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TO:
MEMBERS OF THE
MAINE WATER WELL COMMISSION
FROM:
Edward
Bowie, Chairman
date: April 5, 2006
subject: Meeting Tuesday, April 4, 2006
The next Commission
meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2006 at
9:00 A.M. at the Maine Motor Transport,
AGENDA
1. Approve the April 4, 2006 minutes
2. Discuss pending matters, complaints,
Responses,
application, etc.
3. New Business
4. Public Comments
Minutes of April 4, 2006 Meeting
|
Members Present: Glenn Dyer, Driller Edward Bowie, Chairman Marc Loiselle, MGS Chris Olson, DOT Donald Robbins, Public Mem. David Braley, DWP Ira Goodwin, Driller |
Others
Present: Paul Gauvreau,
AG’s Office. Carol Champagne,
Board Clerk Dean Getchell,
Inspector Adam Baker,
Driller Andrew Bowie,
Driller Ray Blackstone,
Pump Installer Rodney Pratt,
Driller Pat Pratt, Driller Barry Sandford,
Driller Kathleen & Ron
Mackenzie |
Call to Order:
Meeting
was called to order at 9:10 AM.
Approval of March
7, 2006 meeting minutes:
Glenn
Dyer made a motion to accept the minutes of the March 7, 2006 meeting, Don
Robbins 2nd the motion.
Accepted by the Commission.
Update on
Complaints:
Rachel Charette vs Kevin Levesque Well
Drilling: Appeal: Mr. Levesque withdrew his appeal prior
to the hearing scheduled in
Ron Montgomery vs Hillock & Son Well
Drilling: - No violation
found. The Commission had
requested additional information from Mr. Montgomery to verify that the price
quoted included the pump system. No response from the homeowner has been
received. Closed. Letters will be sent to both the driller
and homeowner notifying them of this Commission action.
Louise Scott vs L & L Well Drilling: Dean
Getchell will assess the setback distances on site and verify if an alternative
location for the well was possible with increased set backs, and will verify
the length of casing used to construct the well. On Hold.
Kathleen MacKenzie vs Adam Baker Well
Drilling: Dean Getchell presented
his report including the video of the well inspection to the Commission. The
well is 700 feet deep and the water is “cloudy” looking while pumping.
Mr. Baker explained that a packer was set at 160 feet and the well was air
pressurized to try to increase yield.
The inspection showed that the casing seal is leaking.
Ed
Bowie made a motion that a violation of rule 401.5 had occurred, Glenn Dyer
2nd the motion. Motion passed. The Commission then ordered corrective action
by the driller in the form of Jazwell type steel tipped well seals to be placed
above and below the casing seal on 4” PVC pipe with the bottom seal set
at 164 feet below the top of the casing in component bedrock in order to
prevent surface water, sediment or bacteria from entering the well.
If
the homeowner wishes to hydrofract the well to increase yield the Commission
recommends hydrofracting the well prior to completion of the ordered corrective
action. The packer should be set at
a minimum of 204 feet below the top of the casing. The corrective action orderd must be
completed by June 30, 2006 and must include written confirmation to the
Commission. Don Robins made the
motion and Glenn Dyer 2nd it.
Motion passed. Letters will
be sent to both the driller and homeowner notifying them of this Commission
action. On Hold.
Daniel Ouellet vs R J Johnson Well Drilling
(A & W Well Drilling): Dean Getchell presented to the
Commission the findings of his inspection. The video showed that the water in
this well is very silty. The sample
of the silt submitted by Mr. Getchell appeared to be a light colored clay/silt
mixture. The video did not show the source of substance.
Ike
Goodwin made a motion that there was insufficient evidence that a violation had
occurred. Don Robbins 2nd
it. Four members voted yea and 3 voted nay, Chris Olsen, Marc Loiselle, and Ed
Bowie. Motion Passed. Letters will be sent to both the
homeowner and driller notifying them of this Commission action.
There
are also a number of questions concerning who drilled the well and the license
status of the driller at the time of well construction. David Braley will send letters to both
Mr. Corson and Mr. Gould to help determine who drilled Mr. Ouellet’s
well.
Complaints Closed:
Ronald Rowland, LPI vs
New
Complaints:
Barry
Noyes vs
David Braley
made a motion to have Dean Getchell inspect the well and Don Robbins 2nd
it. Motion Passed.
Specialty
Wells
Pat Apt – Affordable Well Drilling Inc: Dean Getchell was on site as ordered by the Commission during the construction of this well. The Commission had questions on the method used to grout the well. The driller used the casing as his tremy pipe, forcing the grout mixture down and under the casing and then up the outside of the casing. Tabled.
Three Specialty Well Application were brought before the Commission and the diagrams of the lots were incomplete. The Commission is requesting more information before action can be taken.
Examinations
Requested
None
New Business:
David Braley had a question for Paul Gauvreau. The Commission had an inquiry from Maine Geological Survey regarding an application for the bulk transport of bottle water from a site where a number of wells were drilled by an unlicensed driller. The rules allow for an unlicensed driller to drill on his own property strictly for private use. Now the water from these wells is purposed to be used for bottled water. Paul Garvreau will check the legality of this and report back to the Commission.
Kathleen Bosse’ has requested a “fair hearing”. The request is being processed.
Regulation of Driven Well Points: Current statute requires the Commission to regulate driven well points. Legislation is required to either exclude driven points from the Commission’s authority or to define driven points and to regulated them as a new type of well with a new license classification, construction standards and exam requirements. The Commission will try to have a draft bill ready by August that excludes driven points.
Point System: The Maine Ground Water Association has voted to recommend that the Commission accept Ike Goodwin’s version of the point system.
David Braley made a motion to adopt Mr. Goodwin’s draft system as Commission policy and Don Robbins 2nd it. Motion Passed. The system will be implemented on July 1, 2006. License holders will receive information regarding the system prior to its implementation.
Credited Training Hours: Required training credits for re-licensing was discussed. Many companies offer training sessions. The Commission also discussed using these training sessions as a way to reduce accumulated points.
Dean Getchell’s contract extended: The Commission voted to extend the contract of Dean Getchell as its independent well inspector and to raise the hourly rate to $75.00 beginning on July 1, 2006.
Spring Demo will be
5/6/2006 at Hanscom Well Drilling,
Meeting Dates for 2006
January 3, 2006 July 11, 2006
February 7, 2006 August 8, 2006
March 7, 2006 September 12, 2006
April 4, 2006 October 3, 2006
May 2, 2006 November 7, 2006
June 6, 2006 December 5, 2006
Subject to change.
The next Well Drillers Meeting will be:
Tuesday, May 2, 2006
at 9:00 am.
Meeting adjourned 1:50 pm