1. About the RBQ 2.2 contractor licence exam

The RBQ sub-category 2.2 exam is the theoretical examination administered by the Régie du bâtiment du Québec for candidates seeking to act as qualified representative (répondant) for a contractor licence covering non-drilled water-catchment works. The sub-category authorizes construction work concerning surface wells (puits de surface, also called dug wells), well points (pointes filtrantes), and spring catchments (captages de source), as well as similar or related construction work.

The exam is offered in French and English in multiple-choice format, lasts 3 hours, and the passing grade is 60%. It is built around four official modules covering hydrogeology and well types, the regulatory framework, plans and site assessment, and the standards for executing the work — from installation through development, plugging, and compliance.

2. Exam structure at a glance

The RBQ does not publish a percentage weighting per module for this licence. By content volume, Module 4 (Standards and execution of work) is the largest by a wide margin — it contains 8 competency elements covering surface wells, well points, spring catchments, well finishing, plugging unused wells, compliance upgrades, and health and safety. Module 1 is the next-largest study block, covering hydrogeology and the three non-drilled well types.

3. Detailed competency elements

Module 1 — Definitions and types of systems

• EC 1 — Define the notions and terms of water-catchment works: the hydrological cycle; aquifer characteristics and groundwater movement; water demand (instantaneous required flow vs. average operating flow); sealed and non-sealed wastewater treatment systems; aquifer vulnerability, hydrofracturing, and cementation; static and dynamic water levels; specific capacity and pumping tests; well components (casing, drive shoe, screen, cap, drain, overflow); measurement units (L/min, gal/min); and material characteristics (gravel, sand, clay, rock).
• EC 2 — Describe the three non-drilled water-catchment work types and their applications: the surface well (puits de surface), the well point (pointe filtrante), and the spring catchment (captage de source).

Module 2 — Legislative, normative and regulatory framework

• EC 3 — Situate the work within the regulatory framework: knowing the Quebec Regulation on the catchment of groundwater (Q-2, r.6) — its object and scope; identifying which works require a municipal permit versus ministerial approval; understanding the role of the municipality in applying the regulation; identifying the certification bodies and conformity marks on well components (ASTM); and determining the qualifications required of workers.

Module 3 — Plans and specifications

• EC 4 — Read and interpret plans and specifications for a water-catchment work: locating the exact installation spot on a location sketch; reading the section detail of the installation; interpreting specification information for water-catchment works.
• EC 5 — When working without plans and specs, determine the type and location of the work: locating the exact spot on a sketch; reading the section detail; reading the plans and specifications; interpreting specification information; and confirming compliance with the setback margins required by Q-2 r.6.

Module 4 — Standards and execution of work

• EC 6 — Plan and organize the work: ordering and receiving materials suited to the chosen work type (respecting manufacturer-specified uses); determining the logical work sequence; obtaining required permits and authorizations; planning site access; and characterizing the equipment and machinery used (cleanliness, no oil leaks, etc.).
• EC 7 — Build a surface well: explaining the role, minimum dimensions, and fill-material properties of the annular space; explaining why an unsaturated zone is desirable and how to ensure its presence; managing spoil.
• EC 8 — Build a well point: identifying installation characteristics; explaining the rationale for an unsaturated zone and how to ensure its presence; knowing the conformity marks for casing.
• EC 9 — Build a spring catchment: identifying installation characteristics; characterizing the horizontal drain installation (depth, surface configuration, ditch); selecting drain materials and opening size based on site granulometry.
• EC 10 — Finalize the work: defining and explaining the different development techniques; performing pumping tests for water-catchment works; cleaning and disinfecting the work; establishing the coordinates of the work (latitude-longitude or UTM X and Y by GPS); producing a compliant drilling report within the required time; and notifying the owner of their regulatory obligations (surface configuration, water analysis, etc.).
• EC 11 — Bring existing wells into compliance: naming the modifications that trigger an upgrade of an existing installation; naming the good-practice upgrades that should be recommended to the owner.
• EC 12 — Plug unused wells: explaining the situations that require plugging; and knowing the plugging methods for well points and surface wells.
• EC 13 — Health and safety: identifying the risks tied to well installation, inspection, and maintenance (noise, dust, working at height, electrical lines, presence of ground gases); and explaining the precautions to take during installation.

4. Documents at the exam — mixed-book format

Provided at the exam (open book — 2 documents)

• Règlement sur le captage des eaux souterraines (RLRQ, Q-2, r.6) — Quebec Regulation on the catchment of groundwater
• Code de sécurité pour les travaux de construction (RLRQ, S-2.1, r.4) — Safety code for construction work

Recommended reading only (closed book — 4 documents)

• Loi sur le bâtiment (RLRQ, B-1.1) — Building Act
• Règlement sur la qualification professionnelle des entrepreneurs et des constructeurs-propriétaires (RLRQ, B-1.1, r.9)
• Loi sur la qualité de l'environnement (RLRQ, Q-2) — Environment Quality Act
• Loi sur la santé et la sécurité du travail (RLRQ, S-2.1) — Act respecting occupational health and safety

Several of these documents are available free of charge on publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca.

