ORS 537.787: Investigation of violation of ground water laws; remedies for violation.

Edition: 2025 EditionEffective: 2026-01-01Last verified: 2026-09-07

(1) The Water Resources Commission, upon the commission’s own initiative, or upon complaint alleging violation of any provision of ORS 537.505 to 537.795 and 537.992, or any rule adopted pursuant thereto, may investigate to determine whether a violation has occurred. If the investigation indicates that a violation has occurred, the commission shall notify the persons responsible for the violation, including: (a) Any well constructor involved; and (b) The landowner, if the violation involves construction, alteration, operation, abandonment or conversion of a well. (2) If, after notice and opportunity for hearing under ORS chapter 183 the commission determines that one or more violations have occurred, the commission may: (a) Provide additional time for remedy of the violation if the commission has reason to believe adequate repair or other remedy will be carried out within the specified period. (b) If one or more persons responsible for the violation hold a water well constructor’s license, suspend, revoke or refuse to renew the license. (c) Assess a civil penalty under ORS 537.992, on the well constructor or other responsible party, including the landowner if the landowner was involved in the well construction. (d) If an involved constructor or landowner has a surety bond required by ORS 537.753 (1) or (4) in effect, make demand on the bond in an amount not to exceed the cost of remedying the violation. (e) Impose any reasonable condition on the water well constructor’s license to insure compliance with applicable laws and provide protection to the ground water of the State of Oregon. Such action shall be conducted as a contested case proceeding according to the applicable provisions of ORS chapter 183. (f) Any other action authorized by law. (3) The commission may terminate proceedings against a person if: (a) The landowner does not permit the person involved in proceedings to be present at any inspection made by the commission; or (b) The commission determines that the person involved in proceedings is capable of complying with recommendations made by the commission, but the landowner does not permit the person to comply with the recommendations. [1985 c.615 §5; 1985 c.673 §199; 1999 c.293 §6]

