[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of Colebrookdale Township 1-5-1998 by Ord. No. 4-98. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The intention of this chapter is to ensure and protect the quality and suitability of domestic water supply, and to secure and maintain the minimum required isolation distances between water supplies and sewage disposal systems or other sources of contamination.
This chapter shall apply to all wells which have not been completed and wells which are not in operation or are in an inoperable condition at the time of the enactment of this chapter.
The following standards shall apply for water supplies:
A. 
Drilled and driven wells.
(1) 
Location. Drilled and driven wells shall be located at a point free from flooding and at the following minimum distances to existing or possible future sources of pollution:
Source of Pollution
Minimum Distance
(feet)
Storm drains
25
Drains carrying domestic sewage or industrial wastes
50
Septic or holding tanks
50
Surface/subsurface sewage disposal fields
100
Sewage seepage pits, cesspools
100
Privies
50
Fuel tanks
As approved
Other (ditches, streams, barnyards, rainwater pits, etc.)
As approved
Additional location restrictions
Driveways
10
Principal structure/dwelling
20
Property lines
10
B. 
Construction
(1) 
Source. The source of supply shall be from a water-bearing formation drawn not less than 100 feet from the ground surface, with at least 20 feet of properly grouted well casing, and from no formation which is subject to pollution.
(2) 
Casing
(a) 
The well shall have a watertight and durable wrought-iron, steel, or other type of approved casing with a normal thickness of 3/16 inch and six-and-five-eights-inch outside diameter. The sections shall be joined together by threaded couplings, joints, by welding or any other watertight, approved joint or coupling.
(b) 
The casing shall be carried to a minimum depth of 20 feet from the finished grade, and in any case shall be extended 10 feet into bedrock or other impervious strata. Driven wells shall be provided with a drive shoe or other effective casing seal.
(c) 
An annular space shall be provided between the well casing and the earth formation of a radius at least 1 1/2 inches greater than the casing radius, excluding coupling for internal pressure grouting, or 1 1/2 inches greater than the casing radius, excluding coupling for external grouting. The annular space shall be completely filled with impervious cement grout or equivalent sealing material from bottom of the casing to within five feet of the ground surface. External grouting shall be accomplished utilizing a tremie pipe and grout pump to force out any standing water on the outside of the well casing.
(d) 
The casing shall be sealed effectively against entrance of water from water-bearing formations which are subject to pollution, through which the casing may pass. If casings of smaller diameter are used in the lower portions of the well, effective watertight seals shall be provided between the casings where they telescope. In such instances, sections of casing shall telescope for a minimum distance of four feet.
(e) 
The top of the well casing shall extend a minimum of eight inches to 12 inches above the finished grade of the lot so that contaminated water or other substances cannot enter the well through the annular opening at the top of the well casing, wall or pipe sleeve.
(3) 
Well covers.
(a) 
Every potable water well shall be equipped with an overlapping cover at the top of the well casing or pipe sleeve. Covers shall extend downward at least two inches over the outside of the well casing or wall. All well caps shall indicate well driller's name, depth of well, and depth of casing.
(b) 
Where pump sections or discharge pipes enter or leave a well through the side of the casing, the circle of contact shall be water tight. The use of plastic/nylon adapters for this purpose is not acceptable. A brass pitless adapter with brass connectors or equivalent are required.
(c) 
Any restoration/repair of wells with casing terminating below grade shall be raised above grade to eight inches to 12 inches minimum.
(d) 
Electrical wiring for well pumps shall be encased in conduit from the bottom of the water supply line trench to the well cap.
(4) 
Surface drainage. All potable water wells and springs shall be constructed so that surface drainage will be diverted away from the well or spring.
(5) 
Pump enclosure. Any pump room or any enclosure around a well pump shall be drained and protected from freezing by heating or other approved means. Where pumps are installed in basements, they shall be mounted on a block or shelf not less than 18 inches above the basement floor. Well pits shall be prohibited.
C. 
Flow requirements. This chapter places no restrictions on quantity of water. The acceptability of water quantity is the sole responsibility of the property owner.
D. 
Well certifications.
(1) 
Driller's report. A report for each well shall be prepared by the driller and shall be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer for evaluation and approval. The well report shall contain the following pertinent information:
Owner of property
Address and lot number
Date of completion
Depth of casing
Depth of well
Static water level
Well driller
Yield in gals./min.
Type and size of casing
Grouting certificate
Type of test pump used
Pump output-gal./min.
(2) 
Water quality. Subsequent to house construction, but prior to or concurrent with the "request for occupancy" the owner/contractor shall initiate appropriate action to have the on-site water supply tested by a certified laboratory, then provide to Colebrookdale Township a laboratory report containing the following information:[1]
Total coliform
Fecal coliform
Iron
Nitrates
Hardness: equivalent calcium carbonates
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Subsection E, Dug wells, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
E. 