5. Material provided at the exam

The calculator, ruler, paper and pencil needed for the exam are supplied on site. Only the documents and material handed out by the exam supervisor may be used during the session — personal copies, notes, electronic devices, and additional reference material are not allowed.

6. What makes the RBQ 2.2 exam different

The RBQ 2.2 contractor licence is the non-drilled counterpart to RBQ 2.1. Where 2.1 tests the candidate on drilled tubular wells — rotary or percussion drilling rigs, bedrock anchoring, sealing techniques, geothermal applications — 2.2 stays above the drilling boundary and tests three different work types that share a common trait: they reach water without a drilling rig. The surface well (puits de surface, often called a dug well) reaches a shallow water table through a wide-diameter shaft. The well point (pointe filtrante) is driven into unconsolidated sediments — sand or gravel — to capture water from a shallow aquifer. The spring catchment (captage de source) captures water from a surface or near-surface spring through horizontal drains and a collection chamber. Different construction techniques, different equipment, different failure modes.

The exam is mixed book, and that has direct study consequences. The two open-book references — Q-2 r.6 and the construction-work safety code S-2.1 r.4 — must be read carefully before the exam so you know where to find a setback distance, a fill-material rule, or an excavation requirement quickly during the session. Closed-book content is different: outright recall. The Environment Quality Act, the Building Act, the contractor-qualification regulation, and the occupational health and safety act are not available at the exam, so their principles and scope rules must be memorized.

The largest content block by volume is Module 4 (Standards and execution of work) — 27 skill statements across 8 competency elements covering the three well types (surface well, well point, spring catchment), well finishing, compliance upgrades, plugging unused wells, and health and safety. This is where the trade is judged on whether the candidate can install, finish, document, and decommission a non-drilled well correctly. Module 1 (13 skill statements) is the second-largest block — hydrogeology fundamentals and the three non-drilled well types. Together, Modules 1 and 4 account for 40 of the 53 skill statements (about 75% of the content volume) — they deserve the bulk of study time.

7. Recommended preparation strategy

1. Memorize the closed-book content first. The 4 closed-book documents include the Environment Quality Act, the Building Act, the contractor-qualification regulation, and the occupational health and safety act. Build flashcards around scope, key articles, and the boundary between this licence and others — you won't have them on exam day.
2. Read Q-2 r.6 cover to cover until you know the structure. The Quebec Regulation on the catchment of groundwater is the only domain-specific text you'll have on the desk. Memorize the setback table (distances to wastewater systems, watercourses, livestock facilities, manure storage), the unsaturated-zone rules, and the annular-space requirements. Practice locating a specific setback in under 30 seconds.
3. Anchor preparation around Module 4 (27 skill statements). Standards and execution of work is the largest module. Master surface-well construction first (annular space, fill material, unsaturated zone), then well-point installation (driving technique, casing certification), then spring catchment (horizontal drain configuration, drain selection by granulometry), then the cross-cutting topics (finalization, compliance, plugging, health and safety).
4. Build a clear mental map of the three non-drilled well types. Surface well, well point, and spring catchment — know the application, casing/drain characteristics, fill rules, and unsaturated-zone requirement for each. Module 1 EC 2 and most of Module 4 lean on these distinctions.
5. Drill granulometry-driven material selection. Spring catchments require drain materials and openings chosen for site granulometry (EC 9.3). Practice the decision logic: gravel-pack openings, drain perforation size, geotextile use, and how each maps to soil type.
6. Practice site assessment without plans. Module 3 EC 5 tests whether you can determine the type and location of a non-drilled well in the field, applying Q-2 r.6 setbacks to a real site (wastewater systems, watercourses, livestock, flood zones). This is open-book territory — practice the workflow with the regulation in hand.
7. Do not memorize drilled-well content. Tubular wells, bedrock anchoring, and geothermal wells are not in scope for RBQ 2.2 — they're covered by RBQ 2.1. Spend your study time on the three non-drilled types instead.
8. Take at least two full mock exams under real conditions (3 hours, only the 2 open-book documents on the desk, single sitting) before scheduling the real exam.
9. Review every wrong answer. The Prof-RBQ.ca platform shows the reasoning behind each correct answer — read every explanation, even on questions you got right.

8. Why Prof-RBQ.ca for the RBQ 2.2 exam

• Aligned with the official RBQ structure — content mapped one-to-one to the four modules and their 13 competency elements, with extra depth on Module 4 (the largest module by volume) and Module 1 (hydrogeology and the three non-drilled well types).
• Scoped to non-drilled work only — no time wasted on tubular wells, bedrock anchoring, or geothermal practices (those belong to RBQ 2.1). The course focuses on surface wells, well points, and spring catchments.
• Mixed-book training methodology — separate tracks for the 4 closed-book documents (memorization with flashcards and spaced practice) and the 2 open-book documents (Q-2 r.6 navigation drills, setback lookup speed exercises).
• Mock exams in RBQ format — multiple choice, 3-hour timing, 60% passing grade, with the 2 open-book references on the desk — so exam day feels familiar.
• Detailed answer explanations — every question, right or wrong, comes with a written rationale citing the underlying article, code, or standard.
• Bilingual — full course in English and French. The RBQ exam itself is offered in both languages.
• A free section is available so you can try the platform before committing.

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