72501 – Water well drillers

Lead statement

Water well drillers operate a variety of mobile water well drilling rigs and equipment to drill and monitor residential, commercial and industrial water wells. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Main 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.

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Completion of a two- to three-year water well drilling apprenticeship program ortwo 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.

Example job titles

apprentice water well driller · water well driller apprentice · cable tool driller - water well drilling · churn drill operator - water well drilling · journeyman/woman water well driller · water well driller journeyman/woman · water well drilling technician · water well driller

Wages (per hour)

Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.