Administrative rules citing this section

OAR 690-013-0005: Introduction — implements
OAR 690-013-0010: Definitions — implements
OAR 690-013-0030: Eligibility to Petition — implements
OAR 690-013-0050: Individual Applications — implements
OAR 690-013-0070: Interim Transfers — implements
OAR 690-013-0100: District Petitions — implements
OAR 690-013-0110: Requests for Additional Information — implements
OAR 690-013-0150: District Shall Certify Petition — implements
OAR 690-013-0310: Processing of Petition — implements
OAR 690-013-0350: Field Verification of the Petition and Map — implements
OAR 690-190-0005: Purpose and Applicability — implements
OAR 690-190-0010: Definitions — implements
OAR 690-190-0010: Definitions — authority
OAR 690-190-0100: Recording Requirements — implements
OAR 690-190-0100: Recording Requirements — authority
OAR 690-190-0200: Compliance and Enforcement — implements
OAR 690-190-0200: Compliance and Enforcement — authority
OAR 690-200-0005: Basis for Regulatory Authority — implements
OAR 690-200-0005: Basis for Regulatory Authority — authority
OAR 690-200-0020: General Statement About the Standards — implements
OAR 690-200-0020: General Statement About the Standards — authority
OAR 690-200-0021: Special Standards — implements
OAR 690-200-0021: Special Standards — authority
OAR 690-200-0027: Restrictions on Water Supply Well Construction and Use in Critical Groundwater Areas or Areas Withdrawn by Commission Order — implements
OAR 690-200-0027: Restrictions on Water Supply Well Construction and Use in Critical Groundwater Areas or Areas Withdrawn by Commission Order — authority
OAR 690-200-0028: Designated Special Area Standards — implements
OAR 690-200-0028: Designated Special Area Standards — authority
OAR 690-200-0046: Perched Ground Water — implements
OAR 690-200-0046: Perched Ground Water — authority
OAR 690-200-0050: Definitions — implements
OAR 690-200-0050: Definitions — authority
OAR 690-205-0005: License or Permit Required to Construct Water Supply Wells — implements
OAR 690-205-0005: License or Permit Required to Construct Water Supply Wells — authority
OAR 690-205-0010: Water Supply Well Constructor License Examination — implements
OAR 690-205-0010: Water Supply Well Constructor License Examination — authority
OAR 690-205-0020: Water Supply Well Constructor’s License, Experience Requirements, Trainee Card and Temporary Authorization — implements
OAR 690-205-0020: Water Supply Well Constructor’s License, Experience Requirements, Trainee Card and Temporary Authorization — authority
OAR 690-205-0025: Term of Water Well Constructor License and License Fees — implements
OAR 690-205-0025: Term of Water Well Constructor License and License Fees — authority
OAR 690-205-0045: Continuing Education Requirement — implements
OAR 690-205-0045: Continuing Education Requirement — authority
OAR 690-205-0175: Landowner Well Construction Permit, Fee and Bond — implements
OAR 690-205-0175: Landowner Well Construction Permit, Fee and Bond — authority
OAR 690-205-0200: Water Supply Well Construction Notice Required (Start Card) — implements
OAR 690-205-0200: Water Supply Well Construction Notice Required (Start Card) — authority
OAR 690-205-0205: Start Card Reporting Requirements — implements
OAR 690-205-0205: Start Card Reporting Requirements — authority
OAR 690-205-0210: Well Report Required (Water Supply Well Log) — implements
OAR 690-205-0210: Well Report Required (Water Supply Well Log) — authority
OAR 690-210-0130: Sealing of Wells in Unconsolidated Formations Without Significant Clay Beds — implements
OAR 690-210-0130: Sealing of Wells in Unconsolidated Formations Without Significant Clay Beds — authority
OAR 690-210-0140: Sealing of Water Supply Wells in Unconsolidated Formations with Significant Clay Beds — implements
OAR 690-210-0140: Sealing of Water Supply Wells in Unconsolidated Formations with Significant Clay Beds — authority
OAR 690-210-0150: Sealing of Water Supply Wells in Consolidated Formations — implements
OAR 690-210-0150: Sealing of Water Supply Wells in Consolidated Formations — authority
OAR 690-210-0155: Additional Standards for Artesian Water Supply Wells — implements
OAR 690-210-0155: Additional Standards for Artesian Water Supply Wells — authority
OAR 690-210-0160: Additional Standards for Filter Pack Wells with Surface Casing — implements
OAR 690-210-0160: Additional Standards for Filter Pack Wells with Surface Casing — authority
OAR 690-210-0170: Additional Standards for Filter Pack Wells without Surface Casing — implements
OAR 690-210-0170: Additional Standards for Filter Pack Wells without Surface Casing — authority
OAR 690-210-0180: Additional Standards for Driven or Jetted Wells — implements
OAR 690-210-0180: Additional Standards for Driven or Jetted Wells — authority
OAR 690-210-0190: Steel Casing — implements
OAR 690-210-0190: Steel Casing — authority
OAR 690-210-0220: Plastic Casing Joints — implements
OAR 690-210-0220: Plastic Casing Joints — authority
OAR 690-210-0230: Inner Casing — implements
OAR 690-210-0230: Inner Casing — authority
OAR 690-210-0240: Casing Shall be Centered — implements
OAR 690-210-0240: Casing Shall be Centered — authority
OAR 690-210-0270: Pitless Well Adapters and Units — implements