Springs. This section of the specification is to be used for the reconstruction of existing springs only. Before rehabilitation shall begin on an existing spring, a report shall be made to determine the advisability of said reconstruction, which shall include as a minimum, quality and quantity of water. Springs for new construction are not considered an adequate water supply and will not be considered as valid for the issuance of a building permit. Reconstructed springs shall be completely enclosed by walls and a cover of reinforced concrete or equally durable watertight material. The cover shall have a firm foundation so as to effectively prevent settling. The uphill wall shall be so constructed as to prevent entrance of surface water. Where manhole covers are used, the manhole shall be at least 24 inches in diameter. It shall extend at least three inches above the surrounding ground surface and be covered by an impervious durable cover of concrete, steel, or equivalent material which overlaps the manhole vertically by at least two inches. The manhole cover shall be effectively secured to the manhole by bolting, locking, or equivalent means, and shall be kept so secured.
F. 
Abandoned water supplies.
(1) 
Wells, springs, cisterns, and water storage tanks, which are no longer in use shall be removed, filled, or otherwise maintained in a condition such as to prevent access by unauthorized persons or animals to prevent accidental injury, and to effectively prevent pollution of ground water. Abandoned wells shall be completely filled with cement or equal impervious material.
(2) 
Wells and springs shall not be used for the disposal of liquid, gaseous, and/or solid wastes.
G. 
Water service.
(1) 
Size of water service pipe. The minimum diameter of water service pipe shall be 3/4 inch.
(2) 
Separation of water service and building sewer/drain. Water service pipe shall be installed in compliance with the PA UCC and the International Plumbing Code.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
A. 
No construction, drilling, digging, reconstruction, major repair, or other change of or for any well/water supply for the production of water for domestic purposes shall commence unless the property owner, or his/her duly authorized agent, shall apply for and receive a permit of such construction activity from the Township of Colebrookdale.
B. 
Application for a well permit shall be made upon a form supplied by the Township of Colebrookdale and shall be submitted to the Township Secretary or Code Enforcement Officer for review and approval.
C. 
The application shall set forth the following:
(1) 
Name(s) of property owners.
(2) 
Address or location of property.
(3) 
Scale/sketch of premises showing proposed location of well, buildings, septic tanks, drain fields, and boundary lines.
(4) 
Name and license number of well driller.
A. 
Upon receipt of an application for a well permit, the Township, through its duly authorized Code Enforcement Officer, shall within seven days perform an inspection of the premises on which the well is to be constructed. The inspection shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the provisions of Chapter 434, Sewers and Sewage Disposal.
B. 
Upon completion of the inspection, the Code Enforcement Officer shall either:
(1) 
Issue a permit to the applicant indicating the approved location for the well and special instructions for construction, if any; or
(2) 
Refuse to issue the permit, and, in such event, shall provide the applicant with written reasons for such refusal.
All permits shall be issued on a form provided by the Township of Colebrookdale, which shall be executed by the duly authorized Code Enforcement Officer. All permits shall be issued to the property owners or their duly authorized representative/well driller.
A. 
Upon completion of construction, or at such other time as the Township Code Enforcement Officer may deem appropriated, the Code Enforcement Officer shall perform a final inspection of the well/water supply to determine whether there has been compliance with the permit issued. Upon completion of the inspection, the Code Enforcement Officer shall:
(1) 
Issue an "approval of operation" upon the original permit; or
(2) 
Deny such approval due to noncompliance with the permit issued, in which event written reasons for such denial shall be noted on the original permit.
B. 
An application for a certificate of occupancy will not be accepted and/or approved in the absence of an "approval of operation" issued under the terms and conditions of this chapter.
All applications for a well permit shall be accompanied by a fee payable to the Township of Colebrookdale in accordance with a schedule of fees established/revised from time to time by the Colebrookdale Township Board of Commissioners.
A. 
All permits shall be in effect as of the date of issuance, and shall remain in effect for a period of six months. In the event that water supply construction under the permit has not been completed at the expiration of six months from the date of issuance, the permit shall expire and the validity of permit shall cease and terminate.
B. 
A request for an extension to a permit must be submitted to the Township, in writing, 10 days before the expiration date of the permit. Extensions are limited to 30 days. Subsequent requests must be accompanied by an application for a new permit with appropriated fee.
C. 
In the event a permit expires and construction has not begun, an application for a new permit must be submitted with appropriate fee.
A. 
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter shall, upon being found liable therefor, pay a fine of not more than $600, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Township in the enforcement proceedings. If the penalty is not paid, the Township shall initiate a civil action for collection in accordance with the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure. Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this chapter that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense. In addition to or in lieu of enforcement under this section, the Township may enforce this chapter in equity in the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. 
Upon discovery of any violation of this chapter, the Township of Colebrookdale may, at is option, forgo any prosecution hereunder, and may grant to the owner a period of seven calendar days to comply with the provisions of this chapter. Upon failure of the owner to effect such compliance, the Township may initiate prosecution as hereinabove set forth.
C. 
For the purpose of this chapter, each day of a continuing violation shall be considered a new and additional violation of this chapter.
The provisions of this chapter shall be severable, and if any of its provisions shall be held to be unconstitutional, illegal, or invalid, such unconstitutionality, illegality, or invalidity shall not affect the validity of any of the remaining provisions of this chapter.
No responsibility, or liability for the construction of any well/water supply shall be deemed to be placed upon the Township of Colebrookdale, or its officers, agents, or employees, by virtue of the terms of this chapter or otherwise.
All other ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith be and the same are hereby repealed.