[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors
of the Township of East Manchester as indicated in article histories.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-14-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-7]
This article shall be known and may be cited
as the "East Manchester Township Well Ordinance."
The intention of this article is to ensure and
protect the quality and suitability of domestic water supply and to
secure and maintain the minimum required isolation distances between
water supplies and sewage disposal systems or other sources of contamination.
A.
This article shall apply to all wells or water sources
which have not been completed, or which are not in operation or are
in an inoperable condition at the time of passage of this article.
B.
This article shall further apply to the reconstruction,
major repair and other changes to existing wells or water sources
when, in the opinion of the inspecting officer, such reconstruction,
major repair and other changes may affect the quality and suitability
of the water supply on the property upon which the well is constructed
or on surrounding properties.
The following standards shall apply for water
supplies:
A.
Drilled and driven wells: location. Drilled and driven
wells shall be located at a point free from flooding and at the following
minimum distances to existing or possible future sources of pollution:
|
Source of Pollution
|
Minimum Distance
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Storm drains, stormwater pits
|
25
| |
|
Drains carrying domestic sewage or industrial
wastes
|
50
| |
|
Septic or holding tanks
|
50
| |
|
Surface/subsurface sewage disposal fields
|
100
| |
|
Sewage seepage pits, cesspools
|
100
| |
|
Privies
|
50
| |
|
Fuel tanks
|
As approved
| |
|
Other (ditches, streams, barnyards, etc.)
|
As approved
| |
|
Additional location restrictions
| ||
|
Driveways
|
10
| |
|
Principal structure/dwelling
|
20
| |
|
Property lines and right-of-way/easement lines
|
10
| |
B.
Construction.
(1)
Source. The source of supply shall be from a water
bearing formation drawn not less than 100 feet from the ground surface,
with at least 20 feet of properly grounded well casing, and from no
formation which is subject to pollution.
(2)
Casing.
(a)
The well shall have a watertight and durable
wrought iron, steel, or other type of approved casing with a nominal
thickness of 3/16 (.1875) inch and 6 5/8 inches outside diameter.
The sections shall be joined together by threaded couplings, joints,
by welding or any other watertight approved joint or coupling. Plastic
well casing shall be polyvinylchloride (PVC) minimum schedule 40.
(b)
Casing shall be installed 20 feet from the finished
grade or in any case shall be extended 10 feet into bedrock or other
impervious strata. Driven wells shall be provided with a drive shoe
or other effective casing seal.
(c)
An annular space shall be provided between the
well casing and the earth formation of a radius at least 1 1/2
inches greater than the casing radius, excluding coupling for internal
pressure grouting, or 1 1/2 inches greater than the casing radius,
excluding coupling for external grouting. The annular space shall
be completely filled with impervious cement grout or equivalent sealing
material from bottom of the casing to the ground surface. External
grouting shall be accomplished utilizing a tremie pipe and grout pump
to force out any standing water on the outside of the well casing.
The casing shall be sealed effectively against entrance of water from
water-bearing formations which are subject to pollution, through which
the casing may pass. If casings of smaller diameter are used in the
lower portions of the well, effective watertight seals shall be provided
between the casings where they telescope. In such instances, sections
of casings shall telescope for a minimum distance of four feet. The
top of the well casing shall extend a minimum of eight inches to 12
inches above the finished grade of the lot so that contaminated water
or other substances cannot enter the well through the annular opening
at the top of the well casing, wall or pipe sleeve.
(d)
The top of the well casing shall extend a minimum
to 12 inches above the finished grade of the lot so that contaminated
water or other substances cannot enter the well through the annular
opening at the top of the well casing, wall or pipe sleeve.
(3)
Well covers. Every domestic use water well shall be
equipped with an overlapping cover at the top of the well casing or
pipe sleeve. Covers shall extend downward at least two inches over
the outside of the well casing or wall. All well caps shall indicate
well driller's name, depth of well and depth of casing. Where pump
sections of discharge pipes enter or leave a well through the side
of the casing, the circle of contact shall be watertight. The use
of plastic/nylon adapters for this purpose is not acceptable. A brass
pitless adapter with brass connectors or equivalent are required.
