Download Well Metering Policy (pdf)
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) gives the Mid-County Groundwater Agency (MGA) the authority to require registration, installation of meters, and reporting by larger, non-de minimis wells. A de minimis well is defined as a well using less than 2 acre-feet per year for domestic uses. The average household uses approximately one-third of an acre-foot per year. As a result, most private residential wells in the Basin are de minimis and not subject to metering.
In June 2024, the MGA Board of Directors adopted a policy requiring well registration, metering, and reporting for certain non- de minimis groundwater users. All private wells used for commercial or agricultural purposes that pump more than 5 acre-feet per year are required to install meters and report groundwater extraction. Similarly, wells in priority areas, defined as along the coast and within 1,000 feet of interconnected surface waters that pump more than 2 acre-feet per year are also required to install meters and report groundwater extraction. Additional information on the areas subject to this requirement are included as an attachment to the Policy
The well registration, metering, and reporting requirements policy requires well registration by December 31, 2024 and meter installation by September 30, 2025. Failure to comply with the policy will result in submitting a Notice of Non-Compliance with Santa Cruz County Environmental Health.
While SGMA allows for passing all compliance costs associated with meter installation onto private well owners, MGA may be able to provide financial assistance to help offset some of the expense of installing a meter. For any questions related to the policy, please contact the MGA Basin Point of Contact at basinpoc@midcountygroundwater.org.