The Manchester Board of Health has drafted new regulations for private wells in town. The proposed rules would apply to all existing and future wells, whether the wells are for drinking water or strictly for irrigation/agricultural use. The Board will host a formal public hearing on the proposed regulations on Thursday, January 25 at 6 p.m. in Room 7 of Town Hall or via Zoom.
Currently, well regulations that are in place are focused on the placement and permitting of new wells. There are no ongoing testing and reporting requirements regarding water quality drawn from the well.
With the rise in groundwater contamination concerns, the Board of Health, with encouragement from the state and their model regulations, has advanced these proposed regulations to ensure that well water is as contaminate-free as possible. For example, the growing concerns over PFAS, encompassing many extremely persistent chemicals in the environment, have been fueled by cases of contaminated wells, further spreading these potential toxins.
The proposed rules place new testing requirements on the owners of wells. All wells will be required to conduct baseline testing, including tests for PFAS and related chemicals. Assuming these tests confirm chemical levels below the state and federal standards, the property owner would not need to do comprehensive testing for the next 10 years or when their property changes hands, whichever occurs first. The regulations highlight 13 items to be tested plus six categories of PFAS.
Annual testing is part of the regulations for a series of potential contaminants. Here, the rules specify eight substances for which to test – total coliform bacteria, E. coli bacteria, nitrates, nitrites, pH, conductivity, sodium, and iron.
Additionally, the proposal calls for all well water to be chlorinated before use. This requirement is for both potable and non-potable water. This measure will require new chlorination systems for well owners as this would be a new requirement.
The BOH is also recommending that any time an outdoor watering ban is imposed on users of the municipal water system the ban apply to those who use wells for their irrigation needs. Most of the wells in Manchester are not tied to the same aquifer as the municipal water supply; thus, some have questioned the need for such a measure. Others argue that dry conditions impact all water supplies and that conserving water use regardless of the source is good policy. Certainly, removing the option of using well water during dry periods removes one of the bigger incentives for installing a well in the first place. As we look to reduce the overall use of municipal drinking water for irrigation, we will want to think carefully about the unintended consequences of restricting well use.
The upcoming hearing on January 25 allows residents to express their opinions about the proposed regulations. The full text of the draft can be found on the Board of Health’s page of the Town’s website. The Board will consider public comments as they further deliberate on the draft rules. Can’t make the meeting? Written comments can be sent to the BOH before the hearing on the 25th. The Board of Health has the authority to adopt these types of regulations after conducting public hearings.
Read the MBTS Board of Health Proposed Private Well Regulation HERE.
