Delano Municipal Code Art. III Well Standards

A. It is unlawful for any person to drill, dig, excavate or bore any well in any location in which sources of pollution or contamination are known to exist at such location whereby ground water may become contaminated or polluted even when the well is properly constructed and maintained.

B. It is unlawful to locate a domestic well on a lot or premises when a connection with a public water supply system willing and able to serve such lot or premises, is available within three hundred feet or when a connection already exists. Agricultural wells may be located in agricultural zone districts only.

C. All wells shall be located an adequate horizontal distance from potential sources of contamination and pollution, with due consideration given to local geological conditions and soil permeability. In any event, as a minimum, the following setback distances shall apply:

* This distance can be reduced if the annular space of the well has been sealed to a minimum depth of six hundred feet and its design and construction have been approved by the city engineer.

D. The effect on surrounding properties must be considered when measuring setback distances. No approval by the city engineer should limit or hinder the free and equal use of property by adjacent property owners, except where they have given approval in writing to the applicant. Such written approval shall be in a form satisfactory to the city engineer and may be required to be recorded.

E. Where extraordinary danger of degradation exists or special hazards are involved, the above distances shall be increased, or special means of protection, particularly in the construction of the well, shall be provided as determined by the city engineer. All wells shall be located up gradient from the specified source of contamination.

F. All wells drilled within an A (agricultural) zone district shall be set back a distance of seventy feet from midsection lines and eighty feet from section lines, except that where circumstances justify, an administrative variance may be granted pursuant to Section 13.09.250.

G. The top of the well casing shall extend a minimum of one foot above the one-hundred-year base flood elevation as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Delano engineering department or by any special flood study approved by representatives of the city.

H. Where the proposed well is to be located near a building, such well shall be located far enough from the building so that it will be accessible for repair, maintenance, etc.

I. The proposed well may not be moved more than five feet from the originally approved site location without a reinspection of the new site being performed by the city engineer.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

Well casing shall be new with a minimum thickness of three-six-tenths inch. All other requirements for casing materials and installation shall be as outlined in Chapter II, Part II, Section 12 of Bulletin 74-81, "Water Well Standards - State of California;" provided, however, that the use of fiberglass casing is not approved. PVC well casing must display the letters NSF-wc (National Sanitation Foundation - well casing).

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

A well shall be constructed in accordance with the standards contained in Chapter II, Part II of Bulletin 74-81, "Water Well Standards - State of California," including the latest revisions thereof.

A. Drilling Fluids or Additives. The use of any used drilling fluids or additives for any purpose in the construction of a well is prohibited.

B. The use of any polluted or contaminated water in the actual drilling process or for flushing the well hole is prohibited.

C. It is unlawful to inject any pesticide or chemical into the discharge pipe of a well which is not equipped with an approved backflow protection device or method as described in Section 13.09.170.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

Cathodic protection wells shall be constructed and sealed in conformance with the cathodic well standards set forth in Bulletin 74-1, "Cathodic Protection Well Standards," including the latest revisions thereof, with the exception that the depth of the annular seal shall be as required in Section 13.09.130.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

Hazardous material monitoring wells shall be enforced by the Kern County Health Department and shall be constructed and sealed in conformance with the standards set forth in Kern County Health Department Publication UT-50.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

A. The area between the wall of the well bore and the well casing of the drilled hole (the annular space) shall be effectively sealed to protect it against contamination or pollution by entrance of surface and/or shallow, subsurface waters. The minimum depth of the upper annular seal shall be as specified in subsection B of this section.

B. The minimum depth of the upper annular seal shall be as follows:

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

The requirements for sealing a well shall be as specified in Part II, Chapter II, Section 9B of Bulletin 74-81.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

A. When any well is to be constructed or reconstructed in such a manner that it will penetrate two or more water bearing strata, one or more of which has been determined by the city engineer to contain ground water of a quality which will cause the degradation of ground water in the other strata if the waters are allowed to intermingle, the undesirable stratum shall be sealed off to prevent the flow of the poor quality water through the annular space from degrading water in the strata containing water of an acceptable quality.

