What is the right called when a landowner can draw water from a well located on their property?

The correct term for a landowner's right to draw water from a well located on their property is referred to as groundwater right. This right pertains specifically to water that is found beneath the surface of the ground, stored in aquifers, and accessed through wells. Groundwater rights are important because they recognize the landowner's legal entitlement to utilize the water resources beneath their land for various purposes, such as irrigation or personal use.

Riparian rights relate to water bodies like rivers and lakes that are adjacent to a property, granting landowners the right to use water from these sources. Surface water rights similarly pertain to the use of water found on the surface, such as lakes, rivers, and streams. Percolating rights, on the other hand, do not apply to wells and refer mainly to groundwater that is not confined to a specific pool or aquifer, typically dealing with the subsurface water that seeps through soil and rock on a property, but doesn’t involve direct extraction via a well.

Understanding these distinctions clarifies why groundwater right is the appropriate choice when discussing the rights associated with accessing water through wells on private property.