Digging Deep: The 2026 Cost of Drilling a Well in Rural Ontario

For many rural Ontario builds, a new drilled well plus a basic water system often lands in the five-figure range once you include drilling, casing, grouting, development, a pump test, and the “getting water into the house” pieces like the pump, pitless adapter, trenching, wiring, and a pressure tank. The exact number depends heavily on depth and geology, and costs can jump if you need a screen, long casing, or meaningful treatment equipment based on lab results. The safest way to plan is to budget the full system, then refine once you have local depth/yield expectations.

Per-foot drilling rates in Ontario are typically quoted as a range because ground conditions change everything. A commonly seen market range for domestic wells is roughly $45–$115 per foot, with harder rock, larger diameters, and more casing requirements pushing costs higher. The important detail is what “per foot” includes: some quotes include a standard amount of casing and basic completion, while others are drilling-only. Always ask for a line-item quote showing drilling, casing, seal/grout, development, and testing so you can compare apples to apples.

Grouting or annular sealing is the process of sealing the space between the well casing and the drilled hole so surface water and contaminants don’t travel down the outside of the casing into the well. It’s one of the biggest “water protection” details in proper well construction. Ontario’s Wells Regulation and technical bulletins explain minimum requirements because poor sealing is a real contamination risk. Practically speaking, if a quote is light on sealing details, be cautious. A well is supposed to protect your drinking water source, not create a shortcut for everything on the surface to get underground.

No. Well screens are common in sand and gravel formations where the water is coming through unconsolidated material. The screen helps keep fines out while allowing water in. In many bedrock wells, a screen may not be used because the water is entering through fractures in rock rather than through sand and gravel. Whether you need a screen depends on the formation and the drilling method. If screens are used, material and quality matter (stainless is more expensive but can be more durable), and proper well development is critical to reduce sediment and protect your pump and filters.

Well development is the process of cleaning and stabilizing the intake zone so the well produces clear water and consistent yield. It can involve techniques like airlifting, surging, and pumping to remove fine material and improve flow. Development is especially important in sand and gravel formations, but it can also matter in other conditions depending on the drilling process. Skipping or minimizing development can lead to ongoing sediment issues, clogged filters, premature pump wear, and “my water looks like tea” phone calls. If you want long-term reliability, treat development as part of the job, not an upgrade.

For most drilled wells in Ontario, a submersible pump and pressure tank are a meaningful portion of the total cost after drilling. Planning ranges commonly fall around $1,000–$3,000+ installed for a pump depending on depth and performance, and roughly $800–$2,500+ for the pressure tank and controls depending on tank size and whether you choose constant-pressure style systems. Add trenching and electrical, and the “water system” can easily rival the drilling cost. The key is to size the pump correctly and choose a tank setup that reduces short cycling, which is hard on pumps.

Well depth in Ontario varies widely because geology varies widely. Some areas have productive water at relatively shallow depths, while others require deeper drilling into bedrock fractures to find reliable yield. Even neighbouring properties can differ. The best predictor is nearby well records showing depth, static water level, and yield. When you’re planning a build, treat depth as an uncertainty until you look at local well history and talk to drillers who work your area regularly. Budget with a contingency, because “we think it’ll be 80 feet” can become “we went to 220 feet” on the wrong day.

Besides drilling, the common add-ons are casing beyond the included length, grouting/seal, screens (if needed), well development, and pump/yield testing. Then come the “house connection” costs: pitless adapter, trenching a water line to the house, electrical wiring and controls, and the pressure tank system. Many rural builds also need water treatment equipment after lab testing, such as sediment filtration, UV, carbon, softener, or iron/sulphur treatment. When you total those items, the complete system cost is often much higher than the drilling-only quote, which is why a full scope list matters.

In many cases, you can drill a well before your full building permit is issued, but you should coordinate with your municipality and your overall site plan first. The bigger risk isn’t “paperwork”—it’s drilling the well in a spot that later conflicts with septic placement, driveway location, final grading, or future expansions. If you drill early, do it with a site plan that respects setbacks and servicing layout. It’s also wise to consider construction water needs and temporary access for drill rigs. In short: early can be smart, but only if it’s planned, not rushed.

Well-to-septic separation is a critical planning detail because wells draw from groundwater and septic systems return treated effluent to the soil. Ontario setback requirements can vary based on system type and site conditions, and your building department / septic designer will enforce the applicable rules for your project. The practical approach is to plan well and septic together from day one, not as separate jobs. For a plain-English planning overview and common separation pitfalls, use our internal guide on septic and well planning. Confirm your final layout with your designer and inspector so your approvals (and water quality) stay intact.

Yes, you should test your water, and you should expect that treatment needs are not rare in rural Ontario. A new well can produce clear water that still has issues like hardness, iron, manganese, sulphur odours, or bacteria. Testing helps you choose the right treatment equipment instead of guessing. The cost of testing is small compared to the cost of doing treatment wrong (or replacing stained fixtures and clogged filters). A good plan is to do an initial test after the well is developed and stabilized, then follow up seasonally or annually based on local public health guidance.

You can’t control the geology, but you can control planning. The biggest cost saver is good site layout: avoid placing the house excessively far from the most logical well location, and coordinate trenches with other services where allowed. Get local depth/yield expectations early so you budget realistically. Make sure quotes include the full scope (drilling, casing, sealing, development, testing, and system components) so you don’t get blindsided later. Finally, choose treatment equipment based on lab results instead of buying a “one-size-fits-all” setup that doesn’t fix your actual water issues.