6/3/2019 Class IV Shallow Hazardous and Radioactive Injection Wells | Protecting Underground Sources of Drinking Water from Underground

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Class IV Shallow Hazardous and Radioactive

Injection Wells
On this page:

Use of Class IV wells

Difference between Class IV and Class V injection wells
Protecting drinking water resources
Class IV well requirements
Additional information

Underground
Injection
Control
Class IV
wells are
banned.

Use of Class IV wells

Class IV wells are shallow wells used to dispose hazardous or radioactive wastes
into or above a geologic formation that contains an underground source of
drinking wate (USDW). In 1984, EPA banned the use of Class IV injection wells.
These wells may only operate as part of an EPA- or state-authorized ground water
clean-up action. Less than 32 waste clean-up sites with Class IV wells exist in the
United States.

Difference between Class IV and Class V injection

wells
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Both shallow Class IV and Class V wells inject fluids into or above the uppermost
USDW. Both well classes may be of similar construction, such as a septic system
or dry well.

The difference between Class IV and Class V wells is the quality of the fluid
being injected. Class V wells may only inject non-hazardous fluids that will not
endanger USDWs.

If a Class V well receives hazardous waste (as defined by RCRA), it becomes a

Class IV well and banned.

Protecting drinking water resources

The only allowable Class IV wells are used to clean up ground water
contaminated by hazardous chemicals. A common method for cleaning
contaminated ground water is the "pump and treat" process, as follows.

Contaminated ground water is brought to the surface.

The water is treated to remove as much of the contaminant as possible.
The treated water is injected, through a well, back into the same formation.
This process is repeated until contaminant concentrations are reduced and
additional removal is not possible.

Pump and treat technology may not always completely remove all contaminants
in the water. In that case, the injection well is a Class IV well. Class V aquifer
remediation wells support ground water cleanups deemed to be non-hazardous.

Class IV well requirements

Class IV wells are authorized by rule. Owners or operators must meet the
following minimum federal UIC requirements:

Obtain approval from the UIC program and one of the following programs:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) program
Superfund (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act [CERCLA]) program (or state equivalent program)
Ensure that injection does not endanger USDWs
Contact the UIC permitting authority (prior to well construction) and
submit inventory information with injection well-specific information that
includes:
Facility name and location
Name and address of legal contact
Ownership of facility nature and type of injection wells
Operating status of injection wells
Well class

EPA Regions and states may require operators of Class IV wells to obtain permits.
In addition, some states with UIC primary enforcement authority may have more
stringent requirements banning all Class IV wells. In these states, the use of Class
IV wells for ground water remediation would not be allowed.
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EPA does not allow for the use of Class IV wells at voluntary clean-up sites. A
voluntary cleanup site is any site that is injecting fluid that has hazardous
chemicals, but is not authorized by RCRA/CERCLA or state equivalent programs.

Additional information
Visit the regulations page to read more about the requirements for owners and
operators of Class IV wells.

LAST UPDATED ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

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