SITE INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE

Home Browse Search

location of water wells and in the methods, means, and efforts to eliminate pollution, contamination, or a safety manner of constructing water wells in order that the same hazard,to enforce the permanent abandonment by destruc- shall not constitute a menace to the health of human beings tion of any well that is polluted, contaminated, or is so or animals, or a detriment to groundwater sources. The located as to become polluted or contaminated or is a orders of the Director shall designate the period within safety hazard. The Director is authorized to destroy any which such changes are to be made. such well and to recover the cost of the destruction from (g) Special Permits.Notwithstanding any other pro- the owner of the property on which the well is located. visions of this Chapter,the Director of the Environmental (g) Out-of-Service Wells. If the owner intends to Health Division may approve Special Permits for limited cease use of a well for a period of six(6)months or more, periods of time when the requirements of this Chapter or the owner shall inform the Director of Environmental any of the standards adopted pursuant to this Chapter are Health. Such a well shall be protected from any source of found to be impracticable or unnecessary.In approving a contamination while the well is temporarily out of service. Special Permit,the Director shall prescribe all conditions The owner shall maintain such a well as required in the necessary to protect the public health. Permits shall be standards adopted pursuant to this Chapter. subject to a specified time limit. (h) Dewatering Wells.The Director of the Environ- (h) Emergency Repairs. In the event of an emer- mental Health Division shall be notified prior to installing gency,as evidenced by lack of water,repairs may proceed dewatering wells in areas of known contamination. The without a permit.Emergency repairs include the construc- Director shall be notified immediately of areas where con- tion of a new well,or the repair,deepening,or replacement tamination is encountered,and cease operation until clear- of a well or pump.All work done under emergency condi- ance from the Director is obtained. tions shall comply with the standards adopted pursuant to (Ord. 3675) this Chapter. In all such cases, the owner or contractor must file a statement that this was an emergency repair and 9-1115.6 W ELL STANDARDS. the reason for the repair. Application for emergency re- The Board of Supervisors shall adopt uniform standards pairs must be made within forty-eight(48)hours after such for the construction, installation,alteration, and modifica- repairs are begun,excluding weekends and holidays. tion of the facilities subject to this Chapter based on investi- (Ord.3675) gation,inspection,and tests and accepted standards.These standards may be amended as necessary by the Board of 9-1115.5 WELL REGULATIONS. Supervisors. The standards shall not conflict with the re- All wells shall be subject to the following regulations: quirements of this Title or the laws of the State of Califor- (a) Sanitary Seal. All wells shall have a sanitary nia.All well facilities shall be constructed or modified only seal. if they comply with the adopted standards. (b) Concrete Platform or Slab. All wells, except (Ord. 3675) cathodic protection wells,shall have a concrete platform or slab constructed to prevent the entrance of surface water 9-1115.7 SPECIAL REQUIREMENT from any source into the well or the underground water AREAS. source. In all areas of the County where poor quality water could (c) Disinfection.After the construction or repair of infiltrate good quality groundwater due to well construction, all water wells and prior to the use of the well, the well special requirements will be set to protect the good quality and all appurtenances thereto shall be adequately disin- water.These areas of water quality problems shallbe identi- fected. fied by the Director of the Environmental Health Division (d) Grout Seal. All water wells shall have a grout based on the best available information and adopted pursu- seal in the annular space. ant to Section 9-1115.4. (e) Abandonment of Wells. Upon determination (Ord.3675) that any well is abandoned as provided in the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this Chapter, that well 9-1115.8 PROHIBITED USES. must be destroyed in the manner prescribed so that en- The following uses are hereby prohibited. trance of degraded or contaminated water into usable aqui- (a) Well Pits.The construction,use,or installation of fers,or creation of a safety hazard,are minimized. well pits. (f) Destruction of Wells.The Director of the Envi- ronmental Health Division is authorized,after reasonable