[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Germany as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-14-2015 by Ord. No. 54]
A. 
Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Germany Township Well Ordinance."
B. 
Purpose. The purpose of this article is to:
(1) 
Promote and protect the health and welfare of the residents of Germany Township by conserving the water supply and protecting the quality, quantity, and suitability of groundwater resources;
(2) 
Secure and maintain the minimum required isolation distances between individual water supplies and potential sources of contamination;
(3) 
Set forth standards for the construction of wells and boreholes that are not otherwise regulated.
C. 
Scope. This article applies to the construction, alteration, and abandonment of all wells and boreholes that penetrate more than 20 feet below grade (hereinafter "wells and/or boreholes"), including, but not limited to, domestic water supply wells, vertical closed-loop geothermal wells and/or boreholes, geotechnical borings, test borings, agricultural wells, irrigation wells, commercial wells, monitoring wells, and industrial wells. The following are exempt from this article:
(1) 
Wells and/or boreholes associated with water supply wells for public water systems (defined by DEP as consisting of at least 15 service connections or regularly serving no fewer than 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year).
(2) 
Horizontal geothermal systems constructed in pits, trenches, ditches, or in horizontal directional borings.
(3) 
Monitoring wells whose construction and operation is overseen by DEP.
(4) 
Borings/boreholes, including, but not limited to, shot holes and exploratory borings at a mining site associated with mining activities whose construction and operation are overseen by DEP.
(5) 
Utility trenches.
(6) 
Foundations, pilings, and other soil and/or bedrock penetrations which are an integral part of building construction.
(7) 
Normal routine maintenance and minor repairs to keep a well or borehole in good working order.
(8) 
Wells that are completed and fully operational as of the effective date of this article.
D. 
Administration. The Code Enforcement Officer is the person charged by the Board of Supervisors with the duty of administration and enforcement of this article.
[Added 7-8-2024 by Ord. No. 66[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated former Subsections D through F as Subsections E through G, respectively.
E. 
Municipal liability disclaimer. Approval granted under this article for a well or boring does not constitute any guarantee or warranty by Germany Township regarding the quality or quantity of water that may be obtained as a result of any well drilled. No responsibility or liability for the construction of any well or borehole shall be deemed to be placed upon Germany Township, or its officers, agents, or employees by virtue of the terms of this article. The drilling permit solely provides the approval to drill a well or boring at the site shown on the application in compliance with this article and the Germany Township Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems[2] and does not provide any other guarantees, approval, or warranties to the construction of the well or boring, the success of finding a water source, or future productivity of the well.
[2]
Editor's Note: The Construction Standards and Material Specification for Wells and Geothermal Systems document is on file in the Township offices.
F. 
Repealer. Any other Germany Township ordinance provision or regulation inconsistent with any of the provisions of this article is hereby repealed to give this article full force and effect to the extent of the inconsistency only.
G. 
Severability. In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction declares any section, clause, or provision of this article invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of any of the remaining sections, clauses, or provisions of this article.
A. 
Interpretation. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the succeeding shall, for the purposes of this article, be interpreted in the following manner:
(1) 
Words used in the present tense also imply the future tense.
(2) 
Words used in the singular include the plural and vice versa.
(3) 
Words of masculine gender include feminine gender and vice versa.
(4) 
The words and abbreviation "includes," "including," "shall include," "such as," and "e.g." are not limited to the specific example(s) given but are intended to extend the words or words' meaning(s) to all other instances of like kind and character.
(5) 
The words "shall," "required," or "must" are mandatory; the words "may" and "should" are permissive.
B. 
Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALTERATION
Any action which necessitates entering a well with drilling tools; treating a well to increase yield, altering the physical structure or depth of the well; blasting; removal or replacement of well casing; conversion of well to another use (such as geothermal).
BORING/BOREHOLE
A penetration of soil and/or rock that is augered, drilled, cored, bored, washed, driven, dug, jetted, or otherwise constructed which is generally cylindrical in shape and whose diameter is generally smaller than its depth of penetration.
CLOSED-LOOP GEOTHERMAL
A type of geothermal heating and/or cooling system that utilizes a pressurized heat exchanger consisting of pipe, a circulating pump, and a water-source heat pump in which the heat transfer fluid is not exposed to the atmosphere. The heat transfer fluid is potable or beneficial reuse water and may have approved antifreeze added.
