In addition to the inspections set forth below, the Department may inspect the drilling or excavation site at such other times as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the Article. The Department is authorized to obtain water samples, as needed.
(a) Annual Inspection. The Department shall annually inspect each permitted well to ensure that such well is being operated or maintained in compliance with the requirements of this Article and the terms of the permit.
(b) Initial Inspection. Upon the receipt of an application for a permit, the Department may inspect the drilling or excavation site before the issuance of the permit. If the Department determines that the site conditions require additional protective measures than those proposed in the permit application, the Department may require the relocation of the drilling or excavation site, or impose additional conditions in the permit that is needed to protect groundwater quality and the public health.
(c) Well Seal Inspection. The Department may inspect the annular space grout depth prior to sealing. Permittee shall notify the Department the commencement of any construction activities at least ten (10) days prior to the commencement of drilling and provide the anticipated time to commence the sealing of the annular space. Permittee shall notify the Department at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the sealing the annular space. No seal of the annular space shall be tremied unless authorized by the Department. All wells shall be sealed in accordance with the standards set forth in this Article and any applicable permit provisions.
(d) Final Inspection. The applicant shall notify the Department within seven (7) days of the completion of its work at each drilling site. The Department may make a final inspection after the completion of the work to determine whether the well was completed in accordance to the requirements of this Article.
(e) Well Destruction Inspection. The applicant shall notify the Department the commencement of any well destruction activities at least ten (10) days before the commencement of such activities.
(f) Waiver of Inspection. The Department may waive the inspection set forth in this Section if any of the following conditions exists:
(1) The work will be inspected by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board or the California Department of Health Services or the California Department of Toxic Substances Control and these designated agencies will provide a report to the Department regarding all drilling features.
(2) Drilling site is well known to the Department and it is known that no significant threat to groundwater quality exists in the area.
(g) Failure to Notify.
(1) Upon an applicant's failure to notify the Department of the filling of the annular space, the well owner/operator may not operate the well until he/she submits results from approved geophysical testing, including Sonic Log and Gamma Ray Log, demonstrating that the annular space has been properly installed.
(2) Upon an applicant's failure to notify the Department of the destruction of a well, the Department may require the well owner/operator to submit a report from the contractor who destroyed the well describing the work performed during the destruction of the well.
(Added by Ord. 113-05, File No. 050547, App. 6/10/2005)