Napa County Municipal Code Art. II Permits and Inspection

No construction, destruction or reconstruction of any well shall be commenced on any property until a permit to do such work has first been obtained from the director, except in the event of an emergency as set forth in Section 13.12.310.

(Ord. 1159 § 1 (part), 1999)

There shall be five types of water well permits, namely Class IA, Class IB, Class II, well reconstruction and well destruction.

A. Class IA permits shall be obtained for the installation of a water well where such well location conforms with the minimum distances set forth in Section 13.12.340, and where the director deems no conditions exist which may result in a pollution or contamination of the ground water.

B. Class IB permits shall be obtained for the installation of a new or replacement water well when such well is or will be the sole source of water supply and the well location is closer than the minimum distances set forth in Section 13.12.340, or where the director deems conditions exist which may result in contamination or pollution of the ground water unless special construction features are included in the well construction. A Class IB well permit shall not be issued unless there exists on a parcel an existing constraint which prohibits the construction of a Class IA well. At a minimum, special construction features shall include the following:

1. An annular seal having a minimum thickness of three inches.

2. An annular seal having a minimum depth of fifty feet or into the first impervious layer, whichever is greater.

3. The sealing material to be placed in the annular space by means of a tremie pipe, so as to fill the annular space from the bottom.

4. The well log must be made available to the director prior to sealing the annular space.

5. Different and/or additional standards from subsections (1) through (4) above may be imposed by the director if the proposed well is to be located in close proximity to a potential source of contamination. Such standards will be conditioned on the construction permit.

In no case shall a Class IB well permit be issued when the distance to any part of a sewage disposal system is less than fifty feet.

C. Class II permits may be issued for replacement wells serving existing residential structures if it is determined by the director that special circumstances exist whereby the criteria for a Class IB permit cannot be met due to existing constraints on the property. Special construction requirements as determined by the director will be imposed.

D. Reconstruction permits shall be obtained for any well reconstruction work.

E. Destruction permits shall be obtained for any well destruction work.

(Ord. 1159 § 1 (part), 1999)

(Ord. No. 1374, § 20, 9-11-2012; Ord. No. 1399, § 12, 3-24-2015)

A. Any person legally entitled, as defined in Section 13.12.300, to apply for and receive a permit shall make such application on forms provided for that purpose. Such person shall give a description of the character of the work proposed to be done, and the location and ownership of the job site. The director may require plans, specifications or drawings and such other information as deemed necessary, including but not limited to, all improvements on the parcel, and the location of sewage disposal systems and sewer lines on all adjoining parcels.

If a proposed well is to be located in a floodway, floodplain, or riparian zone as defined in the Napa County Code (Sections 16.04.250, 16.04.290, and 16.04.410), no permit to construct a well shall be issued until a permit has been obtained from Napa County public works department. The well and related equipment including the pressure tank, electrical box, air vent and other devices shall be constructed in such a manner as to prevent the entrance of flood waters into the well or related equipment.

B. If the director determines that the plans, specifications, drawings, descriptions or information furnished by the applicant are in compliance with this chapter and other applicable requirements, said director shall issue the permit applied for upon payment of the required fee, as hereinafter fixed.

C. All well permits shall be valid for a period of two years from the date of issue. The director, upon notification to the property owner, may enforce the same expiration deadlines as noted above on well permits issued prior to the effective date of this ordinance.

(Ord. 1159 § 1 (part), 1999)

Applications for a permit for well installation, reconstruction or destruction shall be accompanied by that fee established by resolution of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. 1159 § 1 (part), 1999)

No permit shall be issued to construct, reconstruct or destroy a well except to a licensed well-drilling contractor (or an authorized agent), as defined in Section 13.12.250 of this division.

(Ord. 1159 § 1 (part), 1999)

Any person who commences any work for which a permit is required by this division without first having obtained a permit therefor shall, if subsequently allowed to obtain a permit, pay double the permit fee for such work; provided, however, that this provision shall not apply to emergency work when proved to the satisfaction of the director that such work was urgent and necessary and that it was not practical to obtain a permit before commencement of the work. In all cases where such work was determined by the director to be an emergency, a permit must be obtained as soon as it is possible to do so, and if there is an unreasonable delay, as determined by the director, in obtaining such permit, a double fee as herein provided shall be charged.

(Ord. 1159 § 1 (part), 1999)

All wells for which a permit has been obtained may be inspected by the director to insure compliance with all the requirements of this division.

(Ord. 1159 § 1 (part), 1999)

The applicant is required to see that safe and appropriate measures are taken in the handling and disposal of drilling fluids, soil cuttings, and other materials used or generated in connection with the permitted work. All drilling wastes must be controlled so as not to create conditions which violate applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations. Discharge of drilling wastes into the sanitary sewer or storm drain is prohibited unless authorized by the director. This provision does not modify the measures for proper handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste set forth in the California Health and Safety Code, Division 20, Chapter 6.5 and by the California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division 4.5. In addition, mud pits created to confine drilling fluids shall be maintained during the well drilling operation so as not to be a nuisance. It shall be the applicant's responsibility to see that the mud pit is properly evacuated, or backfilled, or both, upon completion of the job.

(Ord. 1159 § 1 (part), 1999)