[Effective 5-2-1988; amended 3-24-1997; 9-9-2015]
A.
Purpose. MGL c. 40, § 54 provides that no building permit
shall be issued for the construction of a building which would necessitate
the use of water therein, unless a supply of water is available there
either from a water system operated by a city, town or district, or
from a well located on the land where the building is to be constructed,
or from a water corporation or company, as defined in MGL c. 165,
§ 1. The Town of Sharon Board of Health, in view of the
fact that public water supply is not available in some sections of
Town, or that individual property owners may wish to secure their
own private source of drinking water, is of the opinion that, in the
interest of and for the protection of public health, the following
rules and regulations should be adopted.
B.
Authority: MGL c. 111, § 31 and in accordance with the
authority of Regulation 2.1 of Article I of the State Sanitary Code.
These regulations supersede all previous regulations adopted pursuant
to water wells by the Sharon Board of Health.
C.
ABANDONED WATER WELL
AGENT
AQUIFER
CASING
(1)
(2)
COMMISSION
DOMESTIC WELL
DRAWDOWN
HEAT PUMP WELLS
POTABLE WATER
PRIVATE WATER SUPPLY
REGULATING AUTHORITY
SEMI-PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY
STATIC WATER LEVEL
WATER SYSTEMS
WELL
WELL DRILLER
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated:
A well that has not been used for a period of one year or
more, unless the owner declares his intention to use the well again
for supplying water, within one year of the time use ceased.
Any person designated by the Sharon Board of Health.
A water-bearing geologic formation (consolidated or unconsolidated)
that transmits water in sufficient quantities to supply a well.
An impervious durable pipe placed in a hole to prevent the
walls from caving, and to seal off surface drainage or undesirable
water, gas or other fluids and prevent their entering the well. Specific
types include:
TEMPORARY CASINGA temporary casing placed in soft, sandy or caving surface formation to prevent the hole from caving during drilling.
PROTECTIVE CASINGThe principal well casing.
The Water Resources Commission established under Chapter
620 of the Acts of 1956.
A well used for domestic water supply with one service and/or
serving fewer than 25 people.
The measured distance between the static water level and
the pumping level.
Consists of a source well and a discharge well which could
be one and the same, provided it is a closed-loop system where nothing
is added to or taken from the water except heat and no air is in contact
with the return water. A heat pump delivers water by way of the source
well from an aquifer through a heat exchanger, and returns it to the
aquifer via the discharge well. The system utilizes the thermal energy
stored in groundwater for space heating or cooling.
Water that is safe for human consumption.
Any water system serving or intended to serve water for human
consumption or for domestic uses or purposes on one lot. The system
shall include all of the sources, treatment works, and distribution
lines to the point where distribution takes place within the building.
The Sharon Board of Health or its designee, which shall administer
regulations pertaining to water well construction.
Any water system serving or intended to serve water for human
consumption or for domestic uses or purposes, including a multiple
dwelling, or to restaurants, dairies, schools, institutions, motels,
mobile home parks, bottling plants, campgrounds, recreational camps
for children, state forests, parks, beaches.
The distance measured from established ground surface to
the water surface in a well not pumped, influenced by pumping nearby,
or flowing under artesian pressure.
Includes pipes, valves, fittings, tanks, pumps, motors, switches,
controls and appurtenances installed or used for the purpose of storage,
distribution, filtration, treatment or purification of water for any
use, whether or not inside a building.
Includes any pit, pipe excavation, spring, casing, drill
hole or other source of water to be used for any purpose of supplying
potable water in the Town of Sharon and shall include driven or tubular
wells, drilled wells (artesian or otherwise) and springs, gravel packed,
gravel walled in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Manual of
Individual Water Supply Systems. New dug wells are not permitted in
the Town of Sharon. (A dug well is simply an excavated hole lined
with rocks, bricks, or concrete pipe to prevent collapse. Because
they are shallow and relatively large in diameter, these wells, especially
those constructed with wooden lids and fieldstone lining, are very
susceptible to surface pollution, and are not recommended.) In addition,
wells used only for agricultural purposes are included in this definition.
Any person, association, partnership, company, corporation or trust that constructs a water well, licensed by the Water Resource Commission (Subsection F).
