[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Benton as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 130.
Waterworks and water supply — See Ch. 330.
[Adopted as Title 9, Ch. 4, Sec. 9-4-6, of the Benton Code of Ordinances]
This article is adopted pursuant to authority granted by §§ 61.34, 61.35, 62.23 and 66.0415, Wis. Stats.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AREA A
The zone designed within this article by map and description as the area with the Village.
RECHARGE AREA
That area over and through which groundwater is supplied to a protected municipal well site.
A. 
Within Area A the following land uses are prohibited:
(1) 
Disposal of garbage, refuse, trash, demolition material and construction material.
(2) 
Asphalt product manufacturing plants.
(3) 
Highway salt storage.
(4) 
Industrial liquid or solid waste storage or processing
(5) 
Mining and quarrying operations, including sand and gravel extraction.
(6) 
Paint products storage and processing.
(7) 
Septage disposal sites.
(8) 
Sludge disposal sites.
(9) 
Storage, manufacturing, use or disposal of toxic or hazardous materials as defined and regulated by the Hazardous Substances Act, § 100.37, Wis. Stats., and regulations thereunder as may be amended from time to time.
(10) 
Underground petroleum products storage tanks for industrial, commercial, residential, or other uses except those meeting SPS requirements.
B. 
Within Area A, the following uses may be permitted, provided the minimum separation distances below are provided between the installations and the Village wells.
Potential Contamination Source
Minimum Separation Distance
(feet)
Storm sewer main
50
Sanitary sewer main
200
Lift station
200
Single family residential fuel oil tank
200
Septic tank (<8,000 gallons per day)
400
Cemetery
400
Stormwater drainage pond
400
Gasoline or fuel oil storage tank instillation (SPS approved)
600
Land application of municipal, commercial or industrial waste
1,000
Industrial, commercial or municipal wastewater lagoons or storage structures
1,000
Manure stacks or storage structures
1,000
Septic tanks (>8,000 gallons per day)
1,000
Solid waste storage, transportation, transfer, incineration, air curtain destructor, processing, wood burning, one time disposal or small demolition facility
1,200
Sanitary landfill
1,200
Coal storage area
1,200
Salt or deicing material storage area
1,200
Gasoline or fuel oil storage tank without SPS approval
1,200
Bulk fuel storage facilities
1,200
Pesticide or fertilizer handling or storage facilities
1,200
C. 
Within the areas, the following uses may be allowed, subject to other zoning regulations:[1]
(1) 
Any business;
(2) 
Commercial;
(3) 
Residential; or
(4) 
Industrial use not otherwise prohibited.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
D. 
Any person proposing to commence use of property located within either area which use was not effective at the time of enactment of this article, and any person proposing to change the size or character of the existing use, shall make application to the Village for a permit to initiate the proposed use or changes of use. The application shall be in a form acceptable to the Village and shall include the following:[2]
(1) 
Identification of the user, including lessee, if any.
(2) 
Address of user.
(3) 
Description of property to be used.
(4) 
Description of use.
(5) 
Drawing of site, indicating location of structures, access roads or driveways, and contemplated site work.
(6) 
Measurers proposed to minimize groundwater contamination risk, if any.
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
E. 
The Village may set such conditions to the issuance of the groundwater supply for the Village of Benton.
Area A:
A. 
Beginning at the southwest corner of Section 3 TIN, R1E and the northern Village limits;
B. 
Thence east along the northern Village limits to the eastern extent and extending 400 feet east into Benton Township;
C. 
Thence south to the Village limits and following the Village limits to State Highway 11;
D. 
Thence west, northwest along the Village limits following State Highway 11 to the point where the Village limits turn south;
E. 
Thence south along the Village limits to the point where the Village limits meet the southern line of Section 10 and turn west;
F. 
Thence west along the southern line of Section 10 to where it meets the southern line of Section 9 and continuing west until it meets the center line of County Truck Highway J;
G. 
Thence north along County Trunk Highway J to the intersection with Alma Street;
H. 
Thence west along the center line of Alma Street 400 feet beyond the point where Alma Street turns northwest;
I. 
