Chapter 13.16 — WELL DRILLING REGULATIONS

For the purposes of this chapter "well" or "water well" means any artificial excavation constructed by any method for the purpose of extracting water from, or injecting water into, the underground. This definition shall not include:

A.

Oil and gas wells, or geothermal wells constructed under the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation, except those wells converted to use as water wells; or

B.

Wells used for the purpose of:

Dewatering excavation during construction, or

Stabilizing hillsides or earth embankments.

(Prior code § 23-1 (part))

A.

Any drilling for water upon private property within the corporate limits of the city shall be subject to the provisions of this section. Wells or water wells shall be utilized for irrigation purposes only; provided, however, any well or water well shall be constructed to domestic water well standards, set forth in this chapter.

B.

The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to community water supply wells, used to supply water for domestic purposes in the systems subject to Chapter 7 of Part 1 of Division 5 of the California Health and Safety Code.

(Prior code § 23-35)

Within the corporate limits of the city, a permit must be obtained from the building department of the city:

A.

Prior to drilling for water;

B.

Prior to drilling a well or water well;

C.

Prior to abandonment of wells or test holes;

D.

Prior to modification or enlargement of an existing well or water well.

The owner of the real property upon which the drilling is to be done, or his authorized agent, must obtain the permit from the building department.

(Prior code § 23-36)

Permit fees applicable under this section are those pertaining to electrical facilities and those for water piping systems. The electrical fee shall be established by the 1975 Edition of the Uniform Electric Code, adopted as the electric code of the City of Grass Valley by Section 7-1 of Chapter 7 of this code, as the same is now established or subsequently may be amended. In the event that gas motors, rather than electric motors, are utilized for the well, the fee for the gas motor will be charged at the same rate as an electric motor of the same horsepower, as established by the provisions of the Uniform Electric Code. The water piping system fee shall be established by the 1976 Edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code, adopted as the plumbing code of the City of Grass Valley by Section 18-1 of Chapter 18 of this code, as the same is now established or subsequently may be amended.

(Prior code § 23-37)

An application for a permit shall be made on forms furnished by the building department and shall contain such information as the department may require, including, but not limited to:

A.

A plot plan accurately showing the location of the well with respect to the following items, within a radius of one hundred fifty feet from the well:

Property lines and easements on the property;

Sewage disposal systems or works carrying or containing sewage;

All intermittent or perennial, natural or artificial bodies of water or water courses;

The approximate drainage pattern of the property;

Buildings;

Other wells;

Width of abutting roads.

B.

The location of the property.

C.

The name of the person or contractor who will construct the well.

D.

The irrigation uses to which the well water will be utilized.

E.

Other information as may be necessary to determine if underground waters will be adequately protected.

(Prior code § 23-38)

Wells or water wells shall only be drilled and constructed by a contractor licensed in accordance with the provisions of Section 7000 of the Business and Professions Code of the State of California.

(Prior code § 23-39)

With the exception of community water supply wells, which are defined as water wells used to supply water for domestic purposes in systems subject to Chapter 7 of Part 1 of Division 5 of the California Health and Safety Code, permits for the drilling of wells or water wells under this section shall be limited to wells or water wells which supply water for contiguous parcels of land shown under one ownership, as such parcels are designated on the county assessor's latest assessment roll.

(Prior code § 23-40)

A.

All wells shall be located no closer than the indicated horizontal distances to the following:

B.

In addition, if possible, the well shall be up the ground gradient (upstream) from any specified sources of contamination.

C.

Where a well is to be near a building, it shall be far enough from the building to be accessible for repair and maintenance.

(Prior code § 23-41)

All wells shall be constructed, disinfected, and water quality tested in accordance with the provisions of Sections 9 through 19, inclusive, and Appendices E, F and G, of Chapter 2 of Department of Resources Bulletin No. 74, Water Well Standards, State of California, February, 1968, or as the same may subsequently be amended. The well owner shall provide water quality sampling, and samples shall be collected for bacteriological analysis, as though the water is to be used for domestic purposes, pursuant to

the provisions of Section 15(b) of the above-mentioned bulletin. Laboratory analysis results of the samples shall be supplied to the building department of the city.

(Prior code § 23-42)

Procedures for abandonment of wells and test holes shall be in accordance with the provisions of Sections 20 through 23, inclusive, of Part 3 of Chapter 2 of the Department of Resources Bulletin No. 74, Water Well Standards, State of California, February, 1968, or as the same may subsequently be amended.

(Prior code § 23-43)

All pumps shall be constructed and installed so as to provide protection against contamination and pollution of the underground aquifers. Pumps and pump motors installed directly over the casing of any well shall be provided with a sanitary seal between the pump base and the casing. Installations with submersible pumps or pumps offset from the casing shall also have a sanitary well seal. No pipe or conduit shall enter the casing from the side except access or air vent pipes as required by the ordinance codified in this chapter except those fittings which are NSF approved.

(Prior code § 23-44)

A.

Sanitary Seal. The surface seal shall be adequate to protect the aquifer.

B.

Check Valve. All wells constructed after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter and all public domestic water wells constructed prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be provided with a single check valve on the pump discharge line to effectively prevent water from the discharge line flowing into the well.

C.

Access and Air Vent Pipe. All new individual domestic wells shall be provided with a pipe or other effective means by which disinfectants can be introduced to the well. The pipe, if provided, shall be extended to a height of twelve inches above the surrounding ground level and shall be kept sealed and shall be provided with a threaded cap.

D.

Chlorination Port. A chlorination port with screw plug shall be located in the plate or fixture, or a chlorination tube with a screw cap, shall be installed in the casing.

(Prior code § 23-45)

Double check valve backflow prevention devices are required on all wells or water wells, including all wells or water wells and springs in existence at the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, in accordance with the provisions of Section 1003 of the Uniform Plumbing Code of the State of California.

(Prior code § 23-46)

A.

Any contractor who has drilled, dug, bored or deepened a well shall, within thirty calendar days after completion of the work, furnish the building inspector with a complete log of the well. The log shall contain the following information:

A description of the strata encountered;

The depth of the well;

The depth of first water encountered and the depth of the water level after development of the well;

The depth of the casing or casings, including type and location of perforations;

Size of pump;

Method of sealing;

Method of disinfection.

B.

The well driller's report required under this section is for the purpose of supplying pertinent information to the public entity only. The report shall not be made public without the prior written authorization of the well owner.

(Prior code § 23-47)

Inspections may be made by the building inspector during the process of well construction. A final inspection shall be made when the well construction is complete and after submittal of the well driller's report and the water sample report. Periodic water testing may be done by the building inspector during the useful life of the well.

(Prior code § 23-48)

Water wells may not be used as a substitute for fire flow requirements or water main line extension requirements as the same may be required by this code.

(Prior code § 23-49)

Any well construction or abandonment made in violation of the terms of this chapter and standards established, as provided for herein, is determined to constitute a public nuisance and its maintenance and operation may be abated through appropriate legal action.

(Prior code § 23-50)