Any restoration/repair of wells with casing terminating below grade
shall be raised above grade to eight inches to 12 inches minimum.
Electrical wiring for well pumps shall be encased in conduit from
the bottom of the water supply line trench to the well cap.
(4)
Drainage. All domestic use water wells or water sources
shall be constructed so that surface drainage will be diverted away
from the well or water source.
C.
Pumping equipment. All pumps installed in wells drilled
to a depth greater than 300 feet, but not exceeding 450 feet, shall
be installed with two-hundred-pound-per-square-inch plastic pipe.
Well depths exceeding 450 feet shall have pumps installed with Schedule
80 PVC threaded pump or galvanized steel pipe to support the increased
pumping pressure required for deeper wells. The minimum acceptable
pressure rating on plastic pipe is 160 pounds per square inch, regardless
of water supply depth.
D.
Pump enclosure. Any pump room or any enclosure around
a well pump shall be drained and protected from freezing by heating
or other approved means. Where pumps are installed in basements, they
shall be mounted on a block or shelf not less than 18 inches above
the basement floor. Well pits shall be prohibited.
E.
Flow requirements. The well shall have a minimum water
supply flow of at least three gallons per minute. This article makes
no references to the quality or content of water. The acceptability
of water quality or content is the sole responsibility of the property
owner, subject to any state or federal limits or restrictions.
F.
Well certification. A report for each well shall be
prepared by the driller and shall be submitted to East Manchester
Township for evaluation and approval. The well report shall contain
the following pertinent information:
G.
Dug wells. No new hand dug wells will be permitted
in the Township due to the great danger of pollution and unreliability
of water supply for new parcels of lands being developed.
H.
Abandoned water supplies. Wells, springs, cisterns
and water-storage tanks which are no longer in use shall be abandoned
(decommissioned) in accordance with guidelines established from time
to time by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources (DCNR), or its successor agency. Abandoned or decommissioned
wells and springs shall not be used for the disposal or storage of
liquid, gaseous, and/or solid wastes. A copy of the notice of intent
to abandon filed with DCNR must also be filed with the Township at
least 10 days before the well is to be sealed or filled. Within 30
days of completion of sealing or filling an abandoned well, a copy
of the well abandonment form filed with the Pennsylvania Geological
Survey must also be submitted to the Township for evaluation and approval.
I.
Springs. This subsection of the specifications is
to be used for reconstruction of existing springs only. Before rehabilitation
shall begin on an existing spring, a report shall be made to determine
the advisability of said reconstruction, which shall include, as a
minimum, quality and quantity of water. Springs for new construction
are not considered an adequate water supply and will not be considered
as valid for the issuance of a building permit. Reconstructed springs
shall be completely enclosed by walls and a cover of reinforced concrete
or equally durable watertight material. This cover shall have a firm
foundation so as to effectively prevent settling. The uphill wall
shall be so constructed as to prevent entrance of surface water. Where
manhole covers are used, the manhole shall be at least 24 inches in
diameter. It shall extend at least three inches above the surrounding
ground surface and be covered by an impervious durable cover of concrete,
steel or equivalent material which overlaps the manhole vertically
by at least two inches. The manhole cover shall be effectively secured
to the manhole by bolting, locking or equivalent means and shall be
kept so secured.
J.
Water service. A minimum diameter of a water service
pipe shall be installed 12 inches above sewer drains. See Section
P-1502.2 in BOCA Plumbing Code, or the then-current standard required
by the East Manchester Township Construction Code or the Uniform Construction
Code, or similar statutes, for specific requirements.[1]
A.
No construction, drilling, digging, reconstruction,
major repair, placing in service a previously drilled well, or other
change of or for any well/water supply for the production of water
for domestic purposes shall commence unless the property owner, or
his/her duly authorized agent, shall apply for and receive a permit
for such construction activity from the Township.
