A hydrogeologic analysis and water quality testing shall be
required prior to the approval of any subdivision or land development
plan representing more than 10 dwelling units, or a nonresidential
use or uses which individually or collectively have an anticipated
daily water usage demand of 4,000 gallons per day or more, which proposes
to utilize an on-site community public water supply system or individual
private wells. However, this requirement will not apply to any single-family
residential development where individual lots are larger than one
acre.
A.
No person shall propose the use of an on-site public water supply system or individual wells for a development activity described in § 180-801 without first administering the aquifer test required by this article and meeting the minimum requirements of § 180-803.
(1)
Test objective. The objectives of an aquifer test
shall be one or more of the following:
(a)
To obtain sufficient data for the calculations
of aquifer performance, including the coefficients of transmissibility
and storage, permeability, long-term well yield, and specific capacity.
(b)
To determine the location and character of geologic
boundaries.
(c)
To ascertain the effects of well interference
between on-site wells and surrounding off-site wells.
B.
Test standard. The aquifer test shall establish that the
proposed well(s) is (are) capable of supplying potable water at the
minimum rate of 400 gallons per day per dwelling unit or in the case
of nonresidential use, the anticipated daily water flow, at a demand
rate of not less than 10 gallons per minute for one hour, either with
or without the use of a storage system. The test shall also establish
that no significant adverse impact will result to other existing on-site
and surrounding wells.
C.
Test supervision and evaluation. The aquifer test shall
be conducted under the supervision of a professional geologist or
professional engineer, using testing procedures hereinafter set forth.
The geologist or engineer shall be responsible for notifying the Township
a minimum of three days prior to the test. He or she will also summarize
the test and its significance and make recommendations as to the suitability
of the well or wells for the intended uses. The final report of the
supervising person shall include an opinion as to whether the proposed
use of the well will have an impact upon other existing wells in the
immediate surrounding area. The supervising person shall provide the
Township with a copy of all field notes and test results.
D.
Test method. The method for conducting the aquifer test
shall be as follows:
(1)
An aquifer test shall be conducted for a minimum
of 12 hours at a constant rate of pumping. The test well, shall be
the one proposed for the specified development activity for which
the test is conducted. Two observation wells which have hydraulic
continuity with the pumped well are required. The preferred method
of analysis of the aquifer test data is the nonequilibrium formula,
although other methods are available and may be used. These include
various methods of analysis of either the drawdown or recovery data.
E.
Collection of data. Data shall be collected in conjunction
with the aquifer test as follows:
(2)
During the test: A standard aquifer test field
data sheet will be required for a pumped well and each observation
well. The data sheet shall include columns for listing:
(3)
Following the test: A report shall be prepared
summarizing all project information and analyses including findings
and recommendations regarding the adequacy of the groundwater supply
for the proposed development. In accordance with recognized principles
of well hydraulics, graphs shall be included to show time drawdown
and time recovery for the pumped well and the observation wells. A
distance drawdown graph will be required for anticipated rates of
pumping. Computation of the coefficients of transmissibility and storage
as well as the rate of pumping, time and drawdown are required as
well as recharge and other hydrogeologic data which maybe considered
necessary to satisfy the test objectives.
F.
Impacts during testing. The applicant shall be fully responsible
for mitigating any impacts to adjacent water supplies which occur
as a result of the testing.
A water quality test shall be conducted concurrently with any aquifer test required in § 180-801 of this chapter. Such tests shall be conducted by a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) certified laboratory. The quality of the water tested shall meet the minimum public drinking water standards as set forth by PA DEP's current standards, or be capable of treatment to attain said standard of quality. If an on-site community system is proposed, the PA DEP required "new source" analyses will be required.