D.
General requirements.
(1)
No building permit for the facilities which the well is to serve
will be issued until the well is installed, completed, and has been
demonstrated to supply water of the quality and quantity specified
herein.
(2)
The well contractor shall observe sanitary measures and precautions
in the performance of his work in order to prevent pollution or contamination
of the well.
(3)
Well drillers must be registered with the Massachusetts Water
Resources Commission.
(4)
The owners of a semi-public water supply shall possess and display
an unrevoked permit from the Board of Health which signifies the status
of sanitary protection, maintenance, operation and improvements recommended.
(5)
Pump houses or pump rooms shall be kept in sanitary condition
at all times. Also, the size of the room should be no larger than
necessary to house the pumping and the electrical equipment involved
in the water system. Lawnmowers, snowblowers, or other gas-driven
engines shall not be stored in the pump room. Insecticides, herbicides
and/or fertilizers and the like shall not be stored in the pump room.
(6)
Pump houses, pump or pipe pits and wells shall be designed and
constructed so as to prevent flooding and otherwise to prevent the
entrance of pollution or contaminants.
(7)
Pump houses, pump rooms and pitless adapters shall be installed
in accordance with the "Individual Water System" manual.
(8)
No person shall install or enter into a contract for installing
or making additions, modification, or alterations to any semi-public
water supply before submitting complete plans, specifications and
descriptions to the Board of Health, and receiving from it written
approval. Private and semi-public water supply systems shall be approved
by the Board of Health before a building permit is issued.
(9)
Any abandoned well shall be filled and sealed with clean sand
or other inert material in such a manner as to prevent it from acting
as a channel for pollution to the groundwater. Prior to destruction
of any well, a well destruction permit must be obtained from the Board
of Health. The Board of Health will require a site plan showing the
well location prior to issuance of the well destruction permit. Within
30 days after completion of the destruction of any private well, the
well owner or well driller, acting as agent for the well owner, shall
submit to the Board of Health a report containing the following:
(10)
Every private potable well serving property which is rented
or leased must have its water tested for total coliform bacteria,
pH, sodium, and nitrate at a minimum of once every five years. Where
water quality problems are known to exist, the Board of Health may
require more frequent testing. Results of water quality tests shall
be made available to all tenants of the property. In cases where the
well water does not meet the water quality standards for the four
water quality parameters mentioned above as outlined in § 300-14.2J,
the Board of Health may require the property owner to provide an alternative
approved source of drinking water for the tenant.
(11)
Prior to selling, conveying, or transferring title to real property
in the Town of Sharon, the owner thereof shall have tested the water
of every private potable well serving that property. A water sample
from each well shall be submitted to a state-certified laboratory
for testing of total coliform bacteria, pH, sodium, and nitrate. Results
of the water test shall be submitted to the Board of Health prior
to property transfer on a form provided by the Board of Health on
which the owner will certify that the sample(s) was taken from the
well(s) serving the property being transferred. In addition, the owner
shall give copies of all water test results of which he has knowledge
(regardless of age of results) for the private potable well in question
to any buyer and/or broker identified with the transfer. In the event
that there is no buyer at the time the water is tested, a copy of
all water test results must be given by the owner to the buyer before
the property is put under agreement. This regulation shall not apply
to the conveyance or devise of a property to a surviving spouse or
to any of the heirs or devisees of the property owner, and, further,
shall not apply to a sale under power of sale in a bona fide mortgage
affecting the property. Furthermore, in the case when a particular
piece of real estate is transferred to different owners several times
during a five-year period, one sampling and testing of water quality
is considered valid for five years.
(12)
All wells used only for agricultural purposes are required to
have a sealed system.
E.
Application to type of well. These standards shall apply to all types of wells described in Subsection C. Before a change in existing well use is made, the new use shall comply with requirements specified herein.
F.
Registration of well drillers. No person shall engage in the business
of constructing wells within the Town of Sharon unless he is registered
with the Water Resources Commission, Division of Water Resources,
as required by Water Well Drillers Registration Act (313 CMR; MGL
c. 21, §§ 11 through 16).
G.