DCNR
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
DEP
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
GEOTHERMAL
A system that uses a heat pump to extract heat from the earth in heating mode and/or reject heat into the earth in cooling mode.
GERMANY TOWNSHIP CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS AND MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR WELLS AND GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
Those standards and material specifications shall be adopted by the Germany Township Supervisors by resolution and may be amended from time to time.
GERMANY TOWNSHIP OFFICIAL
The person designated by Germany Township to enforce and administer the Ordinances and Codes of Germany Township, including but not limited to this Well Ordinance.
GROUNDWATER
Water within the earth below the water table.
OPEN-LOOP GEOTHERMAL
A type of geothermal heating and/or cooling system that utilizes a water-supply well and a water pump to deliver groundwater to a water-source heat pump. The discharge water from the water-source heat pump may be returned to the subsurface through a recharge well or infiltration bed, or may be discharged into a pond, lake, or stream. A spring may also be the source of the groundwater supply.
OWNER
Any person vested with sole or partial, legal or equitable ownership of the subject property.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, company, association, corporation or other group or legal entity.
WATER SUPPLY WELL
Any well that is constructed to remove or return water to the ground.
WELL
Any excavation that is drilled, cored, bored, washed, driven, dug, jetted, or otherwise constructed when the intended use of such excavation is for the location, acquisition or monitoring of groundwater. This includes, but is not limited to, test wells, test borings, monitoring wells, geothermal wells, domestic wells, irrigation wells, or commercial wells.
WELL DRILLER
An individual or company that is permitted or licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to drill wells in Pennsylvania.
A. 
Well drilling permit required. No person, firm, or corporation shall make a penetration of soil and, or rock that is augered, drilled, cored, bored, washed, driven, dug, jetted, or otherwise constructed that is regulated by this article until a drilling permit has been issued.
B. 
Geothermal wells.
(1) 
All sections and provisions of this article shall apply to any and/or all phases or processes included in the construction of all wells developed for the purpose of utilization of geothermal resources. This section does not apply to horizontal geothermal as exempted from § 181-1C(2) of this article.
(2) 
Geothermal wells shall only be constructed as part of closed-loop geothermal systems. Open-loop geothermal systems are prohibited.
C. 
Well depth and location standards.
(1) 
Minimum water supply well depth. The source of supply for a new water supply well shall be from a water bearing formation drawn from a depth of not less than 20 feet below the ground surface.
(2) 
Water supply well construction in a floodplain. Wells shall not be located within a one-hundred-year FEMA FIRM floodplain unless the well is fitted with a waterproof and airtight cap which extends one foot above one-hundred-year flood elevation.
(3) 
Minimum set back distance. Wells and boreholes regulated by this article shall be located using the minimum setback distances to existing or potential sources of pollution, whether or not on applicant's or neighboring property, listed in Table 1.
Table 1: Minimum Well and Borehole Setback Distances
Minimum Setback From
Potable Water Supply Wells
(feet)
Boreholes
(feet)
Lakes, ponds, streams or other surface waters
25
25
Ditches and storm drains
25
25
Preparation area or storage area of hazardous spray materials, fertilizers, chemicals, or salt piles
100
100
Public or on-lot gravity sewer lines and drains carrying domestic sewage or industrial waste
50
10 or according to easement
Existing water and forced sewer buried utilities and/or utility trenches
Outside existing easement or, if no easement exists, no less than 15 feet from the utility or trench center line
Septic tanks, aerobic tanks or holding tanks
50
25
Subsurface sewage disposal systems, elevated sand mounds, other sewage disposal fields
100
25
Sewage seepage pits, cesspools
100
25
Farm silos, barnyards, privies and fuel tanks
100
25
Stormwater infiltration pits, retention basins, stabilization ponds or stormwater management facilities
50
10
Domestic spray irrigation sites, sewage sludge and septage disposal sites
100
25
Dedicated public right-of-way, and/or property lines
20
10
Building foundations (except for buildings enclosing water wells, water well pumps, and/or any other source of pollution as approved)
20
10
Driveways and parking uses
10
10
Existing well
20
15
D. 
Environmental concerns. During all activities and/or phases related to the construction of any well, including, but not limited to, site preparation, drilling/boring processes, fracturing operations (if needed), and any other completion operations needed to bring the well into service, the well driller shall use environmentally sound practices to contain any and all products or residues resulting from processes required for the well construction, including, but not limited to, soil, rock fragments or pulverized rock, brines, fluids and/or water. The containment measures shall be in accordance and compliance with all federal, state, local, PA DEP, or Adams County Conservation District regulations and/or guidelines.
