(A) Every well whose use or construction has been discontinued, either temporarily or permanently, shall be abandoned in accordance with these regulations.
(B) When any well is temporarily removed from service or before any well is put into service, it shall be sealed with a watertight cap or seal.
(C) The well shall be maintained whereby it is not a source or channel of contamination during temporary abandonment.
(D) Every temporarily abandoned well shall be protected with a casing.
(E) Any well that is a source or channel of contamination shall be repaired or permanently abandoned within 30 days of receipt of an order from the Health Department.
(F) The drilling contractor shall permanently abandon any well in which the casing has not been installed or from which the casing has been removed, before removing his or her equipment from the site.
(G) Any well not in compliance with the conditions for temporary abandonment shall be brought into compliance or permanently abandoned within 30 days or receipt of notice from the Health Department.
(H) The well owner shall be responsible for permanent abandonment of a well except:
(1) As otherwise specified in these regulations; or
(2) If well abandoned is required because the driller improperly locates, constructs, or completes the well, in which case the driller is responsible for abandoning the well.
(I) Permanent abandonment procedures include the following.
(1) All casing and screen materials may be removed prior to initiation of abandonment procedures if such removal will not cause or contribute to contamination of ground waters.
(2) In the case of gravel-packed wells in which the casing and screens have not been removed, the casing shall be perforated opposite the gravel pack at intervals not exceeding ten feet and grout injected through the perforations under pressures, or neat cement shall be injected into the gravel by washing a line to the bottom of the gravel and pumping the cement in from the bottom up into the gravel until a return is obtained at the top through the gravel.
(3) The well shall be checked from land surface to the entire depth of the well before it is sealed to ensure freedom from obstructions that may interfere with sealing operations.
(4) The well shall be thoroughly chlorinated before sealing.
(5) “Bored” wells shall be completely filled with cement grout, dry clay, or material excavated during drilling of the well and shall be compacted in place.
(6) Wells constructed in unconsolidated formation other than”bored” wells shall be completely filled with cement grout by introducing it through a pipe extending to the bottom of the well which can be raised as the well is filled.
(7) Wells constructed in consolidated rock formations or that penetrate zones of consolidated rock may be filled with cement, sand, gravel, or drill cuttings opposite the zones of consolidated rock, the top of the sand, gravel, or cuttings fill shall be at least five feet below the top of the consolidated rock, the remainder of the well shall be filled with cement grout only.
(8) Test wells less than 20 feet in depth that do not penetrate the water table shall be abandoned in such a manner as to prevent the well from being a channel allowing the vertical movement of water or a source of contamination to the ground-water supply. Test wells or borings that penetrate the water table shall be abandoned by completely filling with cement grout.
(Ord. passed 7-23-1984)