Whereas the city is dependent upon a number of shallow wells for its municipal water supply, and whereas the water supply for the city is extremely limited, particularly in years of drought, and whereas any other privately owned wells within the city would acquire water from the same water source, and any private withdrawal from any such private well would withdraw water needed for the municipal water system, and further, that it is necessary to protect the municipal water supply and distribution system from contamination resulting from cross-connections with privately owned wells, and all with the purpose of insuring equitable distribution of clean water and its related costs to include water for fire protection to the residences and businesses of the city:
A. No new privately owned wells will be permitted within the city, except as follows:
1. Wells used exclusively for heat transfer systems (heat pumps);
2. Wells for domestic water supply or purposes when municipal water service is not reasonably available.
B. No property or facility will be permitted to be served simultaneously by a privately owned well and the municipal water supply for domestic service. Privately owned wells are permitted for outside irrigation systems and heat transfer systems provided they are physically separated from the domestic service with no pipes, valves or fittings connecting the two systems together. All properties and facilities that are served domestic water from a privately owned well following the passage of the ordinance codified in this chapter will be permitted to continue in service, but all physical connection to the municipal water system must be severed.
C. All properties and facilities currently receiving domestic, irrigation or heat pump water from privately owned wells, and all future wells, whether for outside irrigation or heat transfer systems, shall have no pipe, valve or fitting connecting any of these systems with the municipal water system. Privately owned wells and the municipal water system must have no physical connection.
D. When an existing privately owned well is discontinued from service by the owner for a period of ninety (90) days, the well will be permanently discontinued and will not be permitted to operate again. Discontinuance does not mean merely turning off a valve or faucet. It is intended to mean that the owner of the well had demonstrated or otherwise indicated no further use of the well and does not intend to resume its use. (Ord. 603 (part), 2004)