[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health of the Town of Wakefield 1-10-1991.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Water — See Ch. 185.
These regulations are intended to protect the public health and general
welfare by ensuring that private wells are constructed in a manner which will
protect the quality of the groundwater derived from private wells.
A.
AGENT
APPLICANT
AQUIFER
BENTONITE GROUT
BOARD
BUSINESS OF DIGGING OR DRILLING
CASING
CERTIFIED LABORATORY
CONCRETE
NEAT CEMENT GROUT
PERSON
PRIVATE WELL
PUMPING TEST
REGISTERED WELL DRILLER
SAND CEMENT GROUT
STATIC WATER LEVEL
STRUCTURE
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated:
Any person designated and authorized by the Board to execute these
regulations. The "agent" shall have all the authority of the appointing Board
and shall be directly responsible to the Board and under its direction and
control.
Any person who intends to have a private well constructed.
A water-bearing geologic formation, group of formations or part of
a formation that contains sufficient saturated, permeable material to yield
significant quantities of water to wells and springs.
A mixture of bentonite (API Standard 13A) and water in a ratio of
not less than one (1) pound of bentonite per gallon of water.
The Board of Health of the Town of Wakefield, Massachusetts, or its
authorized agent.
A person who charges a fee for digging or drilling a well or a person
who advertises for hire the availability to dig or drill wells within the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Impervious durable pipe placed in a boring to prevent the walls from
caving and to serve as a vertical conduit for water in a well.
Any laboratory which has full certification by the Department of
Environmental Protection as provided in the most recent edition of Certification
Status of Commercial Environmental Laboratories.
A mixture consisting of portland cement (ASTM Standard C150, Type
1 or API Standard 10, Class A), sand, gravel and water in a proportion of
not more than five (5) parts of sand plus gravel to one (1) part cement, by
volume, and not more than six (6) gallons of water. One (1) part cement, two
(2) parts sand and three (3) parts gravel are commonly used with up to six
(6) gallons of water.
A mixture consisting of one (1) bag [ninety-four (94) pounds] of
portland cement (ASTM Standard C150, Type 1 or API Standard 10, Class A) to
not more than six (6) gallons of clean water. Bentonite (API Standard 13A),
up to two percent (2%) by weight of cement, shall be added to reduce shrinkage.
Other additives, as described in ASTM Standard C494, may be used to increase
fluidity and/or control setting time.
An individual, corporation, company, association, trust or partnership.
Any dug, driven or drilled hole with a depth greater than its largest
surface diameter developed to supply water intended and/or used for human
consumption and not subject to regulation by 310 CMR 22.00.
A procedure used to determine the characteristics of a well and adjacent
aquifer by installing and operating a pump.
Any person registered with the Department of Environmental Management,
Division of Water Resources to dig or drill wells in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
A mixture consisting of portland cement (ASTM Standard C150, Type
1 or API Standard 10, Class A), sand and water in the proportion of one (1)
part cement to three (3) or four (4) parts sand, by volume, and not more than
six (6) gallons of water per bag [ninety-four (94) pounds] of cement. Up to
five percent (5%), by weight, of bentonite (API Standard 13A) shall be added
to reduce shrinkage.
The level of water in a well under nonpumping conditions.
A combination of materials assembled at a fixed location to give
support or shelter, such as a building, framework, retaining wall, fence or
the like.
B.
The Department of Environmental Protection Private Well
Guidelines contain a glossary of additional terms which may be incorporated
into these regulations at the discretion of the Board.
A.
The property owner or his designated representative shall
obtain a permit from the Board of Health prior to the commencement of construction
of a private well.
B.
Each permit application to construct a well shall include
the following:
(1)
The property owner's name and address.
(2)
The well driller's name and proof of valid state
registration.
(3)
A plan with a specified scale, signed by a registered
surveyor or engineer, showing the location of the proposed well in relation
to existing or proposed above- or below-ground structures.
(4)
A description and location of visible prior and current
land uses within two hundred (200) feet of the proposed well location which
represent a potential source of contamination, including but not limited to
the following:
(5)
Proof that the owner of any property abutting the applicant's
property has been notified of the applicant's intention to install a
well.
(6)
A permit fee of fifty dollars ($50.).
C.
The permit shall be on site at all times that work is
taking place. Each permit shall expire one (1) year from the date of issuance
unless revoked for cause. Permits may be extended for one (1) additional six-month
period, provided that a written request is received by the Board prior to
the one-year expiration date. No additional fee shall be charged for a permit
extension, provided that there is no change in the plans for the proposed
well.
