Nebraska Administrative Code
Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy

Title 122 - Rules and Regulations for Underground Injection and Mineral Production Wells
Chapter 2 - Classification of Injection Wells and MineralProduction Wells

Injection wells are classified as follows:

001 Class I. Wells which inject fluids beneath the lowermost formation containing, within one quarter mile of the well bore, an underground source of drinking water. These include, but are not limited to industrial and municipal waste disposal wells.

002 Class II. All Class II wells are regulated by the Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission and are wells which inject:

002.01 Formation fluids produced in connection with conventional oil or natural gas production;

002.02 Fluids to promote enhanced recovery of oil or natural gas; and

002.03 For storage purposes, hydrocarbons which are liquid at standard temperature and pressure.

003 Class III. Mineral production wells, and wells which inject fluids to promote extraction of mineral resources or energy, including, but not limited, to a well designed for:

003.01 Mining of sulfur by the Frasch process;

003.02 Solution mining of mineral resources which include sodium chloride, potash, phosphate, copper, uranium and any other mineral which can be mined by this process;

003.03 In-situ combustion of fossil fuel; fossil fuels include coal, tar sands, oil shale and any other fossil fuel which can be mined by this process; and

003.04 Recovery of geothermal energy to produce electric power; Class III wells do not include wells used in geothermal heating or aquaculture which fall under Class V.

004 Class IV. Wells used by generators of hazardous wastes or of radioactive wastes, by owners or operators of hazardous waste management facilities, or by owners or operators of radioactive waste disposal sites to dispose of hazardous wastes or radioactive wastes into or above an underground source of drinking water.

005 Class V. Injection wells not included in Class I, II, III, or IV. Class V wells include, but are not limited to:

005.01 Air conditioning return flow wells used to return to the supply aquifer the water used for heating or cooling in a heat pump;

005.02 Cesspools or other devices that receive wastes, which have an open bottom and sometimes have perforated sides.;

005.03 Cooling water return flow wells used to inject water previously used for cooling;

005.04 Drainage wells used to drain surface fluid, primarily storm runoff, into a subsurface formation;

005.05 Dry wells used for the injection of wastes into a subsurface formation;

005.06 Recharge wells used to replenish the water in an aquifer;

005.07 Saltwater intrusion barrier wells used to inject water into a fresh water aquifer to prevent the intrusion of salt water into the fresh water;

005.08 Sand backfill wells used to inject a mixture of water and sand, mill tailings or other solids into mined out portions of subsurface mines;

005.09 Septic system wells used:

005.09A To inject sanitary waste from a dwelling, at a flow greater than 1,000 gallons per day; or

005.09B For an establishment, business, or community or regional system which generates sanitary waste and has the capacity to serve 20 persons or more; or

005.09C For dwellings, establishments, businesses, or community or regional systems that generate wastes other than sanitary wastes.

005.10 Subsidence control wells (not used for the purpose of oil or natural gas production) used to inject fluids into a non-oil or gas producing zone to reduce or eliminate subsidence associated with the overdraft of fresh water;

005.11 Injection wells associated with the recovery of geothermal energy for heating, aquaculture and production of electric power;

005.12 Wells used for solution mining of conventional mines such as stopes leaching;

005.13 Wells used to inject spent brine into the same formation from which it was withdrawn after extraction of halogens or their salts;

005.14 Injection wells used in experimental technologies;

005.15 Injection wells used for in-situ recovery of lignite, coal, tar sands, and oil shale; and

005.16 Motor vehicle waste disposal wells that receive or have received fluids from motor vehicle repair or maintenance activities.

005.17 Class V wells are classified by the following groups, code numbers, and descriptions:

005.17A DRAINAGE WELLS

5D2
Storm Water Drainage Wells
5D3
Improved Sinkholes
5D4
Industrial Drainage
5G30
Special Drainage

005.17B GEOTHERMAL REINJECTION WELLS

5A5
Electric Power Reinjection Wells
5A6
Direct Heat Reinjection Wells
5A7
Heat Pump/Air Conditioning Return Flow Wells (open loop)
5A8
Ground Water Aquaculture Return Flow Wells

005.17C DOMESTIC WASTEWATER DISPOSAL WELLS

5W11
Septic System (undifferentiated disposal method), with a capacity for greater than 20 persons
5W31
Septic System (well disposal method), with a capacity for greater than 20 persons
5W32
Septic System (drainfield disposal method), with a capacity for greater than 20 persons
5W12
Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent Disposal Wells

005.17D MINERAL AND FOSSIL FUEL RECOVERY RELATED WELLS

5X13
Mining, sand or other backfill wells
5X14
Solution Mining Wells
5X15
In-situ Fossil Fuel Recovery Wells
5X16
Spent-Brine Return Flow Wells, after extraction of halogens

005.17E OIL FIELD PRODUCTION WASTE DISPOSAL WELLS

5X17
Air Scrubbed Waste Disposal Wells
5X18
Water Softener Regeneration Brine Disposal Wells

005.17F INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL/UTILITY DISPOSAL WELLS

5A19
Cooling Water Return Flow Wells
5W20
Industrial Process Water and Waste Disposal

005.17G RECHARGE WELLS

5R21
Aquifer Recharge Wells
5B22
Saline Water Intrusion Barrier Wells
5S23
Subsidence Control Wells

005.17H MISCELLANEOUS WELLS

5X25
Experimental Technology Wells
5X26
Aquifer Remediation Related Wells
5X27
Other Wells (well type/purpose and injection fluid must be specified)

005.17I PROHIBITED INJECTION WELLS
5F1
Agricultural Drainage Wells
5W9
Untreated Sewage Waste Disposal Wells
5W10
Cesspools
5N24
Radioactive Waste Disposal Wells
5X28
Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Wells
5X29
Abandoned Drinking Water Wells used for Disposal of Waste

Enabling Legislation: Neb. Rev. Stat. ยงยง 81-1504(2)(13); 81-1505(1)(9)

Legal Citation: Title 122, Ch. 2, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality