|
Whereas, MGL C. 40, § 54, provides that no building permit
shall be issued for the construction of a building which would necessitate
the use of water therein, unless a supply of water is available there either
from a water system operated by a city, town or district or from a well located
on the land where the building is to be constructed or from a water corporation
or company, as defined in MGL C. 40, § 54.
|
|
Whereas, the Town of Georgetown Board of Health, in view of the fact
that public water supply is not available in some sections of town, are of
the opinion that, in the interest of and for the protection of public health,
the following rules and regulations should be adopted.
|
|
Therefore, the following water well regulations are hereby adopted,
to take effect upon publication in the Georgetown Record and posting in the
Georgetown Town Office.
|
The authority for enactment of these regulations is MGL C. 111, § 31.
These regulations supersede all previous regulations adopted pursuant to water
wells by the Georgetown Board of Health.
As used in this Article, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
A well that has not been used for water supply for a period of one
year or more, unless the owner declares his intention to use the well again
for supplying water within one year of the time use ceased.
Any person designated by the Georgetown Board of Health.
A water-bearing geologic formation (consolidated or unconsolidated)
that transmits water in sufficient quantities to supply a well.
An impervious durable pipe placed in a hole to prevent the walls
from caving and to seal off surface drainage or undesirable water, gas or
other fluids and prevent their entering the well. Specific types include:
TEMPORARY CASINGA temporary casing placed in soft, sandy or caving surface formation to prevent the hole from caving during drilling.
PROTECTIVE CASINGThe principal well casing.
The measured distance between the static water level and the pumping
level.
Water that is safe for human consumption.
The Georgetown Board of Health or its designee who shall administer
regulations pertaining to water well construction.
The distance measured from established ground surface to the water
surface in a well not pumped, influenced by pumping nearby or flowing under
artesian pressure.
Any hole or shaft constructed into the ground for the purpose of
extracting or injecting water. This definition shall not include wells to
dewater excavations or stabilize hillsides or earth embankments. It shall
include wells connected to heat pumps. Further "well" definitions include:
HEAT PUMP WELLSConsists of a source well and a discharge well which could be one and the same, provided that it is a closed loop system where nothing is added to or taken from the water except heat and no air is in contact with the return water. A heat pump delivers water by way of the source well from an aquifer through a heat exchanger and returns it to the aquifer via the discharge well. The system utilizes the thermal energy stored in groundwater for space heating or cooling.
DOMESTIC WELLA well used for domestic water supply with one service and/or serving less than 25 people.
Any person, association, partnership, company, corporation or trust that constructs a water well, licensed by Water Resource Commission (§ 480-5).
[1]
Editor's Note: See MGL C. 40, § 54.
These standards shall apply to all types of wells described in § 480-3. Before a change in existing well use is made, the new use shall comply with requirements specified herein.
No person shall engage in the business of constructing wells within
the Town of Georgetown unless he is registered with the Water Resources Commission,
Division of Water Resources, as required by Water Well Drillers Registration
Act (MGL C. 21, § 16).
Within 30 days after completion of any water well (productive or nonproductive),
there shall be a report submitted to the Georgetown Board of Health containing
the name of the owner of the well, the geographic location of the well (this
can be plotted on the lot plan using two-foot contour lines as required by
the septic system designer), well depth, depth to bedrock or refusal, casing
type, casing size and casing length, well screen type and screen length and
well screen depth set, static water level, method used to test well yield,
length of time (in hours) well was pumped, drawdown, well yield and drilling
logs describing the material penetrated. Report forms may be issued by the
Board of Health upon request.
A.
Special standards. In locations where geologic or hydrologic
conditions require more restrictive or additional standards than those described
herein, such special standards may be required by the Board of Health and/or
the Department of Environmental Quality Review Engineers.
B.
Injection wells. The construction of injection wells
for liquid waste disposal is prohibited.
C.
Well construction permits.
(1)
A well permit shall be obtained from the Board of Health
prior to the construction of any water well or well system. This includes
major rework or repair of existing water wells. No works construction permit
shall be issued for the construction of a subsurface sewage disposal system
to serve a building which necessitates the use of potable water therewith
from a well located on the land where the building is or is to be constructed
until a well has been established and the Board of Health has determined that
a safe and adequate supply of water is available therefrom.
(2)
An application for a water well permit must be submitted
to the Board of Health by the property owner or his agent or well contractor
on forms furnished by the Board. It is the responsibility of the well installer
to see that a permit has been obtained prior to well construction.
(3)
The location, design and operation of the well must be
approved by the Board of Health or its agent prior to construction.