D.
Well construction permits are not transferable.
E.
The Board may choose to require additional information
pertaining to the location of waste sites, underground storage tanks, agricultural
land uses and/or utility rights-of-way that are within five hundred (500)
to one thousand (1,000) feet of the well site.
F.
The Board may choose to indicate that applicants for
well construction permits may be required to obtain plumbing and/or building
permits.
A.
The issuance of water supply certificate by the Board
shall certify that the private well may be used as a drinking water supply.
A water supply certificate must be issued for the use of a private well prior
to the issuance of an occupancy permit for an existing structure or prior
to the issuance of a building permit for new construction which is to be served
by the well.
B.
C.
Upon the receipt and review of the above documents, the
Board shall make a final decision on the application for a water supply certificate.
A final decision shall be in writing and shall comprise one (1) of the following
actions:
(1)
Issuance of a water supply certificate.
(2)
Denial of a water supply certificate, specifying the
reasons for the denial.
(3)
Issuance of a conditional water supply certificate with
those conditions which the Board deems necessary to ensure fitness, purity
and quantity of the water derived from that private well. Said conditions
may include, but not be limited to, requiring treatment or additional testing
of the water.
D.
It is highly recommended that the Board develop standardized
forms for information requested of private well owners by these regulations.
Such forms may include the following: well construction permit application,
pumping test report, water quality report and/or water supply certificate
application.
A.
In locating a well, the applicant shall identify all
potential sources of contamination which exist or are proposed within two
hundred (200) feet of the site. When possible, the well shall be located upgradient
of all potential sources of contamination and shall be as far removed from
potential sources of contamination as possible, given the layout of the premises.
B.
Each private well shall be accessible for repair, maintenance,
testing and inspection. The well shall be completed in a water-bearing formation
that will produce the required quantity of water under normal operating conditions.
C.
All private wells shall be located at least ten (10)
feet from any property line. The center line of a well shall, if extended
vertically, clear any projection from an adjacent structure by at least five
(5) feet.
D.
All private wells shall be located a minimum of twenty-five
(25) feet from the normal driving surface of any public roadway or a minimum
of fifteen (15) feet from the road right-of-way, whichever is greater.
E.
Each private well shall be located at least twenty-five
(25) feet laterally from the normal high-water mark of any lake, pond, river,
stream, ditch or slough. When possible, private water systems shall be located
in areas above the one-hundred-year floodplain.
F.
A suction line or well shall be located a minimum of
ten (10) feet from a building sewer constructed of durable, corrosion-resistant
material with watertight joints or fifty (50) feet from a building sewer constructed
of any other type of pipe; fifty (50) feet from a septic tank; one hundred
(100) feet from a leaching field: and one hundred (100) feet from a privy.
G.
Water supply lines shall be installed at least ten (10)
feet from and eighteen (18) inches above any sewer line. Whenever water supply
lines must cross sewer lines, both pipes shall be constructed of Class 150
pressure pipe and shall be pressure tested to assure watertightness.
H.
The Board reserves the right to impose minimum lateral
distance requirements from other potential sources of contamination not listed
above. All such special well location requirements shall be listed, in writing,
as a condition of the well construction permit.
I.
No private well, or its associated distribution system,
shall be connected to either the distribution system of a public water supply
system or any type of waste distribution system.
A.
The applicant shall submit to the Board for review and
approval a pumping test report. The pumping test report shall include the
name and address of the well owner; well location, referenced to at least
two (2) permanent structures and landmarks; date the pumping test was performed;
depth at which the pump was set for the test; location of the discharge line;
static water level immediately before pumping commenced; discharge rate and,
if applicable, the time the discharge rate changed; pumping water levels and
respective times after pumping commenced; maximum drawdown during the test;
duration of the test, including both the pumping time and the recovery time
during which measurements were taken; recovery water levels and respective
times after cessation of pumping; and reference point used for all measurements.
B.
In order to demonstrate the capacity of the well to provide
the required volume of water, a pumping test shall be conducted in the following
manner:
(1)
The volume of water necessary to support the household's
daily needs shall be determined using the following equation: (number of bedrooms
plus 1 bedroom) x (110 gallons per bedroom) x (a safety factor of 2) = number
of gallons needed daily.
