Borough of Jim Thorpe, PA Wells

The intention of this chapter is to insure and protect the quality and suitability of domestic, commercial or industrial water supply, and to secure and maintain the minimum required isolation distances between water supplies and sewage disposal systems or other sources of contamination.

§ 447-3 Application.

This chapter shall apply to all wells which have not been completed, or which are not in operation or in operable condition at the effective date of this chapter.

This chapter shall further apply to the reconstruction, major repair and other changes to existing wells, when, in the opinion of the Inspecting Officer, such reconstruction, major repair and other changes may affect the quality and suitability of the water supply on the property upon which the well is constructed or on surrounding properties.

§ 447-4 Design standards.

All wells shall be constructed at a minimum distance or 100 feet from any existing subsurface sewage disposal drain field, or from any location where such a drain field may reasonable be located on adjacent premises.

§ 447-5 Registration.

No construction, drilling, digging, reconstruction, major repair or other change of or for any well for the production of water for domestic, commercial or industrial purposes shall commence unless the property owner, or his duly authorized agent, shall apply for and receive a permit for such work from the Borough of Jim Thorpe.

Application for such a well permit shall be made upon form supplied by the Borough, and shall be submitted to the Borough Secretary or duly authorized Inspecting Officer of the Borough.

Said application shall set forth the name or names of owners of the property, the address or location of the property, a scale or sketch of the premises showing the location or proposed location of the well, the location or proposed location of all buildings and septic tanks and drain fields, the boundary lines of the premises upon which the well is proposed to be located, the boundary line of all adjacent premises, and such other information as may be required thereon.

§ 447-6 Inspection.

Upon receipt of an application for a well permit, the Borough, through its duly authorized Inspecting Officer, shall within 30 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 the Borough Sewage Ordinance.[1] Upon completion of the inspection, the Inspecting Officer shall either issue a permit to the applicant indicating the approved location for the well and special instructions for construction, if any; or refuse to issue said permit, and, in such event, shall provide the applicant with written reasons for such refusal.

[1]

Editor's Note: See Ch. 355, Sewers.

§ 447-7 Permits.

All permits shall be issued on a form provided by the Borough, which shall be executed by the duly authorized Inspecting Officer. Permits shall be prepared in triplicate, and distribution of copies shall be made as follows:

Original copy to be retained by the Borough;

First copy to be tendered to the applicant upon written acknowledgment of receipt thereof upon the original copy; and

Second copy to be tendered to the applicant for the use of a well contractor.

§ 447-8 Construction.

Upon the completion of construction; or at such other time as the Inspecting Officer may deem appropriate, the Borough, through its duly authorized Inspecting Officer, shall perform a final inspection of the well to determine whether there has been compliance with the permit issued. Upon completion of the said inspection, the Inspecting Officer shall issue an approval of operation upon the original permit; or deny such approval due to noncompliance with the permit issued, in which latter event, written reasons for such denial shall be noted.

§ 447-9 Fees.

All applications for a well permit shall be accompanied by a fee payable to the Borough of Jim Thorpe in accordance with a schedule of fees established from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council of the Borough of Jim Thorpe.

§ 447-10 Effective date of permits.

All permits shall be in effect as of the date of issuance, and shall remain in effect for a period of two years. In the event that construction under the permit has not been completed at the expiration of two years from the date of issuance, the permit shall expire and the validity of the permit shall cease and terminate.

§ 447-11 Violations and penalties.

Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to prosecution by the Borough, and upon conviction before a district magistrate, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $600, or the maximum amount allowable by law, whichever is greater.[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

Upon discovery of any violation of this chapter, the Borough may, at its option, forego any prosecution hereunder, and may grant to the owner a period of 30 days to comply with the provisions of this chapter. Upon failure of the owner to effect such compliance, the Borough may initiate prosecution as hereinabove set forth.

For the purpose of this chapter, each day of a continuing violation shall be considered a new and additional violation of this chapter.

§ 447-12 Liability.

No responsibility or liability for the construction of any well shall be deemed to be placed upon the Borough of Jim Thorpe, or its officers, agents, or employees by virtue of the terms of this chapter or otherwise.