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Frequently Asked Questions


About How do I? Getting Started Frequently Asked Questions  
 
Glossary

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  
Answer
Can I print or download the results of a search?

Yes. You can print the map and water well information, and download the well information.

Can I use Groundwater Data on my mobile device?

Groundwater Data is not designed for use on mobile devices (smartphones or tablets). While you can access the application using the browser on your mobile device, not all the features may work correctly.​

Do you give out personal information about property owners?
No. Groundwater Data provides water well information only. For information about privacy, visit the Privacy and Security page on the SA government website.
Does the Department for Environment and Water offer a consultation service?

No. Department for Environment and Water (DEW) officers are available to supply basic information about water wells relating to your enquiry. Groundwater or Environmental Consultants can be found by searching the relevant directories.​

How can I display my downloaded data in a spreadsheet?

When using Download Data, choose CSV (Comma Separated Value) file type, which can be opened in a spreadsheet.

How do I get information about a well's water quality, such as contaminants?

There are hundreds of thousands of water wells listed on the State’s database, however, only a small number of these have detailed water quality information.

Perform a search for water wells located on or near your property and click the corresponding Details for the water well(s) you want. Water quality information is provided on the Salinity and the Water Chemistry tabs. If these tabs are not available, then the information is not available for the selected water well.

If you need further assistance, Contact Us for assistance.​

How often is the information updated?

Most of the information is updated on a nightly basis including, well information, mining tenements, property title and parcel information.

The underlying Google Maps layer is subject to the Google Inc. update cycle.​

I know I have a water well on my property, why doesn’t it show on the map?

Due to geographical coordinates issues in the past, some water wells appear on the map at the wrong location. A DEW officer can assist with correcting the location by going through a series of questions with you and updating the database accordingly. Visit the Contact Us page.​

If I have concerns about groundwater quality other than salinity, who should I contact?

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is the relevant authority for actual or potential groundwater contamination issues across the state. Visit the Environment Protection Authority website for information for further information.​

Is there a difference between a well, drillhole or bore?
No. They all mean the same thing. For brevity, well is used here as the generic term for all three.
My search found results (it tells me the number found); but there are no water well markers on the map?

Most browsers keep a history of your previous visits (cache) to the website and may confuse this with your current session. Try clearing your browser history and then refresh the page. See your browser help for information on how to do clear the cache and/or history. If the problem persists, Contact Us.​

Need help with using Groundwater Data?
Visit the How do I? page for guidance on where to find the information you need.
Not familiar with some terms?
For descriptions of the terms used in Groundwater Data, visit the following Glossary pages:
  • General terms for descriptions of terms relating groundwater.
  • Code Definitions for descriptions of the codes that you see in Groundwater Data.
  • Conversion Tables for conversion tables for pump flow rates and shut in pressure.
  • Well Details for descriptions of the well details that you see in the search results table (below the map) and when you click the corresponding Details for a selected water well.

These are listed in the navigation to the left.

Search has produced 10,000 results but I know there are more than that in the area

Search results are limited to 10,000; if you need to see results of more than 10,000 water wells, contact us by visiting the Contact Us page.​

What browsers can be used with Groundwater Data?

Compatible browsers are:

  • Windows Internet Explorer 11 or later
  • Google Chrome Version 39 or later
  • Mozilla Firefox Version 34 or later.

We recommend that you:

  • use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome, if available
  • maximise the browser window

... for the best user experience.​

What can I use Groundwater Data for?
The Groundwater Data application can be used to search, download and print information about groundwater. Searches may be performed for specific water wells or for all water wells within a specified area.
What do the coloured markers on the map mean?

These identify found water wells and their respective well class. The Google location marker appears for searches. See the Getting Started page for more information.​

What is the Groundwater Data service?

Groundwater Data is a simple to use online application that provides access to important information about groundwater across the state, including water levels and water quality.

What is the purpose of the grid on the map?

At certain scales, it is difficult to read individual water well markers on the map. The grid shows the number of water wells in each square of the grid. As you zoom in or out of the map the grid numbers show the number of water wells at the respective scales.

The grid is replaced by water well markers when you search or zoom into the map at the 2km scale. When you perform a search, map scales of greater than 2km will show the water well markers.

Where does the information come from?

The information provided in Groundwater Data comes from a variety of sources including:

  • Department for Environment and Water (DEW), South Australia
  • Department for Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and energy (MDITRE), South Australia
  • Google Inc. (Google Maps)
Who can I contact for help with using Groundwater Data or for technical support?

A DEW officer can assist you with using Groundwater Data or with technical issues. Visit the Contact Us page.​

Who can I contact if I require further information about using Groundwater Data or the information relating to a drillhole?

A DEW officer can assist you with obtaining further information. Visit the Contact Us page.

Who owns the information and can I use it for my business?
Water well and related information provided by the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) is subject to various licensing restrictions. Read the notice at the bottom of the page or visit the SA Government Disclaimer page for more information.
When you print from Groundwater Data, disclaimer information specific to the application is included.
The Google Maps component is subject to the Google Inc. Terms of Service. Read their Google Maps/Earth Additional Terms of Service page.
Who uses the Groundwater Data service?

Groundwater Data is designed to be accessed by a variety of users for a range of purposes. It is accessible to members of the public, including landowners, well drillers, irrigators, property service companies and consultants. It will help to answer most enquiries and provide details on how to get further information.

Specialist users, such as scientists and research organisations, may need additional support for more complex requests. In this case, Contact Us.

Why didn't Groundwater Data find the property associated with the specified certificate title reference?

Some title references identify a property that has been subdivided. These are known as parent title references. In this case, each subdivided parcel of land is allocated its own title reference, which supercedes the parent title reference.

Groundwater Data will not find parent title references; rather it finds only the most up-to-date title reference for the property.

The current title reference for a property can be found on the property title deed or a recent council rates notice.​

Why does my search say there are 10 wells found, and they are listed items in the results table, but only 9 well markers appear on the map?

This could be caused by the following:

  • The wells are located within a few meters of each other. Zoom in closer to see if the well markers separate.
  • A single well is registered multiple times. Some wells have been registered more than once, each with a different unit number.  To check this, click the well rows in the table to see if the well markers bounce at the same location on the map. If so, verify this by opening each of the relevant well Details and comparing the lat/long coordinates. Identical lat/long coordinates indicate a duplicate well registration.

If the above suggestions do not identify the cause, or you have found a well that has been registered more than once, Contact Us.​