This chapter shall be known as the "Jackson Township Well Ordinance."
The intention of this chapter is to insure and protect the quality and
suitability of potable water supply, and to secure and maintain the minimum
required isolation distances between water supplies and sewage disposal systems
or other sources of contamination.
This chapter shall apply to all potable wells which have not been completed
or which are not in operation at the time of passage of this chapter. This
chapter shall further apply to the reconstruction, major repair, and other
changes to existing potable wells, when, in the opinion of the Zoning Officer,
such reconstruction, major repair, and other changes may affect the quality
and suitability of the water supply of the property upon which the well is
constructed or surrounding properties.
All words and phrases not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings
provided in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
All applications for a potable well permit shall be accompanied by a
fee payable to Jackson Township in accordance with a schedule of fees established
by resolution of the Board of Supervisors of Jackson Township.
All permits shall be in effect as of the date of issuance and shall
remain in effect for a period of two years thereafter. In the event that construction
under the permit has not been completed at the expiration of two years from
the date of issuance, the permit shall expire and the validity of the permit
shall cease and terminate.
All construction of new potable wells and repairs to potable wells shall
be subject to the following construction standards:
A. Casing.
(1) The well shall have a watertight and durable wrought iron, steel,
plastic, or other type of approved casing with a nominal thickness of 3/16
(0.1875) inches and 6 5/8 inches outside diameter. The sections shall
be joined together by threaded couplings, welded joints or other watertight
approved joint or coupling.
(2) The casing shall be carried to a minimum depth of 20
feet from the finished grade and in all cases shall be extended 10 feet into
bedrock or other competent strata. Driven wells shall be provided with a drive
shoe or other effective casing seal.
(3) An annular space shall be provided between the well casing
and the earth formation of a radius at least 1 1/2 inches greater than
the casing radius, excluding couplings. The annular space shall be completely
filled with impervious cement grout or equivalent sealing material from bottom
of the casing to within five feet of the ground surface. External grouting
shall be accomplished utilizing a tremic pipe grout pump to force out any
standing water on the outside of the well casing.
(4) The casing shall be sealed effectively against entrances
of water from water bearing formations, which are subject to pollution, through
which the casing may pass. If casings of small diameter are used in the lower
portions of the well, effective watertight seals shall be provided between
the casings where they telescope. In such instances, a section of casing shall
telescope for a minimum distance of four feet.
(5) The top of the well casing shall extend a minimum of
24 inches above the finished grade of the lot so that contaminated water or
other substances cannot enter the well through the annular opening at the
top of the well casing, wall or pipe sleeve.
B. Well covers. Every potable water well shall be equipped
with an overlapping cover at the top of the well casing or pipe sleeve. Covers
shall extend downward at least two inches over the outside of the well casing
or wall. All well caps shall indicate well driller's name, depth of well and
depth of casing.
C. Pitless adapter. Where pump sections or discharge pipes
enter or leave a well through the side of the casing, the circle of contact
shall be watertight. The use of plastic/nylon adapters for this purpose is
not acceptable. A brass pitless adapter with brass connectors or equivalent
shall be required.
D. Electrical wiring. Electrical wiring for well purposes
shall be encased in conduit from the bottom of the water supply line trench
to the well cap.
E. Drainage. All potable water wells shall be constructed
so that surface drainage will be diverted away from the well.
F. Pumping equipment. All pumps installed in wells drilled
to a depth greater than 300 feet, but not to exceed 450 feet, shall be installed
with two-hundred-pound-per-square-inch plastic pipe. Well depths exceeding
450 feet shall have pumps installed with Schedule 80 PVC threaded pipe or
galvanized steel pipe to support the increased pumping pressure. The pressure
rating on plastic pipe shall be at least 160 pounds per square inch, regardless
of water supply depth.
G. Pump enclosures. Any pump room or any enclosure around
a well pump shall be drained and protected from freezing by heating or other
approved means. Where pumps are installed in basements, they shall be mounted
on a block or shelf not less than 18 inches above the basement floor.
H. Service. The size of water service pipe shall be a minimum
diameter of 3/4 inch.
I. Source. The source of the supply shall be from a water
bearing formation drawn not less than 100 feet from the ground surface, unless
it can be demonstrated that there is a flow of at least six gallons per minute
at a lesser depth. There shall be at least 20 feet of properly grouted well
casing, and the supply source must not be subject to pollution.
The owner of any well shall, upon abandonment of any existing well or
test hole, effectively seal and fill such abandoned wells or test holes. All
abandoned wells and test holes must be filled with portland/sand grout, and
the placement of the grout must be observed by the Zoning Officer. A well
not in operation for three or more years or improperly maintained to prevent
contamination shall be considered abandoned.
Any person violating any of the terms or provisions in this chapter
shall upon conviction thereof before a District Justice be subject to a penalty
in the amount of $500 for each offense. Each day that a violation of any provision
of this chapter continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense
and distinct penalties hereunder. Any such fines collected will be used for
general Township purposes.
No responsibility or liability for the construction of any well and
amount and potability of the resultant water supply shall be deemed to be
placed upon Jackson Township or its officers, agents, or employees by virtue
of the terms of this chapter or otherwise.