GWELLS is British Columbia's public groundwater-well and aquifer search application. If you are looking for “GWELLS” or “GWELLS BC,” start with the property address, compare nearby mapped wells, and use the provincial record to confirm the right well.
How to search GWELLS and BC well records
British Columbia provides public groundwater-well information through the Provincial Groundwater Wells and Aquifer application, commonly called GWELLS. The provincial search supports several ways to find a record, including street address or city, well tag or ID plate number, owner information, well depth and other fields.
Check My Well takes an address-first approach: start with the property, compare nearby mapped wells and use the provincial record for final verification.
Start with the property
Enter the address first, then compare nearby public well records before opening individual source records.
Search a BC property →What a BC well record can contain
Available fields vary by record, but GWELLS can include information useful for property research and drilling context, such as:
- Well tag number or ID plate number
- Street address, legal parcel or location information where available
- Finished well depth
- Diameter and construction details
- Date of work and well status
- Aquifer information
- Documents or records associated with the well
Why a BC well may not appear in GWELLS
A missing record does not automatically mean a property has no well. British Columbia specifically notes that not all groundwater wells are registered and that registration was voluntary until February 29, 2016. Historical locations and older records can also have data-quality limitations.
When the Water Sustainability Act came into force on February 29, 2016, requirements changed. The province states that well drillers and well pump installers are required to submit well reports within 90 days after constructing, altering or decommissioning a well.
How to confirm the right well record
- Search the civic address. Start with the property address or nearby community.
- Review more than one mapped result. Do not assume the closest point automatically belongs to the property.
- Look for a well tag or ID plate. A physical identifier can be valuable when matching the well to a record.
- Compare construction details. Depth, date, diameter and location can help distinguish nearby wells.
- Verify in GWELLS. Use the original provincial record for any material decision.
BC well records for rural-property buyers
A well record can help answer historical construction questions, but it cannot tell you whether the current pump is healthy, whether the pressure system is working correctly or whether the water is safe to drink today.
For a property purchase, use the record alongside current well water testing, a physical well inspection and qualified local advice when needed.
Planning a new well in British Columbia
Nearby well records are also useful before requesting drilling quotes. They can show the range of recorded depths in the area and help you ask better questions, but they cannot guarantee the depth or yield of a future well.
Start with the BC well drilling cost guide, which combines a current 2026 planning range with nearby GWELLS depth quartiles for the property. Then model the scenarios in the well drilling cost calculator and compare quotes from well drilling companies.
Well registration is not the same as a groundwater licence
British Columbia distinguishes between registering a well and licensing groundwater use. The province notes that non-domestic groundwater use may require a water licence, so regulatory questions should be confirmed directly with the province.
Open GWELLS →
Related well-record research
Compare the BC system with how to find a well on a property, Ontario well records by address, Alberta water well data or the Canada-wide well-record guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I search the BC well registry by address?
Yes. GWELLS supports searches using street address or city as well as well tag or ID plate number and other criteria.
What is GWELLS in British Columbia?
GWELLS is British Columbia's Provincial Groundwater Wells and Aquifer application. It contains recorded groundwater-well and aquifer information and tools for searching wells.
Why might a BC well be missing from the registry?
Not every groundwater well is recorded. British Columbia notes that well registration was voluntary until February 29, 2016, and historical data quality can vary.
Does a BC well record show current water quality?
No. A historical well record is not a current laboratory water-quality test. Current drinking-water quality requires current sampling and analysis.
Is well registration the same as a groundwater licence in BC?
No. British Columbia states that well registration and groundwater-use licensing are different. Non-domestic groundwater use may require a water licence.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
Check My Well summarizes public records and general information for informational and due-diligence purposes. Nearby records do not guarantee a property's well depth, yield, water quality, condition or future drilling result. Verify material decisions against original records, current laboratory testing and qualified local professionals.