(2)
The storage capacity of the well shall be determined
using the measured static water level and the depth and radius of the drill
hole or casing.
C.
The pumping test may be performed at whatever rate is
desired. Following the pumping test, the water level in the well must be shown
to recover to within eighty-five percent (85%) of the prepumped static water
level within a twenty-four-hour period.
D.
Example 1. For a one-bedroom house with a well that is
eight (8) inches in diameter and contains two hundred (200) feet of standing
water:
(1)
(1 bedroom + 1 bedroom) = (2 bedrooms) x (110 gallons
per bedroom) x (2) = 440 gallons needed daily.
(2)
The volume of an eight-inch well is two and sixty-hundredths
(2.60) gallons for every foot of length. Therefore: (200 feet of standing
water) x (2.60 gallons per foot) = 522 gallons.
(3)
440 gallons + 522 gallons = 962 gallons that must be
pumped from the well in twenty-four (24) hours or less to demonstrate suitable
capacity.
E.
Example 2. For a four-bedroom house with a well that
is six (6) inches in diameter and contains one hundred (100) feet of standing
water:
(1)
(4-bedroom house + 1 bedroom) = (5 bedrooms) x (110 gallons
per bedroom) x (2) = 1,100 gallons needed daily.
(2)
The volume of a six-inch well is one and forty-eight-hundredths
(1.48) gallons for every foot of length. Therefore: (100 feet of standing
water) x (1.48 gallons per foot) = 148 gallons.
(3)
1,100 gallons + 148 gallons = 1,248 gallons that must
be pumped from the well in twenty-four (24) hours or less to demonstrate suitable
capacity.
F.
The Department of Environmental Protection Private Well
Guidelines, in the section entitled "Water Quantity (Pumping Test)," provide
a table of values listing gallons of water per foot of depth for various casing
or hole diameters and a table of flow volumes in gallons per minute and corresponding
flow volumes in gallons per day.
A.
After the well has been completed and disinfected and
prior to using it as a drinking water supply, a water quality test shall be
conducted.
B.
A water sample shall be collected either after purging
three (3) well volumes or following the stabilization of the pH, temperature
and specific conductance in the pumped well. The water sample to be tested
shall be collected at the pump discharge or from a disinfected tap in the
pump discharge line. In no event shall a water treatment device be installed
prior to sampling.
C.
The water quality test, utilizing methods approved by
the Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water testing and not methods
used for analyzing wastewater, shall be conducted by a certified laboratory
and shall include analysis for the following parameters:
(1)
Parameters.
|
Parameter
|
Maximum Acceptable Limit
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Coliform bacteria
|
1 per 100 milliliters
| |
|
Nitrogen (nitrate)
|
10 milligrams per liter
| |
|
Turpidity
|
1 turpidity unit
| |
|
Benzene
|
0.005 milligram per liter
| |
|
Carbon tetrachloride
|
0.005 milligram per liter
| |
|
Paradichlorobenzene
|
0.005 milligram per liter
| |
|
1.2 Dichloroethane
|
0.005 milligram per liter
| |
|
1.1 Dichloroethylene
|
0.007 milligram per liter
| |
|
1.1.1 Trichloroethane
|
0.20 milligram per liter
| |
|
Trichloroehtylene
|
0.005 milligram per liter
| |
|
Vinyl chloride
|
0.002 milligram per liter
|
(2)
Sodium: greater than twenty (20) milligrams per liter
is of concern to persons on low-sodium diets.
(3)
Indicator parameters.
|
Parameter
|
Recommended Upper Limit
|
Recommended Lower Limit
| |
|
Alkalinity
|
100 milligrams per liter
|
30 milligrams per liter
| |
|
Calcium
|
150 milligrams per liter
|
50 milligrams per liter
| |
|
Chloride
|
250 milligrams per liter
|
—
| |
|
Color
|
15 color units
|
—
| |
|
Copper
|
1 milligram per liter
|
—
| |
|
Hardness
|
200 milligrams per liter
|
50 milligrams per liter
| |
|
Iron
|
0.3 milligram per liter
|
—
| |
|
Magnesium
|
Relative scale
|
—
| |
|
Maganese
|
0.05 milligram per liter
|
—
| |
|
Nitrogen (ammonia)
|
0.1 milligram per liter
|
0.015 milligram per liter
| |
|
Nitrogen (nitrite)
|
1 milligram per liter
|
—
| |
|
Odor
|
3 threshold odor number
|
—
| |
|
pH
|
8.5
|
6.5
| |
|
Potassium
|
Relative scale
|
—
| |
|
Sediment
|
Visual observation
|
—
| |
|
Sulfate
|
250 milligrams per liter
|
—
| |
|
Total dissolved solids
|
500 milligrams per liter
|
—
|
D.
