§ 22-188. Definitions.

Access port means an opening in the well casing or well head installed for the primary purpose of determining the water level in the well.

Agent means any person who by mutual and legal agreement with a well owner has authority to act in his behalf in executing applications for permits. The agent authorized may be either a general agent or a limited agent to do one particular act.

Aquifer means a geological formation, group of formations, or part of a formation that will yield usable quantities of water to wells.

Board of health means the Halifax County Board or its official representatives.

Casing means pipe or tubing constructed of specified materials and having specified dimensions and weights, that is installed in a borehole, during or after completion of the borehold, to support the side of the hole and thereby prevent caving to allow completion of a well, to prevent formation material from entering the well, to prevent the loss of drilling fluids into permeable formations, and/or prevent entry of undesirable water.

Consolidated rock means rock that is firm and coherent, solidified, or cemented and that has not been decomposed by weathering. Examples are granite, gneiss, argillite, slate or sandstone.

Construction of wells includes all acts necessary to construct wells for any intended use, including the location and excavation of the well, placement of casings, grouting, screens and fittings development and testing.

Contamination means the introduction into water of foreign materials of such nature, quality and quantity as to cause degradation of the quality of the water.

Domestic use means use of water for drinking, bathing, household purposes, livestock or gardens.

Grout shall mean and include the following:

(1)

Neat cement grout means a mixture of not more than six gallons of clear nonpolluted water to one 94-pound bag of portland cement.

(2)

Sand cement grout means a mixture of not more than two parts sand and one part cement and not more than six gallons of clear nonpolluted water per 94-pound bag of portland cement.

(3)

Concrete grout means a mixture of not more than two parts gravel to one part cement and not more than six gallons of clear nonpolluted water per 94-pound bag of portland cement. One hundred percent of the gravel must pass through a one-half inch mesh screen.

(4)

Gravel, sand cement grout or rock-cutting cement grout means a mixture of not more than two parts gravel and sand or rock cuttings to one part cement and not more than six gallons of clear nonpolluted water per 94-pound bag of portland cement.

Health department means the Halifax County Health Department.

Health director means the Director of the Halifax County Health Department or his authorized representative.

Installing pumps and pumping equipment means placing and preparing pumps and pumping equipment for operation, including all construction involved in making entrances to the well and establishing seals.

Liner pipe means pipe that is installed inside a completed and cased well for the purposes of sealing off undesirable water or for repairing ruptured or punctured casing or screens.

Monitoring well means any well constructed for the primary purpose of obtaining samples of groundwater or other liquids for examination or testing, or for the observation or measurement of groundwater levels. This definition excludes lysimeters, tensiometers, and other devices used to investigate the characteristics of the unsaturated zone.

Nonpotable mineralized water means brackish, saline or other water containing minerals of such quantity or type as to render the water unsafe, harmful, or generally unsuitable for domestic use.

Owner means any person who holds the fee or other ownership rights in the well being constructed. A well is real property and its construction on land creates a presumption that the owner of the land also owns the well.

Permit means a written permit issued by the health director permitting the construction or repair of any well as defined in this article.

Person means any and all persons, including individual firms, partnerships, associations, public or private institutions, municipalities or political subdivisions, governmental agencies, or private or public corporations organized or existing under the laws of this state or of any other state or country.

Polluted water means water containing organic or other contaminants of such type and quantity as to render it unsafe, harmful or unsuitable for human consumption.

Private well water supply means any water supply furnishing potable water to one residence or an owner-occupied business except where either might furnish water to persons on a regular basis who are not members of the household or immediate family. One residence includes cases of multiple residences of members of the same family on family-owned land.

Public water system means a water system as defined in 15A NCAC 18C .0702 (Rules Governing Public Water Supplies).

Pumps and pumping equipment means the well seal and any other equipment or materials used or intended to be used for withdrawing or obtaining ground water.

Repair means work involved in deepening or changing depths, reaming, sealing, installing, perforating, screening or cleaning, acidizing or redeveloping a well excavation or any other work which results in breaking or opening the well seal. This shall not apply to routine pump maintenance or replacement; however, routine pump maintenance or replacement shall be followed by disinfection of the water system and proper replacement of the seal.

Semi-public water supply means a water supply that serves water for the purpose of human consumption to from two to 14 service connections that does not meet the definitions for a public water system.

Site means the land or water area where any facility, activity, or situation is physically located, including adjacent or nearby land use in connection with the facility, activity or situation.

Specific capacity means the yield of the well expressed in gallons per draw-down of the water level (gpm/ft-dd).

Static level means the level at which the water stands in the well when the well is not being pumped and is expressed as the distance from a fixed reference point to the water level in the well.

Types of wells means:

(1)

The drilled well. Constructed by percussion or rotary methods; may be found in depths up to 1,000 feet. Due to the greater depths associated with drilled wells, they offer generally more protection to ground water.

(2)

The bored well. Constructed by means of an auger; found in depths up to 100 feet.

(3)

The driven well. Constructed by driving well points and pipe from the surface into a water bearing stratum; found in depths up to 50 feet;

(4)

The jetted well. Construction by "washing in" or "jetting in" well points with water pressure; may be found in depths up to 150 feet;

(5)

The dug well. Constructed with a pick and shovel; found in depths up to 50 feet. The dug well, due to its shallow depth and large diameter, is difficult to protect from outside contamination. The dug well is the least desirable well type for furnishing high quality potable water.

Unconsolidated rock means those rock formations that are not solid, i.e., sand, clay, shell, saprolite or decaying rock.

Water supply means any source of ground water.

Water supply system means pump and pipe used in connection with or pertaining to the operation of a water supply, including pumps, pipes, pressure tanks and fittings.

Well means any excavation:

(1)

That is cored, bored, drilled, dug or otherwise constructed for the purpose of locating, testing, or withdrawing ground water;

(2)

Constructed for evaluating, testing, developing, draining, or recharging any ground water reservoirs, or aquifers, or;

(3)

That may control, divert, or otherwise cause the movement of water from or into any aquifer.

Well capacity means the maximum quantity of water that well will yield continuously.

Well driller, driller, or water-well contractor means any person, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of constructing wells.

Well head means the upper terminal of the well including adapters, ports, valves, seals, and other attachments.

Well seal means an approved arrangement or device used to cap a well or to establish and maintain a junction between the casing or curbing of a well and the piping or equipment installed therein, the purpose of function of which is to prevent pollutants from entering the well at the upper terminal.

(Ord. of 8-9-93, § II; Amend. of 4-24-95)