Installer's (driller's) report. Within 30 days after completion of
any water well (productive or nonproductive), there shall be a report
submitted to the Sharon Board of Health containing the name of the
owner of the well, the geographic location of the well (this can be
plotted on the plot plan using two-foot contour lines as required
by the septic system designer), well depth, depth to bedrock or refusal,
casing type, casing size and casing length, well screen type and screen
length, and well screen depth set, static water level, method used
to test well yield, length of time (in hours) well was pumped, drawdown,
well yield, and drilling logs describing the material penetrated.
Report forms may be issued by the Board of Health upon request.
H.
Special standards and well construction permits.
(1)
Special standard. In locations where geologic or hydrologic
conditions require more restrictive or additional standards than those
described herein, such special standards may be required by the Board
of Health and/or the Department of Environmental Quality Engineers.
(2)
Well construction permits.
(a)
A well permit shall be obtained from the Board of Health prior
to the construction of any water well or well system (this includes
major rework or repair of existing water wells). No permit shall be
issued for the construction of a subsurface sewage disposal system
to serve a building which necessitates the use of potable water from
a well located on the land where the building is or is to be constructed,
until a well has been established and the Board of Health has determined
that a safe and adequate supply of water is available therefrom.
(b)
An application for a water well permit must be submitted to
the Board of Health by the property owner or his agent or well contractor
on forms furnished by the Board. It is the responsibility of the well
installer to see that a permit has been obtained prior to well construction.
(c)
The location, design and operation of the well must be approved
by the Board of Health or its agent prior to construction.
I.
Conforming. The well must conform to existing Massachusetts General
Laws at the time of application, i.e., Title 5, Wetlands Protection
Act.
J.
Permit fee: $50.
A.
Restriction. There shall be one well for each lot as stated in MGL
c. 40, § 54. Any lot of less than 40,000 square feet in
area shall be deemed too small for both water supply and sewage disposal
on the same lot.
B.
Well location with respect to contaminants and pollutants.
(1)
In establishing the location of a water well, the installer
shall give consideration to sources of contamination which exist on
or adjacent to the site. All water supply wells shall be located an
adequate horizontal distance from potential sources of contamination
and pollution. Such sources of contamination and pollution may include,
but are not limited to: a high-density development (more than one
household septic tank per one-acre lot); sanitary landfills; auto
junkyards; sewage treatment facilities with on-site disposal of primary
or secondary effluent; car washes; vehicular service operations; road
salt stockpiles; dry-cleaning establishments; cabinet making; electronic
circuit assembly; metalplating; finishing and polishing; commercial
paint, wood preserving and furniture stripping; sites where pesticides
and herbicides are regularly applied, including golf courses and cranberry
bogs; animal lots; photographic processing; printing; chemical and
bacteriological laboratories; and any principal use involving the
sale, storage, or transportation of fuel or oil.
(2)
Variable geologic and hydrologic conditions make it impossible
to establish regulations to suit all conditions. The following minimum
lateral distances shall apply to common sources of contamination listed:
|
Sources of Contamination
|
Minimum Lateral Distances
(feet)
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Subsurface disposal facilities
|
125
| ||
|
Where soil percolation is greater than or equal to 6 minutes
an inch
| |||
|
Subsurface disposal fields
|
125
| ||
|
Where soil percolation is less than 6 minutes per inch
| |||
|
Cesspools, seepage pits
|
150
| ||
|
Public ways
|
100
| ||
|
Leaching fields
|
125
| ||
|
Septic tank, distribution box, dosing tank
|
75
| ||
|
Underground petroleum storage tank
|
1,000
| ||
|
Sewers (watertight joints)
|
75
| ||
|
Footing drains
|
50
| ||
|
Surface water
|
50
| ||
|
Property line
|
50
| ||
(3)
Where, in the opinion of the Board of Health, adverse conditions
exist, distances may be increased. In certain cases, special means
of protection may be provided. Where possible, the well shall be up
the groundwater gradient (upstream) from sources of contamination.
The top of a well shall be above ground that is higher than any surface
sources of contamination and above any known conditions of flooding
by drainage of runoff from the surrounding land, unless located in
a floodproof well-house. Wells must be constructed so as to maintain
existing natural protection against pollution of the groundwater and
to exclude all known sources of pollution from entering the well.