B. Whenever an aquifer containing poor quality water is required to be sealed off as provided in subsection A of this section, a minimum of a twenty foot annual seal shall be placed in the confining formation separating the aquifers containing poor quality water from the aquifers containing acceptable quality water. An electrical geophysical log of the well shall be run to assist in the placement of the annular seal, and a copy made available to the city engineer. The strata producing the undesirable quality water shall be sealed off by pumping an impervious material opposite the strata no less than twenty feet, even when the confining formation is less than twenty feet in thickness. The sealing material shall fill the annular space in the interval to be sealed and the surrounding void spaces which absorb the sealing material. The sealing material shall be placed from the bottom to the top of the interval to be sealed.

C. Gravel chute shall extend through the annular seal at least two feet into the gravel pack.

D. Sealing materials shall consist of neat cement, cement grout or cement. In areas of subsidence or under special conditions, the use of other approved sealing materials may be allowed with prior approval of the city engineer.

E. In areas where deep subsidence may occur (as, for example, portions of the San Joaquin Valley), provision shall be made for maintaining the integrity of the annular seal in the event of subsidence. Such preventive measures may include the installation of sleeve or slip joint in the casing, which will allow vertical movement in the casing without its collapse.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

A. Developing, redeveloping, or conditioning of a well shall be done with care and by methods which will not cause damage to the well or cause adverse subsurface conditions that may destroy barriers to the vertical movement of water between aquifers. The following methods used in the developing, redeveloping, or conditioning of a well when done with care are acceptable:

1. Overpumping;

2. Surging by use of a plunger;

3. Surging with compressed air;

4. Backwashing or surging by alternately starting and stopping the pump;

5. Jetting with water;

6. Introduction of chemicals designed for this purpose;

7. Bailing;

8. A combination of the above.

B. The use of explosives for development shall be only by persons licensed for that purpose. Special care shall be exercised when such explosives are employed in development of a well which penetrates two or more distinct aquifers separated by a natural barrier.

C. The use of any chemicals for the purpose of development of a well, or any other purpose(s), shall be included on the well drillers log, or if performed by other than the driller on a separate report. Where chemicals or explosives have been used, the well shall be pumped to remove residue from such chemicals and/or explosives to restore the water quality of any affected aquifer to the water quality conditions which existed prior to the use of such chemicals and/or explosives.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

Wells drilled for the purpose of producing water for any beneficial use shall be equipped with the following features, installed as outlined in Chapter II, Part II, Section 10 of Bulletin 74-81:

A. Disinfection access/sounding tube;

B. Screened air vent (optional for flowing artesian wells);

C. A backflow protection device or method approved by the department;

D. Unthreaded sample spigot.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

A. It is the responsibility of the well contractor to construct the well in accordance with Article III of this chapter, except for surface construction features.

B. It is the responsibility of the owner of the well to supply all surface construction features (i.e., slab, watertight sanitary seal, backflow protection device, vent, sounding tube and sample tap) and all required water quality analyses.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

A. All wells hereafter constructed, deepened or reconstructed shall, prior to being placed into service, be provided with a watertight reinforced monolithic concrete slab a minimum thickness of six inches, set a minimum of four inches above ground level at the well site, and extending horizontally at least three feet from the edge of the well casing in all directions, and covering the unsealed portion of the well excavation, except that monitoring wells, as defined in subsection X of Section 13.09.020 shall have a minimum concrete slab two feet by two feet with a minimum thickness of six inches. The concrete slab shall be constructed so as to adequately drain water away from the well casing. Where deviation from this pattern of construction would serve a practical purpose without lessening well protection, the city engineer may approve such deviation. All wells shall be provided with a sanitary seal so as to prevent surface water from entering the well. Each slab (or well) shall be identified by the name of the owner on the well permit, or APN number, or other approved method.

B. In those cases where it is not possible to meet the horizontal setback distances from pollution sources described in Section 13.09.080 an alternative means of protection for the well may be to increase the depth of the upper annular seal. Where horizontal setback distances cannot be met or adverse or special hazards exist (such as perched water), the depth of the upper annular seal shall be increased as required by the city engineer.

