Residential Well Construction Inspection Residential Well Construction Inspection and Certification by the County:and Certification by the County:

A New Public Health Program by A New Public Health Program by Bucks County, PennsylvaniaBucks County, Pennsylvania

Amleto A. Pucci, Jr. Ph.D. P.E. CGWPBucks County Department of Health

Chief, Environmental Engineering Division

AcknowledgementAcknowledgement

Bucks County Board of HealthBucks County Board of Health

****Well Inspection and Certification Program Well Inspection and Certification Program

Technical Advisory CommitteeTechnical Advisory Committee

****

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Delivering Environmental Health Services ProgramDelivering Environmental Health Services Program

Philadelphia

Bucks County

Montgomery County

ChesterCounty

NorthamptonCounty

LehighCounty

NEWJERSEY

PENNSYLVANIA

Counties

PENNSYLVANIA

20 0 20 40 Miles

EXPLANATION

Location of Bucks

County in Pennsylvania

Outline of the TalkOutline of the Talk

• Case study of a polluted wellCase study of a polluted well• Public Health model Public Health model • Bucks County residential Bucks County residential

water systemwater system• Land use and development Land use and development

impact on residential supplyimpact on residential supply• Public Health Intervention Public Health Intervention

Program ElementsProgram Elements

Dr. John Snow plotted deaths from Dr. John Snow plotted deaths from cholera in 1854 on a London street mapcholera in 1854 on a London street map

www.csiss.org/ classics/content/8

Elements of John Snow’s Health ModelElements of John Snow’s Health Model

Scientific/Medical Evidence

Epidemiology, Pathology, Physical Sciences & Math

PUBLICHEALTH

Political Will: John Snow’s Report to Board of Guardians of the Parish led to an order that pump handle was removed.

“Shallow pump wells in it’s own cannot be looked upon with too much

suspicion no matter what their reputation may be.”

R. Frierichs, John Snow, UCLA

Dept Epidemiology Website

Modern Water Supply and Modern Water Supply and Public Health ModelPublic Health Model

Drilling & Water SupplyProfessionals

Public HealthCommunity

Government

Water Users

HAYCOCK

PLUMSTEAD

DOYLESTOWN

NORTHAMPTON

BRISTOL

BucksCounty

Dwelling Unit Density (Quantile)42 - 121121 - 403403 - 810810 - 12991299 - 2475

30 0 30 60 Miles

4000

3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

5000

Hseswel90 Estwel20

Title

HAYCOCK

PLUMSTE AD

DOYLESTOW N

NORTHAMPTON

BRISTOL

1990 2000

EXPLANATION

Map of dwelling units

per square mile (du/mi2) for Bucks Co. municipalities

and inset chart showing (du/mi2) with

residential wells in 5

townships for 1990 & 2000

Percent Area by Water Supply and Land Use Type for Bucks County

Residential Private Well Residential Public Commercial Private WellCommercial Public Manufacturing Private Well Manufacturing PublicCommunity Private Well Community Public None

11.5% Residential Private Wells

14.6% Residential Public

(Delaware Valley Regional Planning Comm. 2004)(Delaware Valley Regional Planning Comm. 2004)

} 6.2 % Remaining

defined land use types and sources

Undeveloped water supply

serves 67.3%

For year 2003

Population at RiskPopulation at Risk

50% waterborne disease out-breaks in first half 20th Century associated with untreated or inadequately treated ground-water sources (Yates,M. and Yates, S, 1993)(Yates,M. and Yates, S, 1993)

Water quality from private systems is generally Water quality from private systems is generally unknown and has no quality control or regular testing.unknown and has no quality control or regular testing.

~ 18 percent of Bucks County residents drink water from ~ 18 percent of Bucks County residents drink water from wells not regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act wells not regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). (SDWA). (median of 5 estimate methods, Delaware Valley Regional (median of 5 estimate methods, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Comm. 2004)Planning Comm. 2004)

Bacteria found in residential wells Bacteria found in residential wells in Susquehanna Basin in PA & MDin Susquehanna Basin in PA & MD

(Bickford, T.M. and others, 1996, USGS, WRI 96-4212)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Bacteria

Total Coliform (n = 146) Fecal Colif orm (n = 146) E. coli (n = 88) Fecal Streptococcus (n = 145)

Bacteria

Schematic of an On-site Sewer System

Pathogenic microbes introduced into subsurface can move with groundwater

Distribution Box

Baffled Septic Tank Drainage Field

(From U.S. Geological Survey)

Land Use & Ground-Water Risk PathwaysLand Use & Ground-Water Risk Pathways

Well Construction and Public Health Issues

(Bickford, T.M. and others, 1996, USGS, WRI 96-4212)

12” Min. Well Cap

Pitless Adaptor

Casing

End of Casing

Fractured Bedrock

Earth above Pitless Adaptor

Open Hole

Schematic diagram of an individual well

Pre

ssu

re

Gro

ut

Soil or loose rock

(Adapted from Centers for Disease Control)

Well Construction & Public Health IssuesWell Construction & Public Health Issues

Major Concerns for State or Local Major Concerns for State or Local Private Water Supply Programs*Private Water Supply Programs*