Following a receipt of the water quality test results,
the applicant shall submit a water quality report to the Board which includes:
E.
The Board reserves the right to require retesting of
the above parameters or testing for additional parameters when, in the opinion
of the Board, it is necessary due to local conditions or for the protection
of the public health, safety and welfare. All costs and laboratory arrangements
for the water testing are the responsibility of the applicant.
F.
The Board may choose to collect the water sample or may
require that the water sample be collected by the Board's agent or by
an employee of the certified lab performing the analyses.
G.
For wells completed in bedrock, the Board may require
tests for radon, arsenic and selenium. In areas where current or historical
land use includes agriculture, the Board may require testing for pesticides,
herbicides and arsenic. The Department of Environmental Protection Private
Well Guidelines, in the section entitled "Water Quality and Water Testing,"
include acceptable limits for these additional parameters.
H.
Following the initial water quality test for a new well,
the Board may require or recommend that the applicant have the water tested
periodically. The Department of Environmental Protection Private Well Guidelines,
in the section entitled "Water Quality and Water Testing," provide recommendations
for the frequency of testing for various parameters.
I.
The Board may choose to require that a water quality
test be conducted any time that the property on which the well is located
changes ownership.
A.
Pursuant to 313 CMR 3.00, no person in the business of
digging or drilling shall construct a well unless registered with the Department
of Environmental Management, Division of Water Resources.
B.
Any work involving the connection of the private well
to the distribution system of the residence must conform to the local plumbing
code. All electrical connections between the well and the pump controls and
all piping between the well and the storage and/or pressure tank in the house
must be made by a pump installer or registered well driller, including the
installation of the pump and appurtenance in the well or house.
C.
A physical connection is not permitted between a water
supply which satisfies the requirements of these regulations and another water
supply that does not meet the requirements of these regulations without prior
approval of the Board.
D.
General well design and construction.
(1)
All private water supply wells shall be designed such
that:
(a)
The materials used for the permanent construction are
durable in the specific hydrogeologic environment that occurs at the well
site.
(b)
No unsealed openings will be left around the well that
could conduct surface water or contaminated groundwater vertically to the
intake portion of the well or transfer water from one formation to another.
(2)
Permanent construction materials shall not impart toxic
substances, taste, odors or bacterial contamination to the water in the well.
(3)
The driller shall operate all equipment according to
generally accepted standards in the industry and shall take appropriate precautions
to prevent damage, injury or other loss to persons and property at the drilling
site.
(4)
Well construction design shall ensure that surface water
does not enter the well through the opening or by seepage through the ground
surface. Construction site waste and materials shall be disposed of in such
a way as to avoid contamination of the well and the aquifer. During any time
that the well is unattended, the contractor shall secure the well in such
a way as to prevent either tampering with the well or the introduction of
foreign material into the well.
(5)
Well yield shall be measured and recorded at least every
fifty (50) feet during drilling.
(6)
All water used for drilling, well development or to mix
a drilling fluid shall be obtained from a source which will not result in
contamination of the well or the water-bearing zones penetrated by the well.
Water shall be conveyed in clean, sanitary containers or waterlines and shall
be chlorinated to an initial concentration between fifty (50) milligrams per
liter and one hundred (100) milligrams per liter. A free-chlorine residual
of ten (10) milligrams per liter shall be maintained in any water used at
the drill site. Water from wetlands, swamps, ponds and other similar surface
features shall not be used.
(7)
All drilling equipment, including pumps and down hole
tools, shall be cleaned and disinfected prior to drilling each new well or
test hole.
(8)
All drilling fluids shall be nontoxic. Drilling fluid
additives shall be stored in clean containers and shall be free of material
that may adversely affect the well, the aquifer or the quality of the water
to be pumped from the well. Surfactants should be biodegradable. The use of
biodegradable organic polymers shall, when possible, be avoided.
(9)
All wells, including those that have been hydrofractured,
shall be developed in order to remove fine materials introduced into the pore
spaces or fractures during construction. One (1) or more of the following
methods shall be used for development: overpumping, backwashing, surging,
jetting and air-lift pumping.
