The purpose of this chapter is to:
A. 
Promote and protect the health and welfare of the residents of Liberty Township by conserving the water supply and protecting the quality, quantity, and suitability of groundwater resources;
B. 
Secure and maintain the minimum required isolation distances between individual water supplies and potential sources of contamination;
C. 
Set forth standards for the construction of wells and boreholes that are not otherwise regulated.
This chapter 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 chapter:
A. 
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).
B. 
Horizontal geothermal systems constructed in pits, trenches, ditches, or in horizontal directional borings.
C. 
Monitoring wells whose construction and operation is overseen by DEP.
D. 
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.
E. 
Utility trenches.
F. 
Foundations, pilings, and other soil and/or bedrock penetrations which are an integral part of building construction.
G. 
Normal routine maintenance and minor repairs to keep a well or borehole in good working order.
H. 
Wells that are completed and fully operational as of the effective date of this chapter.
Approval granted under this chapter for a well or boring does not constitute any guarantee or warranty by Liberty 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 Liberty Township, or its officers, agents, or employees, by virtue of the terms of this chapter. The drilling permit solely provides the approval to drill a well or boring at the site shown on the application in compliance with this chapter and the Adams County Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems 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.
Any other Liberty Township ordinance provision or regulation inconsistent with any of the provisions of this chapter is hereby repealed to give this chapter full force and effect to the extent of the inconsistency only.
In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction declares any section, clause, or provision of this chapter invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of any of the remaining sections, clauses, or provisions of this chapter.