[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health of the Township of West Amwell 12-4-1996 by Ord. No. 1-96. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 68.
Land development — See Ch. 109.
A. 
The purpose of this chapter is to ensure any on-site water supply system is sufficient to meet the domestic water needs of the homeowner or user. This chapter does not govern the installation of wells installed for irrigation, livestock or other uses. This chapter also does not apply to replacement wells for domestic water supply.
B. 
For the purpose of this chapter, an on-site water supply system includes the well(s) and any pumping, treatment distribution and finished water storage facilities necessary to meet on-site water demands. The adequacy of the on-site system is determined by well yield and system storage.
The following codes, standards and ordinances are hereby incorporated and made a part of this chapter by reference. If there are conflicts between any part of this and any other applicable law, the more stringent of the two shall apply.
A. 
New Jersey Safe Drinking Water Act, N.J.A.C. 7:10-12.1 et seq.
B. 
All other relevant statutes and codes.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY
The local Board of Health having jurisdiction or the authorized agent of the administrative authority acting on behalf of the administrative authority.
APPROVED
Accepted or accepted under applicable specifications stated or cited in this chapter, or accepted as suitable for the proposed use under procedures and powers of administration delegated in this chapter and the work approval shall be construed accordingly.
ARTIFICIAL FRACTURING
The use of any method or methods to increase or alter the number and size of fractures in a rock well.
AUTHORIZED AGENT
A licensed health officer, professional engineer, sanitary inspector, plumbing inspector or any other qualified person who is delegated to function within specified limits by the administrative authority.
CERTIFICATION
A written statement by the administrative authority attesting that the water supply facilities for the proposed realty improvement are in compliance with the Realty Improvement Sewerage and Facilities Act, as revised (N.J.S.A. 58:11-23 et seq.), N.J.S.A. 58:12A-1 et seq. and the regulations promulgated under either and the requirements of this chapter.
DRAWDOWN
A decline in the water level in a well measured from the static level.
INFLUENCE
A decline in water level in a well due to pumping from any other wells.
INTERFERENCE
A decline in water level in a well to the extent where the proper operation of the well is threatened due to pumping from any other well.
POTABLE WATER
Any water used or intended to be used for drinking or culinary purposes.
QUALIFIED GROUND WATER CONSULTANT
Any person who meets the criteria defined in N.J.A.C. 7:14B-1.6, "Qualified Ground Water Consultant," as amended from time to time.
RECHARGE
The inflow of groundwater into a well from the aquifer in which the well is drilled.
STATIC WATER LEVEL
The water level in the well either before or after pumping when all the pumping effects on the aquifer have dissipated and the well is in equilibrium with atmospheric pressure.
WELL
A hole or excavation deeper than it is wide that is drilled, bored, core driven, dug, driven, jetted or otherwise constructed for the purpose of removing water from the subsurface.
YIELD
The capacity of a well to produce water at a constant pumping rate at which a stable pumping level is maintained.
A. 
All wells installed for domestic use shall be constructed in conjunction with the "Standards for the Construction of Public Non-Community and Non-Public Water Systems" (N.J.A.C. 7:10-12.1 et seq.) and any applicable requirements of the County Health Department.
B. 
In order to obtain any construction permits for a proposed residence to be served by an on-site water supply, a well pump test must be satisfactorily completed and approved by the administrative authority.
A. 
The applicant shall hire a New Jersey-licensed well driller to drill and test any well to be used for domestic water supply. The initial test conducted by the licensed well driller on the well shall determine the yield of the well. If this test produces a well yield of 5.0 gallons per minute or more, the well shall be considered adequate to supply a single-family home. If the initial well yield is less than 5.0 gpm, the well yield may not be sufficient to provide the necessary water demands without adequate storage. In order to insure the combination of well yield and storage are sufficient, a constant rate drawdown test shall be required.
B. 
All well tests shall be conducted under the supervision of a well driller or a pump installer licensed under the laws of the State of New Jersey who shall certify the results to the administrative authority. All test results shall be recorded on West Amwell Township Domestic Well Test Worksheet forms to be issued by the administrative authority.
C. 
The administrative authority reserves the right to witness all well tests. A minimum of two working days' advance notice shall be provided to the administrative authority. The administrative authority reserves the right to allot testing dates in case of scheduling problems.
If the well yield is less than 5.0 gpm, then a constant rate drawdown test shall be conducted. The test may also be required in areas of the Township where it has been demonstrated by the performance of existing wells that water supply is limited. The test will evaluate well yield.
A. 
The constant rate drawdown test is a pumping test conducted to determine the actual yield of a well. It is more precise than the initial test. It is needed to ensure the combination of well yield and storage are sufficient to meet the needs of a single-family home. During this test, the well is pumped to determine the constant rate at which the water level in the well remains stable and the drawdown stops. At this point the rate at which water is entering the well is equal to the rate at which it is being pumped out of the well. This rate, expressed in gallons per minute, is the yield of the well.
B. 
When determining the yield of a well, a stable water pumping level is considered to have been attained when a rate of drawdown in the well is less than six inches per hour for a period of at least two hours. The licensed well driller or pump installer will certify the well yield on forms provided by the Township. The applicant will provide all information required by the forms and any additional information required by the administrative authority.