Thence west to center line of Van Buren street at the intersection with Zephyr Street;
J. 
Thence west 175 feet along the center line of Zephyr street;
K. 
Thence northwest to the center line of Brian Symon's private drive;
L. 
Thence along the center line of Brian Symon's private drive to the intersection with Second Street;
M. 
Thence along the center line of Second Street to the intersection with Second Avenue;
N. 
Thence northeast along the center line of Second Avenue to the intersection with First Street;
O. 
Thence northwest along the center line of First Street to the intersection with Third Street and State Highway 11;
P. 
Thence east along the center line of Highway 11 to the intersection with Main and Galena Streets and Temple Avenue;
Q. 
Thence northwest along the center line of Galena Street to the intersection with Frontier Street;
R. 
Thence northeast along the center line of Frontier Street to the intersection with Jenkynsville Road;
S. 
Thence south 550 feet to the point of beginning.
Any person convicted of a violation of this article shall be subject to a forfeiture of up to $1,000 per violation. Each day of a continuing violation shall be separate violation. This forfeiture shall be in addition to any federal or state remedy, enforcement or regulatory order.
This article may be amended only pursuant to the procedures set forth in § 62.23(7a), Wis. Stats., set forth for the adoption or amendment of municipal ordinance having extraterritorial effect.
[Adopted 1-20-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-001]
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this article as defined in Ch. NR 811, Wis. Adm. Code, is to:
(1) 
Protect the public health, safety and welfare by assuring those unused, unsafe and noncomplying wells are properly abandoned.
(2) 
Prevent unused and improperly constructed wells from serving as a passage for contaminated surface or near-surface waters or other materials to reach the usable groundwater. These wells shall be properly abandoned.
B. 
Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CROSS-CONNECTION
Any physical connection or arrangement between two otherwise separate systems, one of which contains potable water from the Village of Benton Water Utility (VBWU) and the other containing water from a private source, water of unknown or questionable quality, or steam, gases, or chemicals, whereby there may be a flow from one system to the other, the direction of flow depending on the pressure differential between the two systems.
MONITORING WELLS
A well or drill hole constructed for the purpose of obtaining information on the physical, chemical, radiological or biological characteristics of the groundwater.
MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM
A system for the provision to the public of piped water for human consumption when such system has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents owned or operated by a city, village, county, town, town sanitary district, utility district or public institution as defined in Ch. NR 811.02, Wis. Adm. Code, or privately owned water utility serving any of the above.
NONCOMPLYING
A well or pump installation which does not comply with the provisions of Ch. NR 812, Wis. Adm. Code, in effect at the time the well was constructed, a contamination source was installed, the pump was installed or work was done on either the well or pump installation.
PUMP INSTALLATION
The pump and related equipment used for withdrawing water from a well, including the discharge piping, the underground connections, pitless adapters, pressure tanks, pits, sampling faucets and well seal or caps.
UNSAFE
A well or pump installation which produces water which is bacteriologically contaminated or contaminated with substances in exceedance of the standards of Ch. NR 140, Wis. Adm. Code, or for which a health advisory has been issued by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
UNUSED
A well or pump installation which is not used or does not have a functional pumping system.
WELL
An excavation or opening into the ground made by digging, boring, drilling, driving, or other methods for the purpose of obtaining groundwater for consumption or other use.
WELL ABANDONMENT
The filling and sealing of a well according to the provisions of Chs. NR 811 and 812, Wis. Adm. Code.
A. 
All private wells located within Village limits, including any premises which is served by the public water system of the VBWU, shall be properly abandoned within a period of time deemed reasonable by the VBWU not exceeding one year.
B. 
All private wells outside the Village limits but within the Village wellhead protection area that have a capacity of 40 gallons per minute or more.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: So in original.
C. 
Only those wells for which the Village Clerk-Treasurer has granted a well operation permit may be exempted from this requirement, subject to conditions of maintenance and operation.
