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GENERAL INTRODUCTION Improperly constructed, altered, maintained,or destroyed wells are a potential pathway for introducing poor quality water, pollutants, and contaminants to good-quality ground water. The potential for ground water quality degradation increases as the number of wells and borings in an area increases. Improperly constructed,altered,maintained,or destroyed wells can facilitate ground water quality degradation by allowing: • Pollutants, contaminants, and water to enter a well bore or casing; • Poor quality surface and subsurface water, pollutants, and contaminants to move between the casing and borehole wall; • Poor quality ground water, pollutants,and contaminants to move from one stratum or aquifer to another; and, • The well bore to be used for illegal waste disposal. Permanently inactive or "abandoned" wells that have not been properly destroyed pose a serious threat to water quality. They are frequently forgotten and become dilapidated with time,and thus can become conduits for ground water quality degradation. In addition, humans and animals can fall into wells left open at the surface. f History of DWR Standards The Department of Water Resources has responsibility for developing standards for wells for the protection of water quality under California Water Code Section 231. Water Code Section 231 was enacted in 1949. Statewide standards for water wells were first formally published in 1968 as DWR Bulletin 74, Water Well Standards. State of California. Standards for cathodic protection wells followed in 1973 as Bulletin 74-1, Cathodic Protection Well Standards: State of California. Bulletins 74 and 74-1 are now out of print. A revised edition of Bulletin 74 was published in 1981 as Bulletin 74-81 Water Well Standards. State of California. Bulletin 74-81 is enclosed in the back cover of this report. The law for establishing and implementing well standards was changed significantly in 1986 by Assembly Bill 3127 and Senate Bill 1817 (now Chapters 1152 and 1373,Statutes of 1986). Assembly Bill 3127 (Water Code Section 13801) requires that: (1) By September 1, 1989, the State Water Resources Control Board adopt a model well ordinance implementing DWR standards. (2) By January 15, 1990, all counties and cities, and water agencies where appropriate, adopt a well ordinance that meets or exceeds DWR well standards. (3) By February 15, 1990,the Board's model ordinance is to be enforced by any county,city,or water agency failing to adopt a well ordinance. Senate Bill 1817 amended the Water Code to specifically include monitoring wells. It was previously assumed that monitoring wells were included in the collective term "well" used in the law. -3-