(A) Private water wells shall be located in accordance with the distances shown in the table below (minimum horizontal separation distances from private water wells):
Location
|
Distance
|
Location
|
Distance
|
Concrete agricultural waste pits | 50 ft. |
Dwelling, or other structure | 5 ft. |
Earthen agricultural waste pits | 200 ft. |
Lake, pond, river, stream, or open public ditches | 25 ft. |
Landfills (presently or previously licensed or permitted by the state) | 600 ft. |
Permanently fixed above-ground storage tanks for fuel or chemicals 300 gallons or more | 25 ft. |
Sanitary sewage lagoons | 300 ft. |
Septic tanks | 50 ft. |
Sewage absorption systems in soils where aquifers are in danger of contamination | 100 ft. |
Sewage absorption systems in soils where aquifers are not in danger of contamination | 50 ft. |
Side, rear, or front lot lines | 5 ft. |
Underground storage tanks for fuel or chemicals | 50 ft. |
(B) Private water well casings shall be a minimum of two inches in diameter.
(C) Private water wells shall not be placed in below grade well pits.
(D) The cap of the private water well shall be visible and securely attached. Minimum well depth shall be not less than is necessary to enter a satisfactory aquifer, in the discretion of the Health Officer. Single suction lines must be 50 feet from septic tanks and sewage absorption systems.
(E) No annular space may exist. Materials and designs for sealing must conform to the standards of the State Department of Natural Resources.
(F) Pitless adaptors shall be required on each new private water well as in accordance with the requirement of the State Department of Natural Resources.
(G) All new water wells shall be properly disinfected at the time of installation.
(H) The owner of any building or private residence where a private water well is to be installed, or the replacement of an existing private water well is planned, shall obtain a temporary permit signed by the County Health Officer before any construction begins. The owner shall apply for a permit on a form provided by the county. The applicant shall supplement the application with plans, specifications, and other information deemed necessary by the Health Officer. The applicant shall pay a permit and inspection fee as set by the County Board of Commissioners from time to time, and as established under I.C. 16-46, to the County Health Department at the time the application is filed. The fee shall be accounted for and paid into the County Health Fund. The installation or repair of well lines, screens, pump, pressure tanks, and the like are exempted unless a new well is also installed.
(I) The Health Officer shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction. The applicant for the permit shall notify the Health Officer when the work is ready for final inspection. The Health Officer shall make the inspection within two working days of the receipt of notice from the applicant. Upon approval, a final permit for a private water well shall become effective after an the inspection is completed to the satisfaction of the Health Officer. This permit is to be retained by the owner.
(J) A copy of any well log, as required by the State Department of Natural Resources for licensed well drillers, shall be submitted to the County Board of Health within 45 days from the date that the private water well was installed.
(K) The Health Officer shall, upon the request of the applicant, sample and test the new private water well for total coliform, nitrate/nitrogen, and any other substances as deemed necessary by the Health Officer. The applicant may employ private water laboratory personnel to conduct the required test under the direction of the County Health Department. The Health Officer may, in any event, conduct tests deemed necessary by the Health Officer. All final sample results must be within acceptable primary standards, as established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for Public Drinking Water Sources. If necessary, additional water testing shall be the responsibility of the individual property owner.
(L) All water tests shall be run according to the most recent standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, as established by the State Department of Health. These test results will be provided, in writing, to the County Health Department within 45 days from the date of well completion. The failure of a private water well to meet any of these primary water quality standards will constitute grounds for rejection of the private water well by the Health Officer.
(M) The applicant will post the permit in a conspicuous place at, or near, the building where the private water well is under construction. The notice shall be plainly visible from the public thoroughfare nearest this building.
(N) Where the installation of a private water well is required for a dwelling constructed before the enactment of this subchapter, the owner, or agent of the owner, must first obtain a written permit signed by the Health Officer. The provisions of this subchapter relating to private water well design, installation, and location shall not apply to existing dwellings. Such installations shall be made in accordance with the best judgment of the Health Officer.
(O) Subdivisions designed to utilize private water wells, the plans for which were duly recorded in the Office of the County Recorder prior to the date of this subchapter, are exempt from the provisions of this subchapter regarding location, and may be located in accordance with the best judgment of the Health Officer.
(P) The private well permit is valid for a term of one year from the date of issue, unless otherwise voided by the Health Officer.
(Q) In cases of extreme emergency, and when the County Board of Health is not open for public business, a private water well may be installed without first obtaining a local permit; provided, that the property owner, or his or her agent, obtains a local private well permit within the next two business days.
(R) The private water well must meet all other requirements of this subchapter.
(Ord. passed 2-7-1994)