[Adopted 9-11-2006 by Ord. No. 05-06-251]
It is the intent and purpose of this article
to provide minimum requirements for the installation and approval
of new domestic or altered wells which produce sufficient supply of
potable water to meet the needs of each household and to create consistent
standards and procedures that ensure that wells are subject to scientific
reliable quantitative tests before a certificate of occupancy is issued
to a dwelling home or residence. This article is dedicated to development
of better well drilling, to safeguarding water resources and to standardizing
drilling and other practices.
This article adopts by reference any and all
regulations promulgated by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management (RIDEM), Division of Groundwater and Freshwater Wetlands
(Water Resources), as to Rules and Regulations Governing the Enforcement
of Chapter 46-13.2 Relating to the Drilling of Drinking Water Wells
and any other federal, state or local law not otherwise inconsistent
herewith.
This article is applicable to all proposed new
or altered domestic wells in the Town of Coventry whether or not existing
prior to July 1, 2006. Only new overburden or bedrock wells to be
used as a domestic well, as defined herein, which meet the standards
of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and this
article shall be permitted.
Except as otherwise hereinafter set forth, this
article incorporates by reference those definitions published in the
Rules and Regulations Governing the Enforcement of Chapter 46-13.2
Relating to the Drilling of Drinking Water Wells. As used in this
article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALTERING A WELL
The deepening, reaming, casing, recasing, perforation, installation
of linear pipe, packers, seals and other material change in the design
or construction of a well.
APPROVED
Approved by the Building Official of the Town of Coventry.
ARTESIAN WELL
A well that is free flowing at the ground surface due to
natural pressure of an aquifer, which causes the water level in a
well to be above the ground surface. It means a well in which groundwater
is under sufficient head to rise above the level at which it was first
encountered whether or not the water flows at land surface. If the
water level stands above land surface, the well is a flowing artesian
well.
BEDROCK
The solid rock that underlies unconsolidated overburden materials.
BEDROCK WELL
A well completed in the rock underlying surficial unconsolidated
material. (Fractured bedrock is considered bedrock.)
CASING
The tubing, pipe or conduit, welded or screw coupled, and
installed in the borehole during or after drilling to support the
sides of the well and prevent caving, to shut off water or contaminated
fluids from entering the hole, and to prevent waste of groundwater.
The term “casing” does not include slotted or perforated
pipe, well screens, or liner pipe.
CASING SEAL
The watertight seal established in the well bore between
the well casing and the drill hole wall to prevent the inflow and
movement of surface water or shallow groundwater in the well annulus,
or to prevent the outflow or movement of water under artesian or hydrostatic
pressures.
DOMESTIC WELL
A well used to serve one or more residence(s) for the purpose
of supplying water for drinking, culinary, sanitary, or other household
uses and which is not a public water supply as defined by the Rhode
Island Department of Health. A domestic well may be an artesian well,
overburden well, or bedrock well or any combination thereof.
EFFECTIVE STORAGE CAPACITY
The volume of standing water in a well that is available
for removal and use, and is capable of being pumped from the well.
EFFECTIVE WELL DEPTH
The height of the water column in a well that is available
for removal and use (i.e., the distance between the static water level
and the pump level).
OVERBURDEN WELL
A well which is screened in the unconsolidated soil materials
(i.e., fill, sand, gravel, silt, clays) that lie on top of the bedrock.
POTABLE WATER
Water which meets consumption standards of the Rhode Island
Department of Health or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
whichever is more restrictive.
RECOVERY
The rise in static water level in a well that occurs when
discharge from that well or a nearby well is stopped.
REQUIRED WELL YIELD
The minimum yield of a domestic well required by RIDEM and
as hereinafter set forth, whichever standard is more stringent.
WELL
Any artificial opening or artificially altered natural opening,
however made, by which groundwater is sought, or through which groundwater
flows under natural pressure, or is artificially withdrawn or injected.
WELL YIELD
The quantity of water per unit of time which may flow or
be pumped continuously from a well.
The Town's Engineer or designee may perform
unannounced spot inspections during the yield test. During inspections,
the Town's Engineer/designee may observe the yield testing procedures,
discharge location, well location, well depth, and pumping rate, or
any other aspect of the well construction or testing procedure deemed
relevant by the consultant to verify compliance with RIDEM and Town
regulations. The latitude and longitude of the well may also be recorded
through the use of a handheld global positioning system (GPS) unit,
or other acceptable means.
The RIDEM well completion report shall be completed
and furnished to RIDEM and the Town Building Official within 15 business
days of completion of the yield test. The well completion report shall
be reviewed by the Town's Engineer within 15 business days to assess
the accuracy, completeness, and acceptability of the well construction
and yield test, and the ability of the well to provide a sufficient
water supply to meet the intended use of the property. Issuance of
a building permit from the Town Building Official shall be dependent
upon submission and approval of the well completion report by the
Town and the Town's Engineer.
In addition to the RIDEM well completion report,
the well owner shall complete the Town of Coventry well completion
form. The Town well completion form shall be completed and delivered
to the Town Building Official within 15 business days of completion
of the yield test. The Town well completion form shall be reviewed
by the Town's Engineer to assess the accuracy, completeness, and acceptability
of the well construction and yield test. Issuance of a building permit
from the Town Building Official shall be dependent upon submission
and approval of the Town well completion form by the Town and the
Town's Engineer.
The Town reserves the right to require additional
testing and/or monitoring of any well(s) to ensure adequate quantities
and quality of well water for the immediate users and abutting homeowners.
Such measures may include use of data loggers, pump tests, stream
gauges, drawdown tests, and monitoring wells respecting bedrock and
overburden wells. Incomplete or otherwise deficient well completion
reports or questionable yield results or construction details may
warrant a request for additional testing or assessments.
Nothing in this article shall preclude the emergency drilling of a drinking water well for a homeowner or tenant on an interim basis in the event a residence loses its water supply. If a well is drilled and installed under this provision, then the homeowner or tenant shall notify the Town Building Official no later than the next business day and will comply with all other provisions of §
242-5 of this article as soon as possible.
[Adopted 7-22-2013 by Ord. No. 07-13-291]
The Town Building Official is authorized to enforce the provisions of this article and to institute such proceedings, including proceedings to enjoin the use of groundwater prohibited by §
242-14, necessary to effectuate the requirements of this article. The Town Building Official shall also provide to the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management an annual report by September 1 of the number and nature of any violations of this article in the prior fiscal year ending June 30.
This article shall not apply to the use of groundwater from
any investigative monitoring well installed in connection with the
investigation or remediation of the former Town Landfill or by any
federal, state or local governmental authority.