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OaSIS 2025 Version 1.0
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72501.00 – Water well drillers

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.

Overview

Example job titles

  • Cable tool driller - water well drilling
  • Churn drill operator - water well drilling
  • Water well driller
  • Water well driller apprentice

Core competencies

  • Operation and Control to adjust drilling processes and equipment in real-time to optimize efficiency and ensure safety and compliance with regulations.
  • Operation Monitoring of Machinery and Equipment to detect mechanical malfunctions, wear or tear and changes in drilling performance, by continuously observing the performance and condition of the drilling rig and equipment
  • Control of Settings to ensure effective drilling and optimal well performance by accurately configuring the drilling rig and equipment to match the specific requirements of the well being drilled
  • Depth Perception to gauge how deeply the drill bit has penetrated into the ground to ensure the desired water table is reached and potential hazards or equipment damage are avoided
  • Adaptability to adjust techniques and equipment settings based on changing conditions, such as different soil types or rock formations, to ensure successful drilling operations
  • Knowledge in Vehicle, Machinery and Equipment Operations to understand advanced operating and maintaining specialized drilling equipment, ensuring optimal performance and troubleshooting machinery issues in complex environments

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following 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.

Additional information

  • Mobility is possible among the various well drilling operators in this unit group.
  • Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
  • Water well drillers may specialize in a specific method of drilling, such as cable, rotary, auger, hammer or reverse circulation drilling.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews (72021)
  • Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction (73402)
  • Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers (83101)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

7 – Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations

TEER

2 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of two or more years; or supervisory occupations

Major group

72 – Technical trades and transportation officers and controllers

Sub-major group

725 – Technical equipment operation trades

Minor group

7250 – Crane operators and water well drillers

Unit group

72501 – Water well drillers

Occupational profile

72501.00 – Water well drillers

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.