B.
Application for a well permit shall be made upon a
form supplied by the Township and shall be submitted to the Township
Manager or inspection officer for review and approval.
C.
The application shall set forth the following:
(1)
Name(s) of property owners.
(2)
Address or location of property.
(3)
Scale/sketch of premises showing proposed location
of well, buildings, septic tanks, drain fields, existing or proposed
stormwater pits, and boundary lines.
(4)
Name, address, telephone number, and license number
of well driller.
D.
All permits shall be issued on a form provided by
the Township, which shall be executed by the duly authorized inspection
officer. All permits shall be issued to the property owners or their
duly authorized representative/well driller.
A.
Prior to issuance of a well permit a sewage permit must be secured by the applicant. Alternatively, if the well is placed on the property prior to substantial completion of all improvements, including structures, driveways and septic systems, including drain fields, then any permits subsequently issued for such improvements shall require those improvements to meet the minimum distances from the well as set forth in § 238-4 of this article.
B.
Upon receipt of an application for a well permit,
the Township, through its duly authorized inspection officer, shall
within seven days perform an inspection of the premises on which the
well is to be constructed. The inspection shall be conducted in accordance
with the provisions of this article.
C.
Upon completion of the inspection, the inspecting
officer shall either:
Upon completion of construction, or at such
other time as the Township inspecting officer may deem appropriate,
the inspecting officer shall perform a final inspection of the well/water
supply to determine whether there has been compliance with the permit
issued. Upon completion of the inspection, the inspecting officer
shall: a) issue an approval of operation upon the original permit;
or b) deny such approval due to noncompliance with the permit issued,
in which event, written reasons for such denial shall be noted on
the original permit. (NOTE: An application for a building permit will
not be accepted, nor will a building permit be issued in the absence
of an approval of operation issued under the terms and conditions
of this article.)
All applications for a well permit shall be
accompanied by a fee established by resolution payable to the Township
in accordance with a schedule of fees established or revised from
time to time by the Board of Supervisors by resolution.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The fee schedule is available in the Township
offices.
A.
All permits shall be in effect as of the date of issuance,
and shall remain in effect for a period of six months. In the event
that water supply construction under the permit has not been completed
by the expiration of six months from the date of issuance, the permit
shall expire and the validity of the permit shall cease and terminate.
B.
A request for an extension to a permit must be submitted
to the Township, in writing, at least 10 days before the expiration
date of the permit. Extensions are limited to 30 days. Subsequent
requests must be accompanied by an application for a new permit with
appropriate fee.
C.
In the event a permit expires and construction has
not begun, an application for a new permit must be submitted with
appropriate fee.
A.
Upon discovery of a violation, the Township through
its appointed representative, including but not limited to the Codes
Enforcement Officer, Zoning Officer, Building Code Official, Sewage
Enforcement Officer, Solicitor, Township Secretary, Township Manager
(if any), or any other person so designated by the Township, shall
notify, in writing, the landowner, and if different and if known to
the Township, the occupant of the property, as well as anyone who
has created or assisted in creating the violation, if known to the
Township, of the alleged violation, and shall give the landowner no
less than 10 days nor more than 30 days from the date of the notice
to comply with the terms of this article.
B.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, if the Codes Enforcement Officer in consultation with the Township Engineer determines that a violation of this article constitutes imminent danger or harm to the general public or a portion of the public, then the designated Township officer can, in his or her sole discretion, shorten the notice period, and the Township can pursue all legal remedies available to it without notice to the landowner as provided in Subsection A.
A.
Any person who violates any provisions of this article
shall commit a criminal offense and shall, upon being found guilty
by a Magisterial District Judge, after hearing, pay a fine not to
exceed $1,000, together with all court costs as permitted by law.
In default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment
for a term not exceeding 90 days.