C.
Casing.
(1)
Casing material. Well casing shall be sufficiently strong to
perform the functions for which it is designed; i.e., to maintain
the hole by preventing wall collapse, to provide a conduit for water
conveyance, and to maintain the quality of water pumped. Permanent
wells shall be cased with not less than Schedule 40 steel, or not
less than Schedule 40 PVC plastic, concrete or other durable pipe
material. The thickness of casing shall be selected in accordance
with good design practice as applied to conditions encountered in
the area where the well is located.
(2)
A well casing or extension thereof shall extend vertically for
at least 18 inches above established ground surface, or above the
floor of an approved pump pit or the elevation of one-hundred-year
flood, whichever is greater. The Board of Health or its agent may
approve, in writing, a casing termination two inches, or greater,
above the established ground surface in paved areas if the area is
not subject to flooding or contamination and the connections and openings
are threaded or welded watertight.
(3)
All casing shall be placed with sufficient care to avoid damage
to casing sections and joints. All casing joints above perforations
or screens shall be watertight.
(4)
Water well pipe salvaged from water test holes or nonproductive
holes may be used as new pipe if in good condition. Pipe intended
for water well use is subject to random examination by the regulating
agency, which shall reject defective pipe. Pipe that is considered
defective includes, but is not limited to:
(5)
Pipes and equipment.
(a)
All service pipes and connections shall be nontoxic materials
approved by the New England Water Works Association.
(b)
The installation of pipes shall be such that they are protected
from crushing, freezing and attack by rodents.
(c)
Dissimilar metals should be discouraged in the water system.
The use of nonconductive plastic inserts between pipes and fittings
or the installation of sacrificial anodes is helpful in minimizing
electrical corrosion problems.
(d)
Electrical service grounds shall not be attached to the water
piping. All electrical service and controls of the well must be permitted,
inspected and approved according to Town and state regulations.
(e)
All plumbing is to comply with the Massachusetts State Plumbing
Code.
D.
Protective seal at land surface. The annular space between the protective
well casing and the wall of the drilled hole or the surface casing
shall be effectively sealed to protect against contamination or pollution
by surface and/or shallow, subsurface waters. This shall be accomplished
in accordance with guidelines set forth below:
(1)
Depth of seal.
(a)
Following is the minimum depth of seal below ground surface
for various uses of wells:
|
Type
|
Depth of Surface Seal
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Local water supply wells
|
20
| |
|
Domestic wells
|
6
|
(b)
Exceptions are shallow wells where the water is at a depth less
than 20 feet. In this instance, the depth of seal may be reduced,
and special precautions shall be taken in locating the well with respect
to possible sources of contamination.
(c)
The annular space shall be sealed to a minimum depth of 20 feet from the surface of the ground when the well is close to individual domestic wells or to sources of contamination or pollution described under Well Construction, Subsection B. Local conditions, such as the existence of shallow, subsurface waters of undesirable quality, may warrant consideration of sealing the annular space around agricultural wells.
(2)
Sealing conditions. Following are requirements for sealing the
protective casing of a well:
(a)
(b)
Wells that penetrate impervious formations. If a consolidated formation or an impervious unconsolidated formation is encountered within five feet of the specified depth of seal described in Subsection D(1) of this section, the seal should extend at least five feet into the impervious formation.
(c)
Gravel-packed wells. The gravel pack of gravel-packed wells
shall terminate at the base of the protective seal.
(d)
Wells penetrating consolidated rock. A hole of sufficient diameter
to accommodate protective casing must be constructed and the annular
space between the rock and casing sealed to a depth specified in this
section.
[1]
Sealing material.
[a]
The sealing material shall consist of neat cement,
cement grout, puddled clay, or concrete. Organic polymer muds shall
not be allowed. The neat cement mixture shall be composed of one bag
of Portland cement (94 pounds) to five gallons to seven gallons of
clean water.