No State Domestic Well Standards No State Domestic Well Standards Inadequate Local ResourcesInadequate Local Resources Complacent or Over-Confident UsersComplacent or Over-Confident Users Lack of technical assistance to Lack of technical assistance to

homeownershomeowners Public health information gapPublic health information gap

* Source CAPT Herring, M.E. REHS, MPH, CDR Rick Gelting, Ph.D., P.E., National Center for Environmental Health, Environmental Health Services Branch

Bucks County Public HealthBucks County Public HealthIntervention Program ElementsIntervention Program Elements

Approach in “Rules and Regulations”Approach in “Rules and Regulations” Adopt procedures that complement existing Adopt procedures that complement existing

municipal ordinances (18 of 54 in Bucks Co.)municipal ordinances (18 of 54 in Bucks Co.) Limit program to residential drinking wellsLimit program to residential drinking wells Require uniform well construction data formatRequire uniform well construction data format Require uniform WQ samplingRequire uniform WQ sampling Promote municipal deferring to County programPromote municipal deferring to County program Provide a countywide data repositoryProvide a countywide data repository

Bucks County Public HealthBucks County Public HealthIntervention Program ElementsIntervention Program Elements

AuthorizationAuthorizationPA Local Health Administration Law, Act 315, August 23, PA Local Health Administration Law, Act 315, August 23,

1951 1951

County Commissioner’s Approval, November 3, 2004, County Commissioner’s Approval, November 3, 2004, Bucks County Department of Health,Bucks County Department of Health,

““Rules & Regulations Governing Individual Water Supply Rules & Regulations Governing Individual Water Supply Systems”Systems”

Bucks County Public HealthBucks County Public HealthIntervention Program ElementsIntervention Program ElementsProvisions in “Rules and Regulations”Provisions in “Rules and Regulations”

PurposePurpose: Responsibility to protect Public Health: Responsibility to protect Public Health ScopeScope: New & Modified Residential Wells: New & Modified Residential Wells ExclusionsExclusions: Not SWDA wells; complements : Not SWDA wells; complements

municipal ordinances (18 of 54 have them)municipal ordinances (18 of 54 have them) DefinitionsDefinitions

– Terms, formsTerms, forms– Application procedureApplication procedure

Technical Advisory CommitteeTechnical Advisory Committee: : – Meets semi-annuallyMeets semi-annually– Recommends updates to standardsRecommends updates to standards

Bucks County Public HealthBucks County Public HealthIntervention Program ElementsIntervention Program Elements

Provisions in “Rules and Regulations”Provisions in “Rules and Regulations”

Construction Standards Construction Standards Certificate to OperateCertificate to Operate the Well the Well VarianceVariance: Department grants variances: Department grants variances

– If well not feasible otherwiseIf well not feasible otherwise– If well presents no public health threatIf well presents no public health threat

Emergency waiverEmergency waiver Driller certification / licensingDriller certification / licensing (future ~ 2006) (future ~ 2006) Abandonment requirements Abandonment requirements (11/3/2007) (11/3/2007)

Bucks County Public HealthBucks County Public HealthIntervention Program ElementsIntervention Program Elements

Provisions in “Rules and Regulations”Provisions in “Rules and Regulations” Enforcement:Enforcement:

– Applicant Applicant may losemay lose Approval to Construct a Well ( Approval to Construct a Well (APCAPC), or ), or Certificate to Operate a Well (Certificate to Operate a Well (CTOCTO))

– Violators Violators may be found guiltymay be found guilty of Summary Offense by District of Summary Offense by District JudgeJudge

AppealsAppeals: : – Appeal for the loss of APC or CTO to County Appeal for the loss of APC or CTO to County

Administrative Hearing OfficerAdministrative Hearing Officer PenaltiesPenalties::

– Cost of prosecution and trialCost of prosecution and trial– Loss of feesLoss of fees

Bucks County Public HealthBucks County Public HealthIntervention Program Elements Intervention Program Elements

Inspection during constructionInspection during construction(BCDH technician site visit; 24 hrs notice)(BCDH technician site visit; 24 hrs notice)

– Well grouting procedureWell grouting procedure– Grout typeGrout type– Casing height, thickness, materialCasing height, thickness, material– Casing penetration into bedrock Casing penetration into bedrock – Measure location / minimum distances from Measure location / minimum distances from

potential pollution sourcespotential pollution sources

Provisions in “Rules and Regulations”Provisions in “Rules and Regulations”

Bucks County Public HealthBucks County Public HealthIntervention Program ElementsIntervention Program Elements

Certification to UseCertification to Use (2-part completion form required)(2-part completion form required)

– Well Completion Rpt (Part-1) – Well LogWell Completion Rpt (Part-1) – Well Log– Well Completion Rpt (Part-2) – Well Completion Rpt (Part-2) –

Pump Test, & Pump Test, & WQ Results (Tot Coliform, Nitrates, 21 VOCs) WQ Results (Tot Coliform, Nitrates, 21 VOCs)

– WQ Consultation on Remediation, if neededWQ Consultation on Remediation, if needed– FeeFee

Provisions in “Rules and Regulations”Provisions in “Rules and Regulations”

Bucks County Well

Inspection

&

Certification Program

Schematic Flowchart

C.J. Taylor, W.M. Alley, USGS

Circular 1217, 2001