E. 
Construction requirements. All well and borehole construction projects shall be constructed in accordance with the technical standards of the Germany Township Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Construction Standards and Material Specification for Wells and Geothermal Systems document is on file in the Township offices.
F. 
Well abandonment. Existing wells that are being replaced that are not grouted with approved grout, or do not have a sanitary well cap shall be decommissioned or mitigated in accordance with the Germany Township Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems and PA DEP requirements.
A. 
Drilling permits.
(1) 
Drilling permit application. Applications may be completed by the property owner, the property owner's representative, or the well driller contracted by the property owner. The following information shall be included with drilling permit applications:
(a) 
Application form.
(b) 
Site layout. A site layout drawn reasonably to scale on letter size 8.5-inch-by-11-inch paper, unless a larger sheet is necessary. The following information is depicted on the layout:
[1] 
Property lines.
[2] 
Existing and proposed features.
[3] 
Proposed well locations.
[4] 
Setback distances. The measurements of the distance from the proposed well to the features referenced in Table 1 of § 181-3C(3).
(c) 
Waiver(s). If an applicant is requesting a waiver from any of the provisions of § 181-3C, the request shall state the grounds and facts of unreasonableness or hardship on which the request is based, the provision(s) of the article involved, and the minimum waiver necessary. Requests for waivers shall be in writing and become a part of the drilling permit application.
(d) 
Fee. The drilling permit application will not be considered complete until the application fee is paid, the fee to be in accordance with the fee schedule adopted by resolution by the Germany Township Board of Supervisors.
(2) 
Municipal action on drilling permit application:
(a) 
Action on application. The Germany Township Official shall examine and take action on the drilling permit application and revisions to the application.
(b) 
Action on waiver(s). Germany Township Board of Supervisors may grant a waiver of requirements of one or more provisions of § 181-3C if the literal enforcement will exact undue hardship because of peculiar conditions, provided that such waiver will not be contrary to the public interest and that the purpose and intent of the article is observed.
[1] 
The action shall be recorded in the minutes of the Germany Township Board of Supervisors.
[2] 
A copy of the action and any conditions of approval of will be transmitted to the applicant and attached to the application.
(c) 
Time limitation on municipal action. A drilling permit shall be approved or denied within 30 days of the filing date of a complete application. Reasons for denial shall be in writing and given to the applicant.
(d) 
Time limitation on incomplete application. An incomplete drilling permit application shall be deemed to have been abandoned after the passage of 60 days after the date of filing. The Germany Township Official is authorized to grant one or more extensions of time for additional periods not exceeding 60 days each, if there is a justifiable cause to extend the application. The extension shall be requested in writing by the applicant.
(e) 
Revisions to application. The applicant may submit revisions to a submitted drilling permit application. Where such revision is submitted during the review period established in § 181-4A(2), the time limitation shall be reset to the date of the revised submission. Where such revision is submitted for an application that has been formally approved or denied, the revision shall constitute a new submission, subject to all the administrative requirements of § 181-4.
(3) 
Applicant responsibilities:
(a) 
Commencement of work. The applicant may initiate work in accordance with the drilling permit application and the Germany Township Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems[1] after the drilling permit has been issued and the Germany Township Official has conducted the preliminary inspection of the site. The Township recommends that the applicant consider drilling the well to determine if sufficient quantity and quality of water is available prior to securing a building permit.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Construction Standards and Material Specification for Wells and Geothermal Systems document is on file in the Township offices.
(b) 
Placement of permit. The drilling permit or copy shall be kept on the site of the work until the completion of the project.
(c) 
Complications. If complications related to drilling or field conditions arise and a new drilling location is required, the Germany Township Official shall be contacted. A revision to the application may be required.
(d) 
Emergency situations. In situations where there is an urgent need for water (e.g., well runs dry or contaminated) and no other source of water is available, the property owner, at his own risk, may have the well drilled without going through the permit process beforehand. However, this provision does not alleviate the responsibility of the property owner to develop the well in accordance with § 181-3. The property owner, property owner's duly authorized representative, or the well driller is still responsible for obtaining a drilling permit, as described in § 181-4A, within five business days. New home construction with no prior source of water is not considered an emergency situation.
