Yolo County Municipal Code Art. 4 Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined in this article. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

A well is considered “abandoned” when it has not been used for a period of one year, unless the owner can demonstrate his intention to use the well again for supplying water or another associated purpose (such as an observation well or injection well). The well shall then be considered “inactive”. As evidence of his intentions for continued use, the owner shall properly maintain the well in such a way that:

(a) The well has no defects which will allow the impairment of quality of water in the well or in the water-bearing formations penetrated;

(b) The well is covered such that the cover is watertight and cannot be removed, except with the aid of equipment or the use of a tool;

(c) The well is marked so that it can be clearly seen; and

(d) The area surrounding the area is kept clear of brush or debris. If the pump has been removed for repair or replacement, the well shall not be considered “abandoned”. During the repair period, the well shall be adequately covered to prevent injuries to people and to prevent the entrance of undesirable water or foreign matter.

Observation or test wells used in the investigation or management of groundwater basins by governmental agencies or engineering or research organizations are not considered "abandoned" so long as they are maintained for such purpose. Such wells, however, shall be covered with an appropriate cap, bearing the label "Observation Well", and the name of the agency or organization, and shall be locked when measurements are not being made. When such wells are no longer used for such purpose or for supplying water, they shall be considered "abandoned". (§ 1, Ord. 1015, eff. August 15, 1985; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Board" shall mean the Yolo County Water Quality Control Board. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

(a) Connection and service connection. "Connection" or "service connection" shall mean the pipeline, device, or facility used for water supplies from or to the public main, lateral, or facility into or from a facility, building, structure, or place of human habitation, occupancy, or use.

(b) Equivalent number of service connections. For the purposes of this chapter, the equivalent number of service connections shall be computed by reference to the design capacity of the facility and converting this value to the number of equivalent dwelling units. For any school or recreational, industrial, or commercial facility, the equivalent number of service connections shall be computed by determining the design capacity equivalent population of the facility and dividing such number by three (3). (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Contamination" shall mean an impairment of the quality of the waters of the County to a degree which creates a hazard to the public health. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Domestic water supply" shall mean a source of water for drinking, consumption, or domestic use by human beings. (§ 1 Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Effluent" shall mean any liquid or semiliquid flowing out of any water or wastewater treatment plant or facility. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Hazardous substance operation" shall mean the manufacture, formulation, mixing, or transfer from one container to another of any substance or product set forth in the most current Director's List of Hazardous Substances developed by the Director of Industrial Relations of the State for which the manufacturer or producer is required to prepare a Material Safety Data Sheet of the substance or product pursuant to the Hazardous Substances Information and Training Act (Chapter 2.5 of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Labor Code of the State, commencing with Section 6360); provided, however, quantities of less than 500 pounds, fifty-five (55) gallons, or 200 cubic feet in the gaseous state during any thirty (30) day period shall not be included unless the Health Officer has provided notice that he has lowered the weight or volume limits of this exemption for a specific hazardous substance or product in response to public health concerns. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976, as amended by §§ 2 and 3, Ord. 1015, eff. August 15, 1985; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Inactive well" shall mean a well which satisfies the conditions set forth in Section 6-8.401.5 of this article. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976, as amended by §§ 4 and 5, Ord. 1015, eff. August 15, 1985; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Liquid waste" or "wastewater" shall mean any and all waste materials which exist and are transportable in a liquid or slurry form, either treated or untreated. "Liquid waste" or "wastewater" shall not include or mean storm water, ground water, roof or yard drainage, or irrigation tailwater. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Person" shall mean any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, joint venture, corporation, business trust, company, and any officer or agent thereof, and any governmental agency, public body, special district, district, the State, and any city, county, or governmental body, including the United States of America. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Pollution" shall mean an impairment or alteration of the quality, including the potability and palatability, of waters of the County to a degree which unreasonably affects the beneficial uses of such waters. "Pollution" may include contamination. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

“Public nuisance” shall mean anything which:

(a) Is injurious to health or is indecent or offensive to the senses or any obstruction to the free use of property so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property; and

(b) Affects at the same time an entire community or neighborhood or any considerable number of persons, although the extent of the annoyance or damage inflicted upon individuals may be unequal.

“Public nuisance” shall include, but not be limited to, the following;

(c) Any attractive nuisance which may prove detrimental to children, whether in a building, on the premises of a building, or upon an unoccupied lot. This includes any abandoned wells or shafts; and

(d) Whatever is dangerous to human life or is detrimental to health, as determined by the Health Officer. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Recondition" and/or "reconstruct" shall mean the reworking of any well to repair or modify in any way its physical construction. "Recondition" and/or "reconstruct" shall not include changes in pumps or other production equipment. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Subdivision" shall mean a subdivision as defined by the Subdivision Map Act of the State. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Test hole" shall mean an excavation constructed for the determination of subsurface geologic or hydrologic information by seismic investigation, by direct physical measurement, or by electric, nuclear, or other test means. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

"Water quality" shall mean the chemical, physical, biological, bacteriological, radiological, and other properties and characteristics of the water which affect its use. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)

“Well” shall mean any artificial excavation constructed by any method for the purpose of extracting liquid from, or injecting liquid into, the underground. “Well” shall include the following:

(a) Water supply well. "Water supply well" shall mean a well constructed for the extraction of ground water and shall include:

(1) Individual domestic wells which supply an individual residence or duplex that produce less than two acre-feet per year for use on the same parcel as the domestic well and are intended for such domestic, non-commercial uses associated with a residential dwelling and related yard, garden and barnyard uses, and small personal crops within the same parcel as the residential dwelling; and

(2) Public wells which serve three (3) or more residences or a school, employee housing facility, or commercial establishment and public supply system wells as defined in Health & Safety Code section 116275;

(3) Community domestic wells which supply domestic water supply systems;

(4) Industrial wells which supply industry on an individual basis; and

(5) Irrigation wells which supply water for agricultural and landscape uses.

(b) Observation well. “Observation well” shall mean a well constructed to monitor or sample ground water conditions, such as water quality and water level.

(c) Recharge or injection well. “Recharge or injection well” shall mean a well constructed for the introduction of water into an aquifer to replenish the ground water or otherwise contribute to ground water quantity or quality.

(d) Electrolytic protection well. "Electrolytic protection well" shall mean a well constructed at least twenty-five (25') feet deep for the purposes of installing facilities to electrically protect metal in contact with the ground. (§ 1, Ord. 765, eff. October 7, 1976; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016; as amended by § 2, Ord. 1579, eff. December 4, 2025)

"Public water supply system" shall mean the utility serving five (5) or more connections through an integrated piping system; five (5) or more residences or dwelling units; a school; employee housing facility; a commercial or industrial establishment; or any system serving more than five (5) equivalent service connections. (§ 4, Ord. 811, eff. July 27, 1978, as amended by § 1, Ord. 1099, eff. October 19, 1989; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1470, eff. July 14, 2016)