Sec. 25B-3. - Permits.

(a)

Permit Required. No construction or reconstruction of a well shall be commenced on any property nor shall any well be destroyed until a permit to do such work shall have been first obtained from the administrative authority, except in the event of an emergency, affecting health, life or crops, or livestock, a licensed contractor may start work immediately and shall notify the administrative authority by telephone of the work being done and make written application for a permit on the next regular business day thereafter.

(b)

Issuance of Permits. No permit shall be issued to construct or reconstruct or destroy a well except to a contractor, licensed as a well driller in accordance with the provisions of the California Contractors Law (Chapter 9, Division 3, of the Business and Professions Code); however, a permit may be issued to the owner of record of any property, in the event that said owner shall agree to personally purchase all material and perform all labor in connection with the construction, reconstruction or destruction of a well located on said property or that he shall employ a licensed well drilling contractor to perform such work.

(c)

Classes of Permits. There shall be three types of permits, namely: Class I, Class II and Destruction.

(d)

Class I Permits. Shall be issued for the installation or reconstruction of a well, test well, test hole or observation well, where such well location conforms with the minimum distances set forth in Table 1, and where no soil contamination exists that would result in a pollution or contamination of the potable groundwater.

(e)

Class II Permits. Shall be required for the installation or reconstruction of a well, test well, test hole or observation well, where such well location is closer than the minimum distances set forth in Table 1, or where the administrative authority deems conditions may exist which may result in a contamination or pollution of the potable groundwater unless special construction features are included in the well construction. In no instance shall wells be less than fifty feet (50') from septic tanks or sewage disposal system.

(f)

Reconstruction Permits. Shall be issued for any well, test well, test hole or observation well reconstruction work.

(g)

Destruction Permits. Shall be issued for any well, test well, test hole or observation well destruction work.

(h)

Application for Permit. Any person legally entitled to apply for and receive a permit shall make such application on forms provided for that purpose. He shall give a description of the character of the work proposed to be done, and the location and ownership of the job site.

Each application shall be accompanied by a fee as provided in this chapter. Fifty percent (50%) of the fee shall be returned to the applicant should the permit be denied or if the permit is cancelled within sixty (60) days after issuance and no work has been done. A permit shall remain in effect for one year from date of issuance.

The administrative authority may require the owner or his duly authorized agent to submit plans, specifications or drawings, and such other information as he may deem necessary.

If the administrative authority determines that the plans, specifications, drawings, descriptions, or information furnished by the applicant are in compliance with this ordinance he shall issue the permit applied for upon payment of the required fee as hereinafter fixed.

(i)

Obtaining Permit. Any person who shall commence any work for which a permit is required by this chapter without first having obtained a permit therefor, shall if subsequently permitted to obtain a permit, pay double the permit fee for such work, provided however, that this provision shall not apply to emergency work when it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the administrative authority that such work was urgently necessary and that it was not practical to obtain a permit before commencement of the work. In all cases a permit must be obtained as soon as it is possible to do so, and if there be an unreasonable delay as determined by the administrative authority in obtaining such permit, a double fee as herein provided shall be charged.

(j)

Cost of Permit. Upon making application for a permit the applicant shall pay a fee as established by resolution of the board of supervisors.

(k)

Inspection. All wells or test holes constructed or reconstructed, or destroyed, shall be subject, after issuance of the permit, to inspection by the administrative authority to insure compliance with all the requirements of this chapter. If, after notice is given between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. (normal county working days) with a minimum of one-hour lead time to the administrative authority, inspection is not made during normal process of construction, work shall continue; however, compliance with the code shall be strictly adhered to by the permit holder and/or applicant.

(Ord. No. 5658 § 4(a), 2005; Ord. No. 2326.)

Sec. 25B-4. - Construction requirements.

(a)

Requirements for Well Construction. All materials and workmanship shall be no less than the quality specified herein. The requirements of these standards are minimal only and any material or method determined by the administrative authority to give equivalent or better results may be required. Materials or methods not covered by these standards must receive the written approval of the administrative authority prior to use. Wells intended as a water supply source for a public water system as defined in Article I of this chapter shall be constructed in accordance with the standards recommended by the California Department of Water Resources. Bull. No. 74. Water Well Standards; State of California.

(b)

Location. Wells shall be located as prescribed in Table 1.

Table 1. Minimum Distances

(c)

Exemption. A well may be installed closer than the minimum distances prescribed in Table 1 if the administrative authority finds that compliance is impractical because of unusual conditions and if he finds that special standards may be applied to the well construction so that in his opinion no danger of contamination or pollution to the potable groundwater will result; however, under no circumstances shall a well be constructed less than fifty feet (50') from a septic tank or sewage disposal system. Such special standards of construction shall be approved by the administrative authority and additional inspections may be required to assure strict conformance with such special standards. Such a well, test well, test hole or observation well shall require a Class II permit.