[Amended 7-13-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-3]
B.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section,
nothing in this section or elsewhere in this article shall prohibit
the Township from pursuing any and all other courses of action legally
available to the Township to remedy the violations of this article,
or to abate any nuisances created by violation of this article, or
any condition which, in the sole discretion of the Township, creates
a danger to the health, safety and welfare of the public or any portion
of the public, including but not limited to civil actions, actions
in equity, or injunctive relief before courts of competent jurisdiction.
C.
For purposes of this article, each day of a violation
shall be considered a separate violation of this article.
No responsibility or liability for the construction
of any well/water supply shall be deemed to be placed upon East Manchester
Township or its officers, agents, or employees by virtue of the terms
of this article or otherwise.
[Adopted 8-11-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-4]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "East Manchester
Township, Mundis Race Road Water District Ordinance."
There is hereby created and established a water district to
be known as the "Mundis Race Road Water District," encompassing an
area bounded on the east by Dellinger Road, on the north by Dellinger
Farm Court and extending westwards from the end of Dellinger Farm
Court generally westwards along parcel boundaries and field lines
to the boundary line with Manchester Township, on the west by the
boundary line with Manchester Township and on the south by the boundary
line with Springettsbury Township (Codorus Creek), all as shown and
more particularly defined and described on a certain map of said district
which is included as Exhibit A,[1] and incorporated herein by reference.
[1]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is included as an attachment to this chapter.
A.
All persons owning any building now erected within the Mundis Race
Road Water District occupied or intended for human and/or animal habitation
and accessible to the public water system and all persons hereafter
erecting any new building within said district intended for human
and/or animal habitation and accessible to the public water system
shall, at their own expense, make connection of such buildings to
the public water system. A building shall be deemed accessible to
the public water system within the Mundis Race Road Water District
when any part of the parcel(s) on which it is located is adjacent
to any public street or easement in which is laid a public water main.
B.
Where a building required to be connected to the public water system pursuant to Subsection A of this section is accessible to an existing water main or at any time hereafter becomes accessible to a newly constructed water main, such connection shall be made within six months following receipt of notice from the Township to make such connection.
C.
All connections to the public water system shall be made in accordance
with the applicable Township ordinances then in effect and the rules
and regulations thereunder and in accordance with the rules, regulations
and specifications, as amended from time to time, in effect and specified
in the York Water Company's "Rates, Rules and Regulations" (Supplement
No. 118 to Water-Pa. P.U.C. No. 14), hereinafter "York Water Rules."
A.
Upon the connection of any building to the public water system, the internal water and plumbing system of such building connected to any individual on-lot or private water system shall be immediately disconnected and private wells properly abandoned in accordance with Chapter 238 of the Township Code, except as allowed pursuant to Subsection B of this section.
B.
Existing on-lot or private water systems may, with the approval of
the York Water Company and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection, be maintained and used for irrigation, fire protection,
or other industrial purposes not prohibited by said company's
operation policies. In no event shall there be any cross-connection
of any on-lot or private water system with the system supplied by
the public water system.
A.
All persons owning buildings required to be connected to the public water system shall, upon receiving notice from the Township as provided in § 238-15B, promptly make application to the York Water Company for connection to the system on such form and providing such information as the York Water Company shall prescribe.
B.
Each person making application for public water service may be required
to pay a connection fee for each building required to be connected.
Applicants shall be classified as residential, commercial or industrial
as specified in customer classification guidelines of the York Water
Company, from time to time, in effect. Any such connection fees hereby
imposed shall be payable to the York Water Company, pursuant to the
York Water Rules.
The owners of all properties served by the public water system
shall pay a basic service charge and surcharges to York Water Company
as per the York Water Rules as amended from time to time.
The Township designates the York Water Company as its agent
to do and perform certain acts for the Township relating to the Mundis
Race Road Water District pursuant to the York Water Rules.
At least 90 days prior to any amendment, alteration, repeal
or abolition of this article, notice of such amendment, alteration,
repeal or abolition shall be provided to the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection, South-Central Regional Office, Bureau
of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania 17110.
