Convincing Your Town to Adopt a Wellhead Protection Ordinance

An Introduction to a Model Ordinance and Best Management Practices

What types of land uses have the potential to contaminate groundwater?

Major Sources of Groundwater Contamination Groupings (A study completed from private wells between 1/1/02 - 12/31/03) (Reference 4 )

Agriculture

• Fertilizer and pesticide applications tested 20% and 59 %, respectively, positive for detections in private wells

Storage & Treatment Activities

• There is an average of 406 annual spills from above ground storage tanks
• Below ground storage tanks contributed to 348 contaminated private wells & 23 Public Water Systems (PWS) and 268 threatened private wells & 35 PWS

Disposal Activities

• Landfills accumulated 1.88M tons of waste in 2001, where 23% was land-filled and 37% was recycled

Septic Systems

• Nitrate contaminations exceeding the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 mg/L, was detected at a rate of 0.6%
• Bacteria & Viruses tested 31% positive for coliform in private wells
• Shallow Injection Wells had a 33% non-compliance rate, however, 97% of businesses returned to compliance

Other

• Hazardous waste found at 93 active uncontrolled sites throughout the state
• 2/3 of Sand/Salt Piles were left uncovered resulting in a 10-57% annual leaching rate of stored salt mass, making over 150 wells un-potable
• There were 5,500 Spills reported from 2002 – 2003. Here are the top three contributors with number of spills: Residential with 1,493 spills, Businesses with 1,195 spills and Transportation Systems with 710 spills

Click on the right arrow below to see the Best Management Practices (BMP).

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