[b]
Quick-setting cement, retardants to setting, and
other additives, including hydrated lime to make the mix more fluid
(up to 10% of the volume of the cement), and Bentonite (up to 5%)
to make the mix more fluid and to reduce shrinkage may be used. Concrete
used shall be "class B" (six sacks to the cubic yard) or "Class B"
(five sacks to the cubic yard).
|
*
|
Clay in the form of a mud-laden fluid is similar to and has
the advantage of neat cement and cement grout. There is a disadvantage
in that clay may separate out of the fluid. A bentonite-gelatinous
mud is recommended. Concrete is useful in sealing large-diameter wells,
particularly where the width of annular ring is several inches or
more. However, unless care is exercised during placement, the coarse
aggregate may become separated from the cement.
|
[2]
Thickness of seal. The thickness of the seal shall
be at least one inch, and not less than three times the size of the
largest coarse aggregate used in the sealing material.
[3]
Placement of seal. The sealing material shall be
installed in one continuous operation from the bottom of the interval
to be sealed to the top.
[4]
Sealing casing into bedrock. For all wells which
terminate in bedrock, a permanent casing shall extend from six inches
above the ground or floor of a pit into bedrock a minimum of 10 feet
below the bedrock surface.
E.
Well screens. A well installed in an unconsolidated sand and gravel
aquifer commonly has a screen. Screen openings shall be properly sized,
based on sieve analysis of material at the screen depth. The well
shall be properly developed to produce sand-free water at the pumping
rate of the permanent pump.
F.
Sealing off strata. Where a well penetrates aquifers separated by
confining layers and any of the aquifers contain water that would
be a contaminant, contaminated strata shall be sealed to prevent entrance
of the water into the well or its migration to other aquifer(s).
(1)
The contaminated stratum shall be sealed by placing impermeable
material in the annular space between the protective casing and the
contaminated stratum. The seal shall extend into the upper and lower
confining formations for a sufficient vertical distance to prevent
the vertical movement of water from the producing formation. Sufficient
sealing material shall be installed to fill the annular space between
the casing and the wall in the drilled hole along the sealed interval
and to fill the voids which might absorb sealing material. Sealing
material shall be placed from the bottom to the top of the sealed
interval.
G.
Disinfection and other sanitary requirements. All local water supply,
domestic and industrial wells shall be disinfected following construction,
rehabilitation and well pump repair before the well is placed in service.
The well shall be pumped to waste until the water is as clear as possible.
Thereafter, the well and pumping equipment shall be disinfected with
a solution containing at least 50 ppm of chlorine. The well shall
remain in contact with chlorine solution a minimum of 24 hours before
the well is pumped to waste and chlorine flushed from the distribution
system. All water used in well drilling shall be disinfected.
H.
Surface construction features.
(1)
Openings. Openings into the top of the well which are not to
provide access shall be sealed. All access openings into the well
shall be protected against entrance of surface water.
(a)
Where the pump is installed on top of the well, a watertight
seal shall be placed between the pump head and the pump base (slab).
(b)
Where the pump is offset from the well or the well is equipped
with a submersible pump, the opening between the protective casing
and any distribution pipes or support electrical cables which enter
the well shall have a watertight seal.
(c)
All holes into the pump that are open to the well shall be sealed.
(d)
All wells equipped with a pump shall have a watertight cap at
all times.
(e)
All below-ground discharge pipes shall have a watertight seal
or gasket between the discharge pipe and well casing.
(f)
Any concrete base or slab (sometimes called a "pump block" or
"pump pedestal") constructed around the top of a casing shall be watertight
and free from cracks for at least six inches above the pump chamber
floor.
(2)
Pump blowoff. Any pump discharge blowoff or drain line shall
be located so as to not be affected by flooding, backsiphonage, or
backpressure, and shall not be connected to a sewer.
I.
Well development.
(1)
All well development and rehabilitation shall be done with care
and by methods that will not cause damage to the well, degrade groundwater
purity, or alter subsurface conditions to allow vertical movement
of contaminated water between aquifers. The following methods used
in developing or conditioning a well, when done with care, are acceptable:
(2)
Methods which produce an explosion are prohibited. Where chemicals
have been used, the well shall be pumped until all trace of these
agents has been removed.
J.
Water quality sampling. The well driller (installer) shall collect
samples in the presence of a representative of the Board of Health.
