18 AAC 80.015. Well protection, source water protection, and well decommissioning

(a) A person may not

(1) cause pollution or contamination to enter a public water system; or

(2) create or maintain a condition that has a significant potential to cause or allow the pollution or contamination of a public water system.

(b) The owner, operator, or individual who installs or is responsible for maintaining a public water system shall ensure that the following minimum requirements for the installation and maintenance of a water well serving a public water system are met:

(1) the casing on a cased well must

(A) have a sanitary seal; and

(B) terminate at least one foot above ground level or at least one foot above the level of the well house floor, whichever offers the most protection from contamination;

(2) a cased well must be grouted with a watertight cement grout, sealing clay, bentonite, or an equivalent material as follows:

(A) at least 10 feet of continuous grouting within the first 20 feet below the ground surface; or

(B) an alternate method of grouting, if the department determines that the alternate method

(i) serves the interest of public health; and

(ii) achieves protection equivalent to that provided under (A) of this paragraph;

(3) a well must be adequately protected against flooding;

(4) well pits are prohibited; however, the department will allow an existing well pit to remain if

(A) the department determines that doing so serves the interest of public health; and

(B) a registered engineer demonstrates that the pit is adequately protected from flooding;

(5) for at least 10 feet in all directions around the well, the surface must be sloped or contoured to drain away from the well; if the department determines that the potential exists for a well to become contaminated by surface water, the department will require an impervious surface extending at least two feet laterally in all directions from the well;

(6) before use, a newly constructed or reworked well must be flushed of sediment and disinfected as specified in ANSI/AWWA Standard A100-97, Appendix H, adopted by reference in 18 AAC 80.010(b) ;

(7) a drain pipe from a well house must not be connected to a sewer system; and

(8) organic drilling fluid may be used on a public water well only if the fluid is approved for that use by the NSF International through a listing in NSF Listings: Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals and System Components - Health Effects , adopted by reference in 18 AAC 80.010(b) .

(c) In order for the department to assess the vulnerability of each drinking water source in a public water system to significant existing and potential sources of man-made contaminants, and for the department to establish protection areas for public water systems, the owner or operator of a Class A public water system shall

(1) assist the department in delineating a protection area for each source of drinking water by providing, upon request and to the extent available,

(A) a copy of the driller's log for each well serving a Class A public water system;

(B) maps and other information such as latitude and longitude to establish the location of each drinking water source for the public water system; and

(C) information that can be used to estimate the rate of production of each drinking water source for the public water system during the highest demand season or period expected to recur annually during the next five years;

(2) assist the department in preparing a preliminary inventory of significant existing and potential sources of man-made contaminants within each drinking water protection area by providing, upon request and to the extent possible,

(A) photographs of each wellhead, spring, or surface water intake from the four cardinal directions; and

(B) photographs of the area surrounding each wellhead, spring, or surface water intake in the four cardinal directions and the four intermediate directions;

(3) within three months after receiving the preliminary contaminant source inventory from the department, assist the department in completing the inventory for each drinking water protection area by conducting a visual survey of the drinking water protection area and a search of local public records, to verify contaminant assessments and add to the inventory; and

(4) assist the department in updating protection areas, contaminant inventories, and vulnerability assessments for each source of public drinking water every five years after the initial assessment, or more frequently if requested by the department.

(d) A person who owns or is responsible for a well, hole, or excavation into a water supply source or potential water supply source for a public water system shall use a method described in (b) of this section to seal, protect, or fill

(1) a well that is abandoned or not in use;

(2) a hole drilled, augered, or jetted for the purpose of sub-surface exploration or sampling;

(3) a cathodic protection well; or

(4) another form of excavation that might contaminate a public water system.

(e) A person who decommissions a public water supply well, an observation well associated with testing a public water system supply well, a private water well, or a monitoring well shall use

(1) a method that conforms to ANSI/AWWA Standard A100-97, Appendix H, adopted by reference in 18 AAC 80.010(b) ; or

(2) an alternate method that has been presented to and approved by the department as protective of public health; the department will, as the department considers necessary to serve the interest of public health, require that an alternative plan submitted under this paragraph be signed and sealed by a registered engineer.

History: Eff. 10/1/99, Register 151; am 1/11/2006, Register 177

Authority: AS 46.03.020

Editor's note: In addition to the requirements in (b) of this section, requirements of the Department of Natural Resources at 11 AAC 93 might apply.

Information about how to review or obtain the materials referred to in 18 AAC 80.015 is in the editor's note to 18 AAC 80.010.

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