(4) 
Validity of drilling permit. The issuance of a drilling permit shall not be construed to be a permit for, or an approval of, any violation of any provisions of this, or any other, ordinance. The Germany Township Official is authorized to prevent use of the well or other borehole in violation of this article or of any other ordinances.
(5) 
Expiration. Drilling permits shall become invalid unless the authorized work is commenced within one year after its issuance, or if the work is suspended or abandoned for a period of 30 days after the time the work began. The Germany Township Official is authorized to grant, in writing, one or more extensions of time, for periods not more than 90 days each. The extension shall be requested, in writing, by the applicant.
(6) 
Suspension or revocation. The Germany Township Official is authorized to suspend or revoke a drilling permit wherever the drilling permit is issued in error or on the basis of incorrect, inaccurate or incomplete information, or in violation of any ordinance or regulation or any of the provisions of this article, until the error is corrected.
B. 
Inspection/reviews.
(1) 
The Germany Township Official shall conduct all inspections required by this article.
(2) 
The issuance of the drilling permit authorizes the Germany Township Official to enter a property during daylight hours for the purpose of conducting an inspection. The presence of the landowner(s), owner's representative or the well driller at the well site is not required to witness the inspection process.
(3) 
Prior to any inspection(s), the site must be clearly staked-out or markers placed to indicate the location of all existing and proposed features that require setback distances on the property or on adjoining properties as found on Table 1 of § 181-3. The property owner is responsible for identifying the location of any underground feature that requires a setback.
(4) 
A preliminary/pre-construction inspection shall be conducted at the site before any well or borehole drilling is commenced. At this inspection the following shall be determined:
(a) 
Consistency of approved site plan to site layout.
(b) 
Compliance with setback distances as found in Table 1 of § 181-3.
(c) 
Consistency with any other conditions placed on drilling permit approval.
(5) 
Germany Township Official reserves the right to inspect the site at any time to determine if the well is in compliance with the drilling permit, the standards within this article, and to observe the implementation of any of the standards listed in the Germany Township Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: The Construction Standards and Material Specification for Wells and Geothermal Systems document is on file in the Township offices.
C. 
Completion report.
(1) 
Upon completion of the well, the applicant, the applicant's representative, or the well driller shall submit two copies of DCNR's Water Well Completion Report (form 8700-FM-TGS0015 or equivalent), as may be amended, to the Germany Township Official and one copy of the report to DCNR. By submitting this report, the well driller certifies that the well has been constructed in accordance with all applicable requirements of this article and the Germany Township Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems. The Germany Township Office will send a copy of the report to the homeowner and retain one copy in the Township files.
(2) 
Disclaimer. The acceptance of the completion report by the municipality does not in any way constitute a guarantee to the applicant, well driller, or property owner that the subject well will produce any quantity of water, that the quantity of water produced is sufficient for the intended/proposed need(s), that the subject well is pure and fit for consumption, or what mineral or contaminate may be found/dissolved within any water produced, either at the time of the issuance or at any given time in the future.
A. 
Upon discovery of any violation of this article, Germany Township may, at its option, forego any prosecution hereunder, and may grant to the owner a period of seven calendar days to comply with the provisions of this article. Upon failure of the owner to effect such compliance, the Germany Township Board of Supervisors may initiate prosecution as hereinabove set forth.
B. 
Any person who violates or permits the violation of this article, any amendments hereto, or any of the Germany Township Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems[1] adopted pursuant of this article shall, upon being found liable therefor in an action brought before a district justice in the same manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, pay the fine set by Germany Township, plus all costs. The municipal solicitor may assume charge of the prosecution without the consent of the District Attorney as required under Pa. R. Crim. P. No. 454(C) (relating to trial in summary cases). Violations of this article shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $100 or more than $1,000. In default of payment thereof, the Board of Supervisors shall prescribe imprisonment to the extent allowed by law for the punishment of summary offenses. A separate offense shall arise for each day or portion thereof in which a violation is found to exist and/or for each section of the article or its amendments, or the Germany Township Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems hereto, which have been violated.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Construction Standards and Material Specification for Wells and Geothermal Systems document is on file in the Township offices.
C. 
In addition to any other remedies provided in this article, any violation thereof shall constitute a nuisance and may be abated or addressed by Germany Township by either seeking mitigation of the nuisance, by institution of a suit or suits in equity to restrain or prevent violations of the article by seeking legal relief from a court of competent jurisdiction.