Water quality sampling shall be conducted in accordance with the following
requirements:
(1)
Local, domestic, and potable water supply wells. The water from
local, domestic, industrial, and commercial potable water supply wells
shall be sampled immediately following development and disinfection.
Chemical and bacteriological analysis shall be made, and approval
of the Board of Health must be obtained before the well is used.
(a)
Sample tap. A representative sample for laboratory analysis shall
be collected at pump discharge or from a tap in the pump discharge
line, iced, picked up within 24 hours and delivered to a state-certified
water quality testing laboratory.
(2)
Laboratory analysis. Required water analysis shall be performed
by a laboratory certified by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Quality Engineering. A copy of the laboratory analysis results shall
be forwarded to the local Board of Health and the well owner.
(3)
Bacterial quality.
(a)
Water samples for bacteriological analysis (presence of coliform
organism) shall be collected from domestic water supplies after development
and after all traces of disinfectant chemicals have been removed from
the well. The results of the bacteriological analysis shall meet the
standards specified in 310 CMR 22.00 (Massachusetts Drinking Water
Regulations).
(b)
Coliform count not to exceed 1/100 ml @ 35° C. Standard
plate count not to exceed 100/100 ml @ 35° C.
(4)
Chemical and mineral quality.
(a)
All groundwater produced where the water is to be used for consumption
or for food processing shall be analyzed for its chemical and mineral
content. The results of the chemical and mineral analysis shall meet
the following standards:
|
Chemical and Mineral Quality
| ||
|
Arsenic
|
Not to exceed 0.05 ppm
| |
|
Copper
|
Not to exceed 1.0 ppm
| |
|
Color
|
Not to exceed 15.0 units
| |
|
Turbidity
|
Not to exceed 1 turbidity unit
| |
|
Odor
|
Not to exceed 3 threshold
| |
|
**Sodium
|
Not to exceed 20 mg/l
| |
|
pH
|
Between 6.5 and 8.5
| |
|
Chloride
|
Not to exceed 250 mg/l
| |
|
Total iron
|
Not to exceed 0.3 mg/l
| |
|
Total hardness
|
Not to exceed 50 mg/l
| |
|
Sulfate
|
Not to exceed 250 mg/l
| |
|
Manganese
|
Not to exceed 0.005 mg/l
| |
|
Nitrogen-nitrite
|
Not to exceed 1 mg/l
| |
|
Nitrogen-nitrate
|
Not to exceed 10 mg/l
| |
|
Organics
|
EPA method 524 - not to exceed standards
| |
|
**
|
This standard is included to inform the prospective homeowners.
Failure does not constitute disapproval of the well.
|
(b)
Failure to meet these standards shall require treatment where
applicable. Failure to meet these standards after treatment will constitute
disapproval of the well.
(c)
The Board of Health strongly recommends that all wells (new
and existing) be tested at a minimum of every two years for the presence
of coliform bacteria, nitrates and sodium and at more frequent intervals
when water quality problems are suspect or known to exist.
(d)
The Board of Health may require additional tests as local conditions
warrant if, in its opinion, they are necessary to protect the public
health and welfare.
(e)
A description of wells considered at high risk for contamination and the recommended frequency of testing is contained in § 300-16.3 of these regulations.
(f)
Note: Agricultural wells are exempt from the requirements of
this section.
K.
Yield test.
(1)
All wells shall be tested to determine yield and water level
recovery. All test records and analysis of safe yield shall be submitted
to the Board of Health. Test pumping shall be conducted at a rate
at least equal to the pumping rate expected during normal use (usually
three gallons to five gallons per minute at 40 psi for domestic wells).
The pump test shall be conducted for a period of four hours and repeated
after a shut down of 24 hours.
(2)
The pumping test shall be performed by a licensed pump or well
installer.
(3)
Minimum yield requirements:
|
Well Depth
(feet)
|
Minimum Gallons/Minimum for 4 Hours
| |
|---|---|---|
|
0 to 150
|
5 to 6
| |
|
150 to 200
|
4
| |
|
200 to 300
|
2 to 3
| |
|
300 and over
|
1 to 2
|
(a)
The above applies to a single-family residence. For multiple-family
dwellings, multiply above by the number of dwelling units to be served
by the single well.