(10)
The completed well shall be sufficiently straight so
that there will be no interference with installation, alignment, operation
or future removal of the permanent well pump.
(11)
The Department of Environmental Protection Private Well
Guidelines, in the section entitled "General Well Design and Construction,"
provide additional considerations for the construction of wells.
E.
Well casing.
(1)
Private water supply wells shall be constructed using
either steel or thermoplastic well casing. The casing shall be of adequate
strength and durability to withstand anticipated formation and hydrostatic
pressures, the forces imposed on it during installation and the corrosive
effects of the local hydrogeologic environment.
(2)
Steel casing shall be used with cable tool drilling or
when the casing is installed in an open drill hole in which formation materials
may suddenly collapse against the casing.
(3)
All casing used in the construction of private water
supply wells shall be free of pits, breaks, gouges, deep scratches and other
defects. If previously used casing is installed, it shall be decontaminated
and disinfected prior to installation.
(4)
Installation of water well casing shall be done in a
manner that does not alter the shape, size or strength of the casing and does
not damage any of the joints or couplings connecting sections of the casing.
A standard drive shoe shall be used when casing is installed. The drive shoe
shall be either welded or threaded to the lower end of the string of casing
and shall have a beveled metal cutting edge forged, cast or fabricated for
this specific purpose.
(5)
Upon completion of the installation procedure, the entire
length of the casing above the intake shall be watertight.
(6)
For wells completed above grade, the casing shall extend
at least twelve (12) inches above the finished ground surface unless the well
is located in a floodplain. For wells constructed in a floodplain, the casing
shall extend at least two (2) feet above the level of the highest recorded
flood. The top of the casing shall be reasonably smooth and level.
(7)
Concrete casing may be used for dug wells.
(8)
Steel casing.
(a)
Steel casing shall consist of Schedule 40 pipe that complies
with materials standards approved by the American Water Works Association.
(b)
Segments of steel casing shall be coupled by using threaded
casing or couplings or by welding the joint. Recessed or reamed and drifted
couplings shall be used on threaded casing, and no threads shall be left exposed
once the joint is completed. When welded casing joints are used, they shall
conform to the most recent revision of AWWA C206, Standard for Field Welding
of Steel Water Pipe. The weld shall be at least as thick as the wall thickness
of the well casing and shall be fully penetrating. When completed, a welded
casing joint shall have a tensile strength equal to or greater than that of
the casing.
(9)
Thermoplastic casing.
(a)
Thermoplastic casing used in the construction of private
water supply wells shall be capable of withstanding pressures equal to or
greater than two hundred (200) pounds per square inch and shall conform to
the most recent revision of ASTM Standard F480, Specification for Thermoplastic
Water Well Casing Pipe and Couplings Made in Standard Dimension Ratios (SDR).
In addition, the casing and couplings shall meet the requirements of the most
recent revision of National Sanitation Foundation Standard Number 14, entitled "Plastics
Piping System Components and Related Materials." Materials complying with
Standard Number 14 can be recognized by the marking "NSF-WC."
(b)
Thermoplastic casing shall be stored in such a manner
as to prevent deformation, sagging or bending. Storage of thermoplastic casing
and couplings in direct sunlight shall be avoided.
(c)
Thermoplastic casing shall be installed only in an oversized
drill hole and shall not be driven, pushed or forced into a formation. Thermoplastic
casing shall be joined by mechanical means only. When pulling back thermoplastic
well casing to expose a well screen, the force applied shall not exceed the
casing weight.
(10)
Dug wells are not recommended and, in communities where
they are allowed, they should be permitted only as a last resort. The following
may be added for communities which allow dug wells:
(a)
Concrete casing.
[1]
Concrete water well casing consists of either precast
concrete pipe or concrete which has been poured in place. This type of casing
shall be used only for the construction of dug wells.
[2]
Precast concrete pipe shall be at least three (3) inches
thick, meet or exceed ASTM C67 Class III specifications and be free of blemishes.
Joints between pipe segments shall be sealed with a continuous, solid ring
rubber gasket having a circular cross section with a diametrical tolerance
of plus or minus one-sixty-fourth (1/64) of an inch. Gaskets shall be of sufficient
volume to substantially fill the recess provided when the pipe joint is assembled.
A properly sized gasket will form a pressure-tight seal when it is compressed
between the pipe segments.
F.
Well screen.
