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standards of well construction (Chapter 1552, Statutes of amended (or new) permit is issued a thorough review is made
<br /> 1949). These investigative and reporting responsibilities of (a) the location of the well with respect to potential
<br /> are now lodged in the Department of Water Resources by Water contamination hazards, (b) design and construction of the
<br /> Code Section 231, which reads as follows: well necessary to prevent contamination or the exclusion of
<br /> undesirable water, and (c) the bacterial and chemical quality
<br /> 231. The department, either independently or in of the water produced. The Department may issue a permit if
<br /> cooperation with any person or any county, state, it finds that the water under all circumstances is pure,
<br /> federal or other agency, shall investigate and wholesome; and potable and does not endanger the lives or
<br /> survey conditions of damage to quality of under- health of human beings. Specific water quality and monitor-
<br /> ground waters, which conditions are or may be ing standards have been adopted by regulation. If at any
<br /> caused waters,
<br /> improperly constructed, abandoned or time water produced from an existing well fails to comply
<br /> defective wells through the interconnection of with such standards, the Department may require changes or
<br /> strata or the introduction of surface waters into modifications of the well, provisions of appropriate water
<br /> treatment, or cause the curtailed use, even destruction of
<br /> underground waters. The department shall report
<br /> to the appropriate California regional water the well, in order to assure a safe supply to the public.
<br /> quality control board its recommendations for
<br /> In summary, the responsibility of the Department of
<br /> minimum standards of well construction in any
<br /> particular locality in which it deems regulation Water Resources is to advise the Legislature and appropriate
<br /> necessary to protection of quality of underground state agencies on the maintenance of ground water quality,
<br /> water, and shall report to the Legislature from including protection against adverse effects caused by
<br /> time to time, its recommendations for proper improper well construction or the abandonment of wells. This
<br /> sealing of abandoned wells. responsibility applies to all wells, irrespective of purpose.
<br /> The responsibility of the Department of Health Services is to
<br /> During the 1965 and 1967 General Sessions, the investigate, evaluate, and approve public water supplies
<br /> Legislature again reviewed the matter of standards for water
<br /> including the design and construction of water wells.
<br /> well construction. As a result, it established a procedure This report was prepared by the Department of Water
<br /> for implementing standards developed under Section 231 by
<br /> enacting Chapter 323, Statutes of 1967, which added Sections Resources i fulfillment of its responsibilities under the
<br /> o
<br /> 13800 through 13806 to the Water Code. The wording of these provisions of Section 231 of the Water Code, and in coopera-
<br /> sections was amended in 1969 when the Legislature enacted the
<br /> tion with the State Department of-Health Services.
<br /> Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Chapter 482, Statement of the Problem
<br /> Statutes of 1969). In Section 13800, the Department of Water
<br /> Resources' reporting responsibility is enlarged upon: Wells themselves do not cause ground water quality
<br /> 13800. The department, after such studies and to deteriorate. Rather, it is inadequate construction, or,
<br /> investigation pursuant to Section 231 as it finds in the case of wells that no longer serve a useful purpose,
<br /> their improper destruction, that can result in the deteriora-
<br /> tion of ground water quality. Depending on the circumstances,
<br /> cathodic protection well construction, maintenance,abandonment, and destruction standards are needed such quality deterioration may affect the water supplying a
<br /> in an area to protect the quality of water used or single well, or if the pollution is substantial, a sizable
<br /> which be used for segment of a ground water basin.
<br /> may ar�p beneficial use, shall so
<br /> report to the appropriate regional water quality
<br /> The impairment of water quality in an individual
<br /> control board and to the State Department of Health well, or group of wells, is the most common. Ground water
<br /> Services. The report shall contain such recommended
<br /> supplies have been responsible for a sizable portion of the
<br /> standards for water well and cathodic protection
<br /> water-borne disease outbreaks reported in the United States.
<br /> well construction, maintenance, abandonment, and
<br /> destruction as, in the-department's opinion, are Most of these outbreaks occurred where wells were so poorly
<br /> necessary to protect the quality of any affected constructed that they allowed contaminants to enter the well.
<br /> water. Contaminants entering improperly constructed wells are not
<br /> limited to disease organisms. There is also a growing number
<br /> The State Department of Health Services also has a of case histories concerning undesirable chemicals, both
<br /> concurrent interest in problems caused by improperly toxic and nontoxic, that have gained access to ground water
<br /> constructed, defective, or "abandoned" wells. This interest and adversely affected wells a short distance away.
<br /> is evidenced in the "California Safe Drinking Water Act" The mechanism of water quality impairment caused by
<br /> (Chapter 7 of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Health and Safety faulty wells affecting large segments of a ground water basin
<br /> Code, State of California), which deals with the health is not well defined. In most instances, a number of factors
<br /> aspects of public water supplies. Under this authorization, have been involved; the wells have served primarily to
<br /> the Department of Health Services requires a water purveyor
<br /> to apply for an amended water permit before a new well is facilitate the impairment. The most noteworthy examples in
<br /> constructed and connected to the water system. Before the
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