Except where the context otherwise requires, the definitions set forth in the following sections shall apply throughout this chapter.
"Agricultural well" means a well used exclusively to supply water for irrigation, livestock operation or other agricultural purposes.
"Air conditioning well" means a disposal well used exclusively to return to the ground, in a closed system, well water which has been used as a coolant in air conditioning processes.
"Annular seal" means the impervious material placed in the annular space to prevent the flow of water across or along the annular space.
"Annular space" means the area between the bore and the well casing. If a conductor casing is used, annular space includes the area between the bore and the conductor casing and between the conductor casing and the well casing.
"Cathodic protection well" means any artificial excavation in excess of fifty (50) feet deep constructed by any means for the purpose of installing equipment or facilities for the protection electrically of metallic equipment in contact with the ground.
"Construction" means the fashioning of the shaft of a well and includes, but is not limited to, excavation, installation of casing, placing gravel, perforation of casing in place, installation of annular seals and sealing off strata.
"Contamination" means an impairment of the quality of the waters to a degree which creates a hazard to the public health through poisoning or the spread of disease.
"Destruction of well" means:
1. The complete filling of the well shaft in such a manner as to protect persons and animals from the danger of physical harm and prevent surface waters, waste, debris, and contaminants from entering the well; and
2. The sealing of the well shaft and annular space in such a manner as to prevent pollution of any water bearing stratum by the introduction through the well shaft of water, or any other substance, the presence of which would result in a significant deterioration in the quality of water in the stratum.
"Disposal well" means a well into which liquid or solid substances are deposited.
"Domestic water" means water which is so used that, if contaminated, it would act as a vehicle for the exposure of humans to dangerous substances or disease causing organisms, including, but not limited to, water used for drinking, food preparation, dish washing, bathing and swimming.
"Hardrock well" means a well in which the water bearing strata occur in crystalline rock. Crystalline rock as used in this definition refers to rocks of both igneous and etamorphic origin including, but not limited to, granite, diorite, gabbro, schist and gneiss. Limestone and dolomite which commonly develop solution openings are also included.
"Health officer" means the building official of the city or his duly authorized representative.
"Individual domestic water well" means a well, the water from which is used to supply the domestic needs of no more than one individual residence or one duplex. However, if the property on which the well is constructed is two and one-half acres or more in area, an individual domestic well means a well the water from which is used to supply the domestic needs of not more than four individual residences or duplexes occupied by the owner or lessee of the land, his relatives or employees hired to perform services on the parcel.
"Industrial well" means a well used exclusively to supply water for industrial purposes. If any water from such a well is used for domestic purposes, the well shall be deemed to be a public domestic well.
"Injection well" means a well used to introduce water into the underground as a means of replenishing ground water basins.
"Monitoring wells" means an artificial excavation construction for the purpose of gathering information regarding the subterranean aquifer conditions for an extended period of time.
"Permittee" means the person who makes a permit application or a person on whose behalf such an application is made.
"Point driven wells" means a well constructed by driving into the ground a pipe fitted with a well point.
"Pollution" means an alteration of the quality of water by waste to a degree which unreasonably and adversely affects such water for beneficial uses, or facilities which serve such beneficial uses. The term pollution includes contamination.
"Public domestic water well" means any well the water from which is used to supply domestic water which is not an individual domestic water well as defined in this section.
"Reconstruction" means alteration, repair, restoration of a well shaft.
"River well" means a dug well located in or near a watercourse which draws water from that watercourse.
"Test hole" means an artificial excavation constructed for the purpose of gathering information regarding subterranean conditions preparatory to commencement of a well construction project.
"Water quality" means the chemical, physical, biological, bacteriological, radiological and other properties and characteristics of water affecting its use.
"Well" means any artificial excavation constructed by any method for the purpose of extracting water from, or injecting water or any other substance into, the underground or for the purpose of cathodic protection, except that this definition shall not include:
1. Oil and gas wells, or geothermal wells constructed under the jurisdiction of the department of conservation of the state of California, except those wells converted to use as water wells;
2. Wells used for the purpose of dewatering excavations during construction or stabilizing hillsides or earth embankments.
"Well contractor" means any person licensed pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code of the state of California to engage in well drilling.
"Well development" means the use of one or more of a variety of techniques, including, but not limited to, overpumping, surging, introduction of chemicals and explosions, which are intended to, and usually have the effect of, increasing the flow of water from underground sources into the well shaft through perforations or through the bottom of the shaft by acting upon fine particles impeding the flow of such water.
"Well redevelopment" means the development of a previously existing well. (Prior code §§ 7765-- 7765.28)