(1)
A well screen is necessary for all drilled wells that
are completed in unconsolidated formations. Wells completed in bedrock do
not require a screen unless the bedrock formation is brittle in nature or
has a potential for collapse. The well screen aperture openings, screen length
and diameter shall be selected so as not to limit the aquifer's water-yielding
characteristics while preventing access of soil particles that would detract
from well efficiency and yield.
(2)
The Department of Environmental Protection Private Well
Guidelines, in the section entitled "Well Screen," include a discussion about
screen materials and construction, joints, sealing and methods of installation.
G.
Grouting and sealing.
(1)
Private wells drilled in bedrock shall be grouted from
the top of the weathered rock interface to fifteen (15) feet into competent
bedrock. Either neat cement grout or sand cement grout shall be used, and
it shall be emplaced using standard grouting techniques as described in the
Department of Environmental Protection Private Well Guidelines.
(2)
All wells completed with the casing extending above grade
shall have a surface seal designed to eliminate the possibility of surface
water flowing down the annular space between the well casing and the surrounding
backfilled materials. The surface seal shall extend to a depth below the local
frost line.
(3)
Refer to the Department of Environmental Protection Private
Well Guidelines, the section entitled "Protective Well Seals," for details
about materials and methods used for grouting.
H.
Pumps and pumping equipment.
(1)
All pumps shall be installed either below the frost line
with a pitless adapter or in some other heated and protected sanitary location.
Aboveground pumps shall be installed in sheltered, dry, accessible locations
and shall be protected from freezing.
(2)
Shallow-well pumps shall be installed as near the well
or water source as possible to minimize suction lift.
(3)
Deep-well reciprocating pumps shall be installed directly
over the well. Submersible and helical rotor pumps must be installed in the
well. A deep-well jet pump may be offset from the well.
I.
Wellhead completion.
(1)
Well casing shall not be cut off below the land surface
unless a pitless adapter or a pitless unit is installed or an abandoned well
is being permanently plugged. Well casing terminating above grade shall extend
at least twelve (12) inches above the predetermined ground surface at the
wellhead, except when the well is located in a floodplain. When a well is
located in a floodplain, the well casing shall extend at least two (2) feet
above the level of the highest recorded flood. The top of the well casing
shall be reasonably smooth and level.
(2)
Any well, except a dug well, that does not terminate
in the base of a pump shall be equipped with a sanitary seal or watertight
cap designed to prevent surface water and foreign matter from entering the
well. A flowing artesian well shall be equipped with a shutoff valve and backflow
preventer so that the flow of water can be stopped completely when the well
is not in use.
(3)
All wells, except flowing artesian and dug wells, shall
be vented. The opening of the vent pipe shall be covered with a twenty-four-mesh
corrosion-resistant screen and shall be large enough to prevent water from
being drawn into the well through electrical conduits or leaks in the seal
around the pump when the pump is turned on. The vent pipe shall terminate
in a downward position at or above the top of the casing.
(4)
All connections to a well casing made below ground shall
be protected by either a pitless adapter or a pitless unit that complies with
the most recent revision of National Sanitation Foundation Standard Number
56, entitled "Pitless Well Adapters."
(5)
Above-grade connections into the top or side of a well
casing shall be at least twelve (12) inches above the established ground surface
or two (2) feet above the level of the highest known flood, whichever is higher.
Above-grade connections shall be sealed so that they are watertight.
(6)
The ground immediately surrounding the well casing shall
be sloped downward and away from the well in all directions to eliminate the
possibility of surface water ponding.
(7)
The Department of Environmental Protection Private Well
Guidelines, in the section entitled "Wellhead Completion," contain illustrations
and a more detailed discussion about wellhead completion, including capping,
venting, connections and grading.
J.
Disinfection.
(1)
Upon completion of well construction, the well contractor
shall disinfect the well. If a pump is to be installed by the well contractor
immediately upon completion of the well, the contractor shall disinfect the
well and the pumping equipment after the pump has been installed.
(2)
If the pump is not installed upon completion of the well,
the pump contractor shall, upon installation, disinfect the well and the pumping
equipment. The pump contractor shall also disinfect the entire water supply
system after any maintenance or repair work is done on the pump.
(3)
When a well is disinfected, the initial chlorine concentration
shall be one hundred (100) milligrams per liter throughout the entire water
column.
(4)
For newly constructed or altered wells in which the pump
is not immediately installed, the chlorine concentration used to disinfect
the well shall be one hundred (100) milligrams per liter. Upon installation
of the pump, disinfection of the well, the pumping equipment and the distribution
system, if connected, shall be accomplished with a chlorine concentration
of one hundred (100) milligrams per liter.