(d)

Protection. At all times during the progress of the work the well shall be protected in such a manner as to prevent, as far as possible, tampering with the well, the entrance of foreign matter into the well, or the entrance of drilling mud into streams, etc. Water and drilling mud used in drilling shall be free from contamination, or rendered free from contamination, by chlorination or other approved methods. Pits constructed for recirculation of drilling mud during construction shall be so protected that no undue safety hazard is created for man or animals.

(e)

Casings. All metal casings used in well construction shall be new and shall have a minimum thickness of twelve (12) gauge for wells up to and including eight inches (8″) in diameter, and a minimum thickness of ten (10) gauge for wells ten inches (10″) in diameter or over.

All casings shall be placed with sufficient care to avoid damage to casing sections or joints. The uppermost perforations shall be at least 25 feet (25') below the ground surface, except in the case of a shallow well and below an impervious stratum whenever possible.

All concrete pipe casing used in well construction shall be new, free of defects and shall conform to the latest revision of the following specifications (AWWA C301).

(a)

State of California specifications for concrete culvert pipe (ASTM C-14), plain concrete pipe or equal.

(b)

State of California specifications for reinforced concrete culvert; reinforced concrete pipe specs (ASTM C-76 and/or ASSHO M-170 or equal).

All polyvinylchloride casing used in well construction shall be new, free of defects, and shall be class 160 or equivalent, and shall meet ASTM 2241-73 and 1784-69 standards.

Other casing material may be accepted upon recommendation of the Well Standards Advisory and Appeals Board.

The casing shall extend at least six inches (6″) above the ground surface, and at least one-half inch (1/2″) above the surface of any surrounding concrete slab. Exceptions may be allowed by the administrative authority.

(Ord. No. 1932 § 1.)

(f)

Grouting. The annular space shall be filled with acceptable grout having a minimum thickness of two (2) inches, except in the case of a concrete pipe cased well, which shall be three inches (3″).

The grouting material shall consist of neat cement, cement grout, puddled clay, or concrete.

The grout shall extend from the ground surface to at least twenty feet (20') below the ground surface; except in the case of shallow wells where no water bearing stratum is encountered below twenty feet (20'), the grout shall extend to a depth of ten feet (10').

Prior to grouting, a packer of cement, concrete, or steel may be installed at the bottom of the annular space to be grouted. The grout shall be applied in one continuous process either by pressure or by gravity in accordance with proper construction practice, in such a manner as to exclude surface and other undesirable water from the well.

(g)

Conductor Casing. When a conductor casing is used, the grout seal shall extend at least four feet (4') below the lowest point of such conductor casing, or a minimum of twenty feet (20').

(h)

Gravel. The gravel used shall be clean, selected and free of contaminants. In such formations where appreciable amounts of sand or silt may be drawn from the well, a pipe for the addition of additional gravel to the pack may be installed and capped.

(i)

Well Pits. Well pits or below ground discharge pipes may be permitted at the discretion of the administrative authority. Where the well casing terminates in a pit below the ground surface, the pit shall be constructed of monolithic, reinforced Class A concrete, or equal, watertight in all respects. The top of such pit shall be covered either with a concrete slab or equal material, or with a housing of satisfactory construction. The casing shall be carried at least eight inches (8″) above the pit floor. The well pit shall be so constructed and protected that flood, rain, or surface waters cannot enter the pit. The pit shall be provided with a drainage sump and an automatic sump pump (or if topography permits, a "free" discharge protected against entrance of rodents, insects or flooding). The discharge pipe from the sump pump shall not be connected to any sewer or pipe drain. Pits shall have easy access for proper operation, maintenance and inspection of the equipment and shall have a locked hatch. Doorways or hatches shall at all times effectively keep water out of the pit.

(j)

Access Opening into Well Casing. Access openings into the well casing or conductor pipe for addition of gravel to a gravel packed well, for sounding the well, for air release, for disinfection and for any other purpose necessary for maintenance and operation of the well are permitted, but must terminate above flood and high water levels, or have a watertight seal. These openings shall be protected by caps against entry of small animals, insects, flood water, drainage or pump drippage, and other contaminating matter.

(k)

Disinfection. Newly constructed or reconstructed wells shall be adequately treated in such a manner as to disinfect all parts of the well upon completion with chlorine or an equal disinfecting chemical.

(l)

Completion. Upon completion of a well, the driller shall be responsible for the abandonment of pit used for circulation of drilling mud and the installation of a well cover. Final approval of the water well by the administrative authority requires submission to the administrative authority within thirty (30) working days of completion of the well, a completed water well driller's report made out in detail on the State Department of Water Resources reporting form or equal.

(Ord. No. 2326.)