdiction and character:

• US federal science and agency explainers (USGS, EPA) for national background: USGS: Groundwater Wells and EPA: Private Wells.
• State resources only as labeled examples—for instance, an older Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation well-owner guide is cited strictly as historical Montana guidance, never as a nationwide rule. Montana DNRC well-owner guide (revised 2007)
• Industry resources flagged as such, with their own disclaimers quoted—for example, NGWA's contractor lookup states it does not endorse or guarantee listed companies. NGWA: Find a Contractor

We do not turn a state example into a national rule or attribute new water-quality requirements to a historical document.

Author, fact-check and qualified technical review roles

Material technical claims about drilling, groundwater, contracts, and water quality require qualified human review. Currently, no qualified drilling/hydrogeology or legal reviewer has been engaged or publicly named for the review drafts. Until a named, qualified reviewer and a review date are recorded against the final revision, technical and contract statements remain pending review. We therefore do not attach an "expert reviewed" label or reviewer byline that does not exist.

Update triggers for laws, costs and source changes

Guidance is reviewed when applicable laws or agency data change, when a cited source is revised or removed, and when a reader correction points to a material error. Historical sources are relabeled or replaced when they become stale (the 2007 Montana guide is an example).

Correction submission, triage and visible change record

Send corrections to the working public email on the contact page. Include the page URL, the statement you believe is wrong and supporting evidence. We assess the source and jurisdiction before changing a claim. For directory corrections, a license record remains distinct from a company identity; associations need evidence explicitly connecting the named license holder with the business. Shared phones or addresses alone are insufficient.

When a correction changes guidance materially, we aim to describe the change on the affected page. We do not promise a response time or imply that every page has received qualified human review.

Advertising and editorial separation

The directory currently shows free public license records. No company is enrolled as a participating quote recipient, and public quote requests are unavailable. Future paid placement or sponsorship will be disclosed separately from editorial content—see How driller listings are selected and displayed. We do not accept payment to alter editorial guidance.

Publisher identity

Learn who operates this resource. For a correction or question, use Contact the guide operator.