The Town of Bedford hereby finds that in order
to protect the health, safety and welfare of its residents it is necessary
to designate certain water quality monitoring wells in sensitive environmental
areas of the town in order to monitor groundwater contamination and
to provide early detection of such contamination in order to prevent
its dispersal.
As used in this Article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
PRIMARY RECHARGE AREAS
That area immediately overlying the stratified-drift aquifer
and adjacent areas of stratified drift that may not have a sufficient
saturated thickness to be part of the aquifer. The boundary of the
"primary recharge area" is the contact between the stratified drift
and adjacent till or bedrock.
STRATIFIED-DRIFT AQUIFER
Unconsolidated sediment composed of layers of sand, gravel,
silt or clay or similar deposits that are capable of yielding usable
amounts of water, potentially in amounts greater than household supply
wells.
Based on hydrologic and groundwater contamination
studies conducted on behalf of the town, water quality monitoring
wells will be designated throughout the town, including but not limited
to the following sensitive environmental areas: above the stratified-drift
aquifer, in the primary recharge areas of the stratified-drift aquifer,
in the vicinity of the Bedford public water system, on or near major
horse farms or stables which board 10 or more horses on eight acres
of land or less, golf courses, commercial nurseries and highway salt
storage areas. These sensitive environmental areas are defined on
a map to be provided by the Town Engineer and entitled "Water Quality
Monitoring Well Areas of the Town of Bedford." Designated wells will
be existing water supply wells which are suitable for water quality
sampling purposes.
After the effective date of this Article, owners of private property in the sensitive environmental areas identified in §
120-9 herein and on the Water Quality Monitoring Well Areas of the Town of Bedford Map will be designated by the Town Engineer or his designee to participate in the Town of Bedford water quality monitoring well program. Designated property owners will be chosen on the basis of the location of their property in reference to the sensitive environmental areas of the town. Notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, with a consent form, will be mailed to each property owner prior to the beginning of the Town of Bedford water quality monitoring program.
Periodic water sampling at least once per year
will be made by the Town Engineer or his duly authorized designee
on those properties for which the property owner has consented to
test well water for possible contamination in accordance with applicable
federal, state and county standards.
Water samples collected from designated water
quality monitoring wells will be tested to determine if the existing
water quality contravenes the standards of either the National Interim
Primary Drinking Water Regulations, as amended, or any subsequent
regulations or guidelines under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act
or contravenes the water quality standards of New York State if they
are more stringent. The town will provide each participating property
owner with copies of laboratory reports for their wells. If such testing
discloses violations of the federal or state standards, the Town Engineer
or his designee will immediately notify by certified mail, return
receipt requested, the Westchester County Health Department, the property
owner and the resident of the dwelling.
Participation in the Bedford test well monitoring
program is voluntary. In certain situations which the Town Engineer
or his designee may deem to be critical to the public health, safety
and welfare, however, the Town Engineer or his designee may apply
for and obtain a warrant to conduct the inspection.