Wells to be abandoned shall be filled according to the procedures outlined in § NR 812.26, Wis. Adm. Code.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any premises which has a noncomplying well to sell, transfer, or convey said premises until the provisions of this article are met or until such owner shall first furnish the VBWU a signed and notarized statement from the grantee or transferee, acknowledging the existence of a noncomplying well and fully accepting the responsibility without condition for abandoning said well or obtaining a well operation permit.
A permit may be granted to a well owner to operate a well for a period not to exceed one year, effective October 1 of each year. Renewals are due no later than September 30 of each year. The requirements for a permit/renewal are:
A. 
The well and pump installation meet the requirements of § NR 812.26, Wis. Adm. Code, and well constructor's report is on file with the DNR or certification of the acceptability of the well has been granted by the private water supply section of the DNR or upon an approved certified well inspection.
B. 
The well has a history of producing safe water as evidenced by three samplings two weeks apart at application of the original permit and presently produces bacteriologically safe water as evidenced by an annual bacteriological sample.
C. 
The well will be tested annually for nitrates.
D. 
The VBWU shall require additional testing in the event that the sampling produces evidence of contamination.
E. 
A VBWU representative may be present for any and all sampling.
F. 
The proposed use of the well can be justified as being necessary in addition to water provided by the public water system.
G. 
No physical connection shall exist between the piping of the public water system and the private well.
H. 
No private wells shall be constructed within the Village limits after the date of the adoption of this article without Village Board approval with variance allowing private well installation.
The following one-year permit fees shall be as established by the Village Board from time to time:
A. 
Commercial well.
B. 
New residential well.
C. 
Existing residential wells constructed prior to January 1, 2005.
D. 
Monitoring well.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
No person shall have or permit on any premises owned or occupied by him/her any cisterns, cesspools, wells, unused basements, excavations or other dangerous openings unless permitted by the VBWU. All such places shall be properly filled with clean material approved by the VBWU in order to prevent any groundwater contamination from occurring.
A. 
Upon presentation of credentials, representatives of the VBWU shall have the right to request entry at any reasonable time to examine any property within the Village limits for cisterns, wells, basements, or other excavation that may cause groundwater contamination.
B. 
If entry is refused, such representatives shall obtain a special inspection warrant under § 66.0119, Wis. Stats. The VBWU shall charge the property owner a fee, as established by the Village Board from time to time, per day for refusal to allow entry to examine any property. Upon request, the owner, lessee, or occupant of any property so served shall furnish to the inspection agency any pertinent information regarding the piping system or systems on such property.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
A. 
A well abandonment report shall be submitted by the well owner to the DNR on forms that are provided by that agency and available in the office of the Village Clerk-Treasurer. The report shall be submitted immediately upon completion of the filling of the well. A representative of the VBWU must observe the filling. A copy of the well abandonment form shall be provided to the VBWU. The owner shall notify the VBWU 48 hours in advance during regular business hours prior to well abandonment.
B. 
Periodic inspections will be made by the VBWU of all properties within the Village of Benton and all properties served by the VBWU to determine the presence of unauthorized wells.
C. 
It is the responsibility of the property owner to notify the VBWU of any private wells located on their property and follow this article for the well permit or well abandonment.
D. 
Any property owner who improperly abandons or neglects to properly abandon an existing well without meeting the requirements of this article is subject to penalties under the penalty provisions listed in this article.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 337-17.
E. 
Any well for which a permit has expired or been revoked or denied shall be abandoned within 60 days of the expiration or revocation of the permit.
A. 
Annual testing of nitrates are required. The annual tests for monitoring wells are due no later than September 30 of each year.
B. 
Location coordinates or measurements will be submitted with permit application.
C. 
Proper abandonment shall be according to § NR 812.26, Wis. Adm. Code, when the well is no longer needed.
D. 
Subsection A above may be waived at the discretion of the VBWU.
Any well owner violating any provision of this article shall, upon conviction, be punished by a forfeiture of not less than $10 nor more than $5,000 and the cost of prosecution. Each twenty-four-hour period or part thereof during which a violation exists shall be deemed a separate offense. If any person fails to comply with this article for more than 10 days after receiving written notice of the violation, the Village may impose a penalty and cause the well abandonment to be performed and the expense to be assessed as a special tax against the property.