OAR 690-210-0270: Pitless Well Adapters and Units — authority
OAR 690-210-0280: Access Ports, Dedicated Measuring Tubes and Airlines — implements
OAR 690-210-0280: Access Ports, Dedicated Measuring Tubes and Airlines — authority
OAR 690-210-0290: Liner Pipe — implements
OAR 690-210-0290: Liner Pipe — authority
OAR 690-210-0320: Methods of Placement of Cement Grout or Concrete — implements
OAR 690-210-0320: Methods of Placement of Cement Grout or Concrete — authority
OAR 690-210-0380: Disinfection of a Well — implements
OAR 690-210-0380: Disinfection of a Well — authority
OAR 690-210-0400: Construction of Dug Wells — implements
OAR 690-210-0400: Construction of Dug Wells — authority
OAR 690-210-0410: Buried Slab Construction — implements
OAR 690-210-0410: Buried Slab Construction — authority
OAR 690-210-0420: Surface Curbing — implements
OAR 690-210-0420: Surface Curbing — authority
OAR 690-215-0005: Prevention of Groundwater Contamination, Health Hazard, and Waste — implements
OAR 690-215-0005: Prevention of Groundwater Contamination, Health Hazard, and Waste — authority
OAR 690-215-0017: Down Well Continuous Water Treatment and Back-Siphon Prevention Devices — implements
OAR 690-215-0017: Down Well Continuous Water Treatment and Back-Siphon Prevention Devices — authority
OAR 690-215-0055: Well Identification Label Maintenance — implements
OAR 690-215-0055: Well Identification Label Maintenance — authority
OAR 690-215-0060: Access Ports, Dedicated Measuring Tubes and Airlines — implements
OAR 690-215-0060: Access Ports, Dedicated Measuring Tubes and Airlines — authority
OAR 690-215-0070: Pressure Gauge — implements
OAR 690-215-0070: Pressure Gauge — authority
OAR 690-215-0201: Dedicated Measuring Tube — implements
OAR 690-215-0201: Dedicated Measuring Tube — authority
OAR 690-220-0050: Abandonment of Uncased Wells — implements
OAR 690-220-0050: Abandonment of Uncased Wells — authority
OAR 690-225-0020: Investigation of Alleged Violations — implements
OAR 690-225-0020: Investigation of Alleged Violations — authority
OAR 690-225-0030: Enforcement Actions — implements
OAR 690-225-0030: Enforcement Actions — authority
OAR 690-225-0110: Schedule of Civil Penalties — implements
OAR 690-225-0110: Schedule of Civil Penalties — authority
OAR 690-240-0005: Introduction — implements
OAR 690-240-0005: Introduction — authority
OAR 690-240-0006: Special Standards — implements
OAR 690-240-0006: Special Standards — authority
OAR 690-240-0010: Definitions — implements
OAR 690-240-0010: Definitions — authority
OAR 690-240-0024: Well Identification Label — implements
OAR 690-240-0024: Well Identification Label — authority
OAR 690-240-0026: Well Identification Label Maintenance — implements
OAR 690-240-0026: Well Identification Label Maintenance — authority
OAR 690-240-0060: Monitoring Well Constructor License Examination — implements
OAR 690-240-0060: Monitoring Well Constructor License Examination — authority
OAR 690-240-0065: Monitoring Well Constructor License, Experience Requirements, Trainee Card and Temporary Authorization — implements
OAR 690-240-0065: Monitoring Well Constructor License, Experience Requirements, Trainee Card and Temporary Authorization — authority
OAR 690-240-0070: Terms of Monitoring Well Constructor License and License Fees — implements
OAR 690-240-0070: Terms of Monitoring Well Constructor License and License Fees — authority
OAR 690-240-0210: Continuing Education Requirement — implements
OAR 690-240-0210: Continuing Education Requirement — authority
OAR 690-240-0340: Landowner Well Construction Permit, Fee and Bond — authority
OAR 690-240-0375: Monitoring Well Construction Notice Required (Start Card) — implements
OAR 690-240-0375: Monitoring Well Construction Notice Required (Start Card) — authority
OAR 690-240-0385: Start Card Reporting Requirements — implements
OAR 690-240-0385: Start Card Reporting Requirements — authority
OAR 690-240-0395: Monitoring Well Report Required (Monitoring Well Log) — implements
OAR 690-240-0395: Monitoring Well Report Required (Monitoring Well Log) — authority
OAR 690-240-0410: Monitoring Well Construction: General — implements
OAR 690-240-0410: Monitoring Well Construction: General — authority
OAR 690-240-0560: Investigation of Alleged Violations — implements
OAR 690-240-0560: Investigation of Alleged Violations — authority
OAR 690-240-0580: Enforcement Actions — implements
OAR 690-240-0580: Enforcement Actions — authority
OAR 690-240-0640: Schedule of Civil Penalties — implements
OAR 690-240-0640: Schedule of Civil Penalties — authority
OAR 690-260-0030: Notice of Violation — implements
OAR 690-260-0030: Notice of Violation — authority
OAR 690-260-0040: Classification of Violations — implements
OAR 690-260-0040: Classification of Violations — authority
OAR 690-260-0060: Notice of Assessment of Civil Penalty — implements
OAR 690-260-0060: Notice of Assessment of Civil Penalty — authority
OAR 690-300-0010: Definitions — authority
OAR 690-410-0070: Water Allocation — authority

This rule cites

ORS 537.505 — resolved
537.795 — resolved
537.992 — resolved
ORS chapter 183 — target_record_not_published
ORS 537.992 — resolved
ORS 537.753 — resolved

Cited by

No inbound citations found.

Official source: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors537.html