(5)
The disinfectant solution shall remain undisturbed in the well for a minimum of two (2) hours. After all the chlorine has been flushed from the water supply system, a water sample shall be collected and submitted to a state-certified laboratory. For new wells, the sample shall be tested pursuant to § 445-8 of these regulations. For wells which have undergone repair, the sample shall be tested for coliform bacteria and any other parameters deemed appropriate by the Board.
A.
Abandoned wells, test holes and borings shall be decommissioned
so as to prevent the well, including the annular space outside the casing,
from being a channel allowing the vertical movement of water.
B.
The owner of the private well shall decommission the
well if the well meets any of the following criteria:
(1)
Construction of the well is terminated prior to completion
of the well.
(2)
The well owner notifies the Board that the use of the
well is to be permanently discontinued.
(3)
The well has, after extended use, been out of service
for at least three (3) years.
(4)
The well is a potential hazard to public health or safety
and the situation cannot be corrected.
(5)
The well is in such a state of disrepair that its continued
use is impractical.
(6)
The well has the potential for transmitting contaminants
from the land surface into an aquifer or from one aquifer to another and the
situation cannot be corrected.
C.
The property owner shall be responsible for ensuring
that all abandoned wells and test holes or borings associated with private
well installation are properly plugged. Only registered well drillers may
plug abandoned wells, test holes and borings.
D.
In the case of new well construction, all test holes
and borings shall be plugged before the well driller completes work at the
site.
E.
Abandoned wells or borings shall be completely filled
with a grout which cures with a final permeability of less than 1 x 10-7
centimeters per second. Wells shall be plugged with neat cement grout, sand
cement grout, concrete or bentonite grout.
F.
Regardless of the type used, the grout:
(1)
Shall be sufficiently fluid so that it can be applied
through a tremie pipe from the bottom of the well upward.
(2)
Shall remain as a homogeneous fluid when applied to the
subsurface rather than disaggregating by gravity into a two-phase substance.
(3)
Shall be resistant to chemical or physical deterioration.
(4)
Shall not leach chemicals, either organic or inorganic,
that will adversely affect the quality of the groundwater where it is applied.
G.
The plugging materials shall be introduced at the bottom
of the well or boring and placed progressively upward to a level approximately
four (4) feet below the ground surface. Sealing materials shall never be poured
from the land surface into the well, borehole or annular space being sealed.
H.
The contractor shall emplace the surface seal no sooner
than twenty-four (24) hours after the well or boring has been plugged. Before
the surface seal is placed, casing remaining in the hole shall be cut off.
The remaining four (4) feet at the top of the well or boring shall then be
filled with concrete. The top of the seal shall comprise a concrete slab above
the top of the plugged well or boring. This concrete slab shall be at least
six (6) inches thick and shall be at least two (2) feet greater in diameter
than the well casing or borehole wall.
I.
The Department of Environmental Protection Private Well
Guidelines, in the section entitled "Decommissioning Abandoned Wells, Test
Holes and Dry or Inadequate Borings," contain a more comprehensive discussion
of plugging procedures and other aspects of decommissioning.
J.
In addition to the above requirements, the Board may
choose to require that the well driller submit a well decommissioning report
to the Board. The Department of Environmental Protection Private Well Guidelines,
in the section entitled "Decommissioning Abandoned Wells, Test Holes and Dry
or Inadequate Borings," contain specific recommendations for the contents
of a well decommissioning report.
A.
The Board shall investigate violations of these regulations
and/or violations of any water supply certificate conditions and may take
such actions as the Board deems necessary for the protection of the public
health and the enforcement of these regulations.
B.
If an investigation reveals a violation of these regulations
or the water supply certificate conditions, the Board shall order the private
well owner to comply with the violated provision(s).
C.
These orders shall be in writing and served in the following
manner:
(1)
Personally, by any person authorized to serve civil process;
(2)
By any person authorized to serve civil process by leaving
a copy of the order at the well owner's last and usual place of abode;
(3)
By sending the well owner a copy of the order by registered
or certified mail, return receipt requested, if the well owner is within the
commonwealth; or
(4)
If the well owner's last and usual place of abode
is unknown or outside the commonwealth, by posting a copy of the order in
a conspicuous place on or about the premises and by advertising it for at
least three (3) out of five (5) consecutive days in one (1) or more newspapers
of general circulation within the municipality wherein the private well affected
is situated.
