In the interpretation and application of this chapter, the provisions
hereof shall be held to be the minimum requirements adopted for the promotion
of the public health, safety and welfare. To protect the public, among other
purposes, such provisions are intended to preserve the water sources in the
city for the general good and to ensure that water drawn from wells is free
from deleterious substances when the same are to be used for human consumption.
WELL — An excavation, whether drilled, bored or cored,
for water or in the exploration of water. Drive-point wells or hand-dug wells
are included within this definition.
WELL DRILLER
A person, firm, association or corporation who engages in the drilling,
digging, driving, boring, coring, construction, altering or repairing of any
well.
No person, firm, association or corporation shall drill, dig, bore,
core or excavate a well and no person shall allow, permit or suffer the drilling,
digging, boring, coring or excavation of a well on premises owned or occupied
by him without having first obtained a license therefor from the Health Department.
Application for such license shall be made upon forms supplied by the Board
of Health. A fee of $5 shall be paid to the Board of Health upon the filing
of a completed application. If the Health Department shall be of the opinion
that the proposed well will not create a condition inimical to the public
health, safety and welfare, a license for such well shall be granted.
Within 60 days of the completion of the drilling of any well, a report
shall be filed by the well driller with the Health Department, giving the
log (i.e. description of materials penetrated), the size and depth of the
well, whose casing shall not be less than 20 feet in length, the diameters
and lengths of the casing and screen installed therein, the static and pumping
levels and yield of the well, and such other information pertaining to the
construction and operation of the well as may be required by the Board of
Health. The well driller shall also deliver or mail a copy of this report
to the owner of the well. This report shall be identical in all respects with
the report submitted to the Division of Water Policy and Supply of the State
Department of Conservation and Economic Development, as required by N.J.S.A.
58:4A-14 and amendments thereto, and may be submitted to the Health Department
on the forms prescribed by the Division of Water Policy and Supply.
Within 10 days of the completion of any well, the water from which is
intended for human consumption, the well driller or owner shall file a report
of the analysis of the water from the well with the Health Department which
will reflect a finding that the water from the well is satisfactory for human
consumption. This report shall be a confirmed copy of the original report
made by the person, firm, association, corporation or state agency who analyzed
the water.
Whenever the Board of Health shall have satisfactory evidence that any
well, the water of which is used for human consumption, has become polluted
and rendered unsafe for use, notice to discontinue the use of such polluted
water shall be sent to the owner or person in charge of such well and at the
discretion of the Health Officer, the owner or person in charge of such well
may be ordered by the Health Officer to withdraw from the well the well tube,
pump or any other contrivance used for the purpose of drawing the water in
such well to the surface and to close or fill up the well. If the order is
not complied with within the time specified in the notice, this chapter shall
be deemed to have been violated, and the Health Officer may proceed to cause
the well to be closed, filled up and rendered useless and the tube, pump or
other contrivance used for the purpose of drawing water in the well to the
surface removed and withdrawn therefrom and destroyed. The Board of Health
or any of its officers shall have the right and privilege at all times of
entering upon any premises whereon there exists a private well, the water
of which is used for human consumption or the purpose of taking therefrom
samples of the water for analysis, and the cost and expense of making such
analysis shall be paid for by the person maintaining such private well; and
no person shall hereafter, either directly or indirectly, use the water from
any well within the city for any domestic purpose without first notifying
the Health Department of his intention to do so, in order that the Board of
Health may cause the proper analysis of the water to be made.