(4)
The well, after pump testing, shall recover to within 85% of
the original static water level within a twenty-four-hour period.
(5)
Pressure tanks for individual home installations shall have
a minimum capacity of 42 gallons.
(6)
Auxiliary power must be available to maintain a water supply
for multiple dwellings.
L.
Alignment. A well shall be plumb to allow proper installation and
pump operation.
M.
Special provisions for large-diameter (ten-inch-or-larger diameter)
shallow wells.
(1)
Bored wells. All bored wells shall be cased with concrete pipe or steel casing whose joints are watertight from six inches above surface to the depth specified in Subsection D(1). The space between the wall of the hole and the casing shall be filled with concrete to the depth specified in Subsection D(1). The minimum thickness of the surrounding concrete seal shall be three inches.
(2)
Casing material. Either steel or concrete may be used for casing
bored wells.
(a)
Steel used in the manufacture of casing for bored wells should conform to the specifications for casing material described in Subsection B (Schedule 40 steel or Schedule 40 PVC plastic).
(b)
Concrete casing.
[1]
Concrete casing may consist of either poured-in-place
or precast concrete pipe. Poured-in-place concrete shall be sufficiently
strong to withstand the earth and water pressure imposed on it. It
shall be properly reinforced with steel to furnish tensile strength
and to resist cracking and it shall be free from honeycombing or other
defects likely to impair the ability of the concrete structure to
remain watertight. Aggregate small enough to ensure proper placement
without "bridging" shall be used. Only "air entraining" cement shall
be used in water well construction.
[2]
Precast concrete pipe is usually composed of concrete rings from one foot to six feet in diameter and approximately three feet to eight feet long. To serve satisfactorily as casing, these rings shall be free of any blemishes that would impair their strength or serviceability. In the portion of the well that is to be sealed (see Subsections B, C, of this section), the joints shall be made watertight using a cement-based (not brick mortar) material.
(3)
Covers. All bored wells shall be provided with a structurally
sound cover to prevent injury to people or animals and to prevent
the entrance of undesirable water or foreign matter.
N.
Temporary cover. Whenever there is an interruption in work on the
well such as overnight shutdown, inclement weather, waiting periods
for the setting up of sealing materials or concrete, tests, installation
of the pump, etc., the well opening shall be closed with a cover to
ensure the public safety and to prevent the introduction of undesirable
material into the well. During interruptions of one week or more,
a semi-permanent cover shall be installed. For a well cased with steel,
a steel cover, tack-welded to the top of the casing, is adequate.
O.
Reuse of water and disposal wells. Water used for cooling parts of
engines, air compressors or other equipment, or water used for air
conditioning, shall not be returned to any part of a potable water
system or potable aquifer unless the water was obtained from the same
aquifer into which it is being discharged, and the discharge water
is of equal or better mineralogical and bacteriological quality as
the source.
P.
Repair or deepening of wells. All deepening or repair of wells shall
meet all the requirements included in these regulations and shall
be done with a permit.
Q.
Water storage reservoirs. Installation of a water storage reservoir,
but not an approved water pressure tank, requires approval of and
a permit from the Board of Health or its agent.
R.
Notice of pollution. An owner or occupant using a polluted water
supply or a supply that represents a health hazard shall be notified
of the health hazard, in writing, by the Board of Health or its agent
(MGL c. 111, § 122A), when such hazard is brought to the
Board's attention.
S.
Other water sources and cross-connections. Permission may be granted
by the Board of Health or its agent to use springs, infiltration tile
lines, or other sources as a water supply, or to install water treatment
facilities. Plans and specifications for such facilities, together
with operating procedures, shall be approved by the Board of Health.
A physical connection is not permitted between a water supply meeting
the requirements of these regulations and another water supply that
does not meet such requirements without prior approval of the Board
of Health.
T.
Enforcement and variance procedures.
(1)
Variances.
