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 chapter until a drilling permit has been issued.
A.
All sections and provisions of this chapter 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 § 335-3B of this chapter.
B.
Geothermal wells shall only be constructed as part of closed-loop geothermal systems. Open-loop geothermal systems are prohibited.
A.
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.
B.
Water supply well construction in a floodplain. Wells shall not be located within a 100-year FEMA FIRM floodplain unless the well is fitted with a waterproof and airtight cap.
C.
Minimum setback distance. Wells and boreholes regulated by this chapter 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 |
Storm drains, retention basins, stabilization ponds or stormwater management facilities | 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 |
Rainwater pits, ditches | 25 | 10 |
Domestic spray irrigation sites, sewage sludge and septage disposal sites | 100 | 25 |
Dedicated public rights-of-way | 20 | 10 |
Building foundations (except for buildings enclosing water wells, water well pumps, and/or any other source of pollution as approved) | 20 | 10 |
Existing well | 15 | |
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, PADEP, or Adams County Conservation District regulations and/or guidelines.
All well and borehole construction projects shall be constructed in accordance with the technical standards of the Adams County Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems.
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 Adams County Construction Standards and Material Specifications for Wells and Geothermal Systems.