A.
The private well owner to whom any order has been served
may request a hearing before the Board by filing with the Board within seven
(7) days after the day the order was served a written petition requesting
a hearing on the matter. Upon receipt of such petition, the Board shall set
a time and place for such hearing and shall inform the well owner thereof
in writing. The hearing shall be commenced not later than thirty (30) days
after the day on which the order was served. The Board, upon application of
the well owner, may postpone the date of hearing for a reasonable time beyond
such thirty-day period if, in the judgment of the Board, the well owner has
submitted a good and sufficient reason for such postponement. At the hearing
the well owner shall be given an opportunity to be heard and to show why the
order should be modified or withdrawn. After the hearing, the Board shall
sustain, modify or withdraw the order and shall inform the well owner, in
writing, of its decision. If the Board sustains or modifies the order, it
shall be carried out within the time period allotted in the original order
or in the modification.
B.
Every notice, order or other record prepared by the Board
in connection with the hearing shall be entered as a matter of public record
in the office of the Clerk of the town or in the office of the Board.
C.
If a written petition for a hearing is not filed with
the Board within seven (7) days after the day an order has been served or
if, after a hearing, the order has been sustained in any part, each day's
failure to comply with the order as issued or modified shall constitute an
additional offense.
Any person aggrieved by the final decision of the Board may seek relief
therefrom within thirty (30) days in any court of competent jurisdiction,
as provided by the laws of this commonwealth.
Any person who violates any provision of these regulations or who fails
to comply with any order by the Board for which a penalty is not otherwise
provided in any of the General Laws shall, upon conviction, be fined not less
then ten dollars ($10.) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.). Each day's
failure to comply with an order shall constitute a separate violation.
A.
The Board may, after a public hearing, grant a variance
to the application of these regulations when, in its opinion, the enforcement
thereof would do manifest injustice and the applicant has demonstrated that
the equivalent degree of protection will still be provided to the private
water supply without strict application to particular provisions of these
regulations.
B.
Every request for a variance shall be made in writing
and shall state the specific variance sought and the reasons therefor. The
writing shall contain all the information needed to assure the Board that,
despite the issuance of a variance, the public health and environment will
be protected. Notice of the hearing shall be given by the Board, at the applicant's
expense, at least ten (10) days prior thereto by certified mail to all abutters
of the property upon which the private well is located and by publication
in a newspaper of general circulation in the town. The notice shall include
a statement of the variance sought and the reasons therefor. Any grant or
denial of a variance shall be in writing and shall contain a brief statement
of the reasons for approving or denying the variance. A copy of each variance
shall be conspicuously posted for thirty (30) days following its issuance
and shall be available to the public at all reasonable hours in the office
of the Town Clerk or office of the Board of Health. No work shall be done
under any variance until thirty (30) days elapse from its issuance, unless
the Board certifies, in writing, that an emergency exists.
C.
Any variance may be subject to such qualification, revocation, suspension, condition or expiration as is provided in these regulations or as the Board expresses in its grant of the variance. A variance may otherwise be revoked, modified or suspended, in whole or in part, only after the holder thereof has been notified, in writing, and has been given an opportunity to be heard, pursuant to § 445-12 of these regulations.
If any provision of these regulations or the application thereof is
held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity shall
be limited to said provision(s), and the remainder of these regulations shall
remain valid and effective. Any part of these regulations subsequently invalidated
by a new state law or modification of an existing state law shall automatically
be brought into conformity with the new or amended law and shall be deemed
to be effective immediately, without recourse to a public hearing and the
customary procedures for amendment or repeal of such regulation.
A.
These regulations were adopted by vote of the Town of
Wakefield, Massachusetts, Board of Health at its regularly scheduled meeting
held on January 10, 1991, and are to be in full force and effect on and after
January 11, 1991. Before said date, these regulations shall be published and
a copy thereof shall be placed on file in the Board of Health offices and
filed with the Department of Environmental Quality Engineering, Division of
Water Supply in Boston.
B.
These regulations or any portions thereof may be amended,
supplemented or repealed from time to time by the Board, with notice as provided
by law, on its own motion or by petition.
The issuance of a well permit shall not be construed as a guaranty by
the Board or its agents that the water system will function satisfactorily
or that the water supply will be of sufficient quality or quantity for its
intended use.