C. In hard rock formations, the minimum depth of seal shall be twenty feet or one foot into hard rock if encountered first. Sampled hard rock cuttings shall be collected and held at the site for inspection by the city engineer.

D. Annular seals of one hundred feet or less in dry formations may be poured. All other seals shall be positively placed from the bottom upward using a pump or by air pressure.

E. All seals shall set forty-eight hours after placement if an accelerator is not used. A twenty-four hour set time may be allowed if the sealing material contains an accelerator.

F. During the pumping of sealing material for the annular seal, all standing water must be allowed to drain off and not incorporate into the annular seal nor into the slab.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

Every new, deepened, repaired or reconstructed individual domestic or community water supply well, after completion of construction, deepening, repair or reconstruction, and before being placed in service, shall be disinfected by a method approved by the city engineer to produce water meeting bacteriological standards as set forth in applicable state laws and regulations.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

The gravel used in gravel-packed wells and lubricant mud shall meet the sanitary requirements of Bulletin 74-81, Part II, Section 11.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

A. Water from all wells which provide water for any beneficial use shall be tested radiologically, bacteriologically and chemically by a state certified laboratory. The results of all such laboratory water testing shall be submitted to the city engineer within ninety days of drilling or reconstructing the well.

B. Water from all wells that will be used in food processing or public domestic water systems shall comply with the domestic water quality standards contained in California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Domestic Water Quality Monitoring Regulations, Sections 64401 et seq. or the latest revision thereof, or adequate treatment facilities to remove the constituent(s) that is in noncompliance shall be installed.

C. Water from reconstructed wells shall be tested bacteriologically and meet the same standard as new wells. When deemed necessary by the city engineer, they shall meet the same chemical standards as new wells.

D. Chemical, radiological, and bacteriological tests shall be the responsibility of the owner.

E. Water from agricultural wells shall have, as a minimum, a standard agricultural analysis by a state certified laboratory.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

No water from a new or reconstructed domestic well shall be used for domestic purposes until the well is given final approval by the city engineer.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

Before any nondomestic well can be converted to domestic use, it must first have city engineer inspection and be brought into compliance with this chapter.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

All abandoned wells shall be destroyed in such a way that they will not produce water or act as a channel for the interchange of water, when such interchange will result in significant deterioration of the quality of water in any water-bearing formations penetrated, or will present a hazard to the safety and well-being of people or animals. Destruction of a well shall consist of the complete filling of the well in accordance with the procedures prescribed in Section 23 of Chapter II of the California State Department of Water Resources Bulletin No. 74-81; provided, however, that the top fifty feet shall be sealed with concrete or other approved sealing material. All abandoned wells shall be destroyed within ninety days of abandonment.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

Any newly constructed well that has not been completed and given final approval of water quality and surface construction features within ninety days of the cessation of drilling shall be declared out of service or properly destroyed. Any existing well that has not been used for a period of one year shall be properly destroyed unless the owner has filed a notice of intent with the city engineer declaring the well out of service, and declaring his intention to use the well again. As evidence of his intentions for future use, the owner shall properly maintain the well in such a way that:

A. The well has no defects which will impair the quality of water in the well or in the water-bearing formations penetrated;

B. If the pump has been removed, the well shall be covered with a watertight seal to prevent injury to persons and the entrance of undesirable water, rodents or foreign matter;

C. The well is marked so that it can be clearly seen;

D. The area surrounding the well is kept clear of brush or debris;

E. Redeclaration of intent shall be made upon request of the city engineer.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).

The city engineer may grant an administrative variance to the provisions of this chapter where a determination has been made upon the basis of evidence submitted by the owner or his representative demonstrating that a modification of the well standards as provided herein will not endanger the health or safety of the consumer of the water or the public generally, or contribute to ground water degradation, and strict compliance would be unreasonable in view of all the circumstances.

(Ord. 901 (part), 1990).