A buried provision in Nebraska's 2024 solid waste bill will significantly increase the upfront cost of registering water wells.
Most Nebraska manufacturing owners don't realize that a provision buried deep in LB759—a bill ostensibly about solid waste management—will raise the cost of registering a water well from $40 to $240 per well. That's a 500% increase, and it takes effect three calendar months after the 2026 legislative session adjourns.
Section 2 of LB759 amends Nebraska Revised Statute §46-606, which governs water well registration fees collected by the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment. The new fee of $240 per well replaces the previous $40 fee—a jump that will hit any business registering water wells before operations can begin.
For manufacturers, this matters because water well registration is a mandatory, upfront cost. Whether you're a food processor needing process water, a data center requiring cooling systems, or any operation dependent on groundwater access, you cannot drill or register a well without paying this fee to the state. The fee is due before the Department processes your registration.
If your operation requires multiple wells—common for larger facilities or multi-site manufacturers—the costs compound quickly. A business registering five wells would pay $1,200 instead of $200 under the old fee structure.
The provision directly impacts:
Even businesses that don't drill wells themselves may see indirect cost increases if they contract with drillers or purchase water from suppliers who absorb these fees.
LB759 was approved April 7, 2024. The water well fee increase becomes operative three calendar months after the 2026 legislative session adjourns, according to Section 42 of the bill. This gives businesses a window to plan, but the deadline is fixed: plan your water infrastructure projects accordingly.
If you're considering new wells or expansions, review your timeline. Projects that require well registration before the effective date will use the $40 fee; those after will pay $240. For multi-well operations, the difference could be substantial.
Contact your water well driller or the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DNREC) for clarification on your specific situation. Some manufacturers may also want to discuss the fee change with industry associations or local economic development offices, as it affects the cost of doing business in Nebraska.
Source: Nebraska Legislative Bill 759, Section 2 (amending §46-606), approved April 7, 2024.