A. 
For the purpose of this chapter, an adequate water supply shall be determined as follows:
(1) 
For a water supply serving a residential dwelling, the well yield shall be at least 0.25 gpm per bedroom and the usable storage requirements shall be at least 80 gallons per bedroom.
(2) 
For nonresidential water supply systems, the daily pumping capacity must be equal to the total planned wastewater discharge of the facility as determined during the design of the on-site wastewater disposal system.
B. 
Water system storage may be provided by the combination of the well and storage tanks. The volume of usable storage in the well will be the volume provided between the static water level in the well and a point 10 feet above the top of the pump setting. The static water level shall be the estimated seasonal low water level in the well.
C. 
If the well on the property yields less than five gallons per minute, no permit shall be issued for an irrigation system.
[Added 12-4-2002 by Ord. No. 1-2002]
A. 
The applicant shall provide the following information to verify the well was constructed and pump tested by a licensed well driller:
(1) 
A copy of the well record, signed by the licensed driller.
(2) 
A copy of the pump test results on the appropriate work sheets signed by the applicant and the licensed driller or pump installer. In cases where the well cannot provide the minimum yield required by this chapter, the applicant may petition the administrative authority for a hardship waiver, if it can be demonstrated that the on-site water supply system can be designed to meet the water needs of the proposed project. Otherwise, the applicant may be required to scale back the size of the residence by reducing the number of bedrooms.
A. 
The purpose of this section is to ensure that any new development that proposes to rely on wells for water supply will be able to provide sufficient quantities of water to meet the water demands of the project without adverse impacts to existing wells. This section shall be applicable to "major" developments served by one or more wells.
B. 
This section will require that a well pump/aquifer test be performed and the results demonstrate that the proposed well(s) have sufficient yield(s) to provide an adequate on-site water supply system for the proposed development.
C. 
For multiple-residence development proposals, a hydrogeological analysis and report may be required prior to granting of approval as to the suitability for subdivision by the administrative authority. Such analysis shall be performed by a qualified groundwater consultant and as a minimum shall include pump tests and address the issue of well interference involving existing wells. The analysis must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the administrative authority that the proposed water supply will be adequate for the intended use.
D. 
The hydrogeological report for major subdivisions shall include a discussion of the hydrogeology of the site and appropriate surrounding areas of contribution as well as areas to be affected by the proposal; the location and specifications for the proposed well(s); the drawdowns in the well(s), the radius of influence, an analysis of the possible adverse impacts that may be created by the proposed subdivision and all measures to be employed to minimize those impacts. All methodologies used in this analysis and report shall be in conformance with recognized engineering practice for groundwater hydraulics.
E. 
The hydrogeologic analysis shall take into account the impact of drought on the proposed wells. This shall be simulated by assuming no recharge to the aquifer for a period of 60 to 90 days.
F. 
Where a single large well is used to supply a development, the pump test shall be performed in accordance with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Guidelines GSR-29, Guidelines for Preparing Hydrogeologic Reports for Water Allocation Permit Applications, With Appendix on Aquifer Test Analysis Procedures.
G. 
In all cases, the applicant shall submit a pump test proposal to the Board and identify the location of the proposed test. The applicant shall also identify all existing wells within 500 feet of the proposed well(s). All potentially affected well owners will be notified by the applicant that the well test will be performed, when it will be performed and whom they should contact if their well is adversely affected. The Board of Health may also require a notice be placed in the local newspaper notifying existing well owners of the proposed test. The notice shall contain the proposed date of the test, the name of a contact person that can provide information on the test and that can handle complaints of well interference during the test. The applicant shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary state, county or local approvals/permits that may be required to conduct the well test(s).
H. 
When neighboring wells are adversely affected, the applicant may ameliorate any adverse impacts or adjust the proposed groundwater use to offset the impact. When a neighboring well has been impacted by the test, the applicant shall be responsible for providing water to any existing well owner that is adversely affected during or after the well test.
I. 
If after approval of a development any significant impacts on neighboring wells are identified during the construction of the development and/or upon completion of the project, the Board reserves the right to have the applicant reexamine the hydrogeologic analysis and/or take whatever measures are needed to properly investigate the adverse impacts to the Board's satisfaction. Adverse impacts include a reduction in yield and/or a degradation of water quality in the water supply of existing well(s).
J. 
The applicant shall provide the Board with 72 hours' notice prior to conducting any pump/aquifer test. The Board may require that a representative of the Township be present during the test.
K. 
In addition to the requirement of a site pump test and hydrogeologic analysis prior to subdivision approval, each individual well shall be tested in accordance with the provisions of this chapter to ensure its adequacy prior to the issuance of individual building permits.
L. 
If the well on the property yields less than five gallons per minute, no permit shall be issued for an irrigation system.
[Added 12-4-2002 by Ord. No. 1-2002]
Any fees that would be due under this chapter are assessed as part of the building permit application and do not need to be specifically addressed herein.
Any person or persons, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of any order promulgated under this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to one or more of the following at the discretion of the Municipal Court Judge:
A. 
A fine not exceeding more than $1,000 for each and every offense;
B. 
Imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 90 days;
C. 
A period of community service not exceeding 90 days.