(a)
Variances may be granted only as follows: The Board of Health
may vary the application of any of these regulations (except where
expressly forbidden elsewhere in these regulations) with respect to
any particular case when, in its opinion:
(b)
Every request for a variance shall be made in writing and shall
state the specific variance and the reasons therefor. Any variance
granted by the Board of Health shall be in writing. Any denial of
a variance shall also be in writing and shall contain a brief statement
of the reason for the denial. A copy of each variance shall contain
a brief statement of the reason for the denial. A copy of each variance
shall be conspicuously posted for 30 days following its issuance;
and shall be available to the public at all reasonable hours in the
office of the Town Clerk or office of the Board of Health while it
is in effect.
(2)
Variance, grant of special permission. Expiration, modification,
suspension of any variance or other modification authorized to be
made by these regulations may be subject to such qualification, revocation,
suspension, or expiration as the Board of Health expresses in its
grant. A variance or other modification authorized to be made by these
regulations may otherwise be revoked, modified or suspended in whole
or in part, only after the holder thereof has been notified in writing
and has been given an opportunity to be heard, in conformity with
the requirements of Title 1 (310 CMR 11.00) for orders and hearings.
(3)
General enforcement. The provisions of Title 1 of the Environmental
Code (310 CMR 11.00) shall govern the enforcement of these regulations
as supplemented by the following regulations.
(4)
Orders: service and content.
(a)
If an examination as provided for in Title 1 (310 CMR 11.00)
reveals failure to comply with the provisions of these regulations,
the Board of Health shall order the persons responsible to comply
with the violated provision.
(b)
Every order authorized by these regulations shall be in writing.
Orders issued under the provisions of 310 CMR 11.00 shall be served
on all persons responsible for the violated regulations. All orders
shall be served on the designated person:
[1]
Personally, by any person authorized to serve civil
process; or
[2]
By any person authorized to serve civil process
by leaving a copy of the order at his last place of abode; or
[3]
By sending him a copy of the order by registered
or certified mail, return receipt requested, if he is within the commonwealth;
or
[4]
If his last and usual place of abode is unknown
or outside the commonwealth, by posting a copy of the order in a conspicuous
place on or about the premises and by advertising it for at least
three out of five consecutive days in one or more newspapers of general
circulation within the municipality wherein the building or premises
affected is situated.
(5)
Appeals. Any person aggrieved by the final decision of the Board
of Health may seek relief therefrom within 30 days in any court of
competent jurisdiction, as provided by the laws of this commonwealth.
(6)
Penalties.
(a)
Any person who shall violate any provision of these regulations
for which a penalty is not otherwise provided in any of the General
Laws or in any other provision of these regulations or Title 1 (310
CMR 11.00) shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than $50 nor
more than $500.
(b)
Any person who shall fail to comply with any order issued pursuant
to the provisions of these regulations shall, upon conviction, be
fined not less than $50 nor more than $500. Each day's failure to
comply with an order shall constitute a separate violation.
U.
Severability: So far as the Board of Health may provide, each section
of these rules and regulations shall be construed as separate, and
if any section, item, sentence, clause or phrase shall be held invalid
for any reason, the remainder of these rules and regulations shall
continue in full force and effect.
A.
The attached well water standards will apply to all new wells drilled
after the adoption of these regulations. The Board of Health would
like to point out that the wells drilled prior to January 1988 may
not meet these standards and may be at high risk for contamination
if:
(1)
They are not located an adequate horizontal distance from potential sources of contamination and pollution as outlined in § 300-16.2B;
(2)
Environmental conditions surrounding the well have been adversely impacted as described in § 300-16.2B since the last test of water quality; and
(3)
They are dug wells which are shallow, relatively large in diameter
and thus susceptible to surface pollution.
B.
Therefore, in order to better ensure water quality, the Board of
Health recommends more frequent testing of water quality in some cases.
(1)
Dug wells shall be tested for nitrates/nitrites and coliform
bacteria annually.
(2)
Wells located within a high-density development (more than one
household septic tank per one-acre lot) shall be tested for nitrates/nitrites
and coliform bacteria annually.
(3)
Wells located less than 100 feet from a public way shall be
tested for nitrates/nitrites and sodium annually.
(4)
Wells located closer than permitted in these regulations to
potential sources of contamination or located in high-risk areas should
test their water for nitrates/nitrites and bacteria as soon as it
is noted that members of the household have become ill from chronic
diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis or other suspect ailments or if they
notice a change in the color, taste, or odor of the water.
