The Process for Permitting and Approving Private Water Systems in Ohio

     In Ohio, private water systems are regulated by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Permitting and approval are done at the county health department level.

1)        An application for a permit to drill a well is received (or to develop a spring, build a cistern, a rainwater collection system, or develop a pond, but usually a well).

2)        A site plan is drawn up after a site visit to look at the well stake and measure isolation distances from the septic system (>50ft), the house (>10ft), the driveway (>5ft), property lines (>10ft), and the old well if applicable (>5ft). Drilling rig access issues can be identified during the site visit. If there is an older well being replaced, it is common to receive a well sealing permit application as well. The rig can seal the old well before drilling the new one. A site visit can also verify the location of the septic system since many older ones may not have specific location information. Even if they do, there could be differences. The water well driller must be registered by the Ohio Health Department.

3)        If all is in compliance, a permit to drill a well, to develop a private water system, is issued by the county health department. A copy is sent, usually via email, to the property owner and the water well driller.

4)        The well is drilled and completed. Completion refers to setting the casing, cementing or more commonly grouting the annular space between the casing and the borehole, setting the pump and other equipment such as screens if applicable, installing the pitless adapter, running the water line to the house, and doing the plumbing to the pressure tank. Typically, there is a pressure regulator valve at the pressure tank or a backflow preventer, if required. All piping and the pressure tank must meet National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) or ANSI codes. A sample tap is required, typically at the pressure tank. The pressure tank must be 8 inches minimum off of the floor to allow space to draw a sample. However, if the sample tap is installed before the pressure tank at sufficient height, then the pressure tank could be closer to the floor. The sample tap should be non-threaded and not used for any other purpose.

5)        The well driller submits a well log to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) within 30 days of drilling and completion of the well. The driller also submits a completion form. The driller also typically provides a copy, or usually a pdf file of the well log and one of the completion form, to the county health department. The ODNR also regulates water wells and keeps interactive maps updated.

6)        A health department sanitarian/environmental health specialist reviews the well log and the completion form. Data is entered into the database. A well-log review checklist may be utilized. Any errors on the forms need to be updated by ODNR personnel. All information is reviewed and inspected to make sure it meets the code. There is a grout calculation worksheet with Excel macros that can determine that the correct amount of grout and water were used and that enough grout was used. The type of connections on the pitless adapter are noted, the indoor and outdoor pipe specs are noted, and casing sizes and depths are noted. A subsurface log is indicated by the driller of formations encountered, their depths, and whether they produced water. The sustainable yield established via a drawdown test is noted. Using cement, usually neat cement, in the annulus usually indicates rock such as shale or unconsolidated sediment that is harder to fill and seal off. Typically, bentonite grout is used in powdered or granular form. Often, it is made into a slurry with water and pumped down with a tremie pipe. This is to make sure the annulus does not get bridged off. Typically, just after completing the well, the well driller will do a chlorine disinfection of the well bore and piping. Any surface dirt or shallow water that may have gotten into the well during construction may contain coliform bacteria. Some of these types of bacteria are common in soil.

7)        Once the well log and completion form are reviewed a water sample is scheduled. The well and components will also be inspected at that time to verify compliance.

8)        The water sample is obtained. First, the water is run through the sample tap and tested for chlorine and nitrites/nitrates with test strips that give instant results. If chlorine levels are too high, then the water must be run until there is no longer any chlorine registering on the strips. According to the rules, however, the water is expected to be chlorine-free for 48 hours. The rationale is that any chlorine in the water will kill any bacteria in the sample that may still be there in the water system. That is, however, not always practical. One may use alcohol, chlorine, or fire to purify the sample tap. We used alcohol. I think the EPA requires chlorine to be used. A small amount of additive is pre-added to the water sample bottles before sampling so that any residual chlorine will be taken up. The water is typically run for a while, usually until the pressure tank kicks on so that the water sampled is coming from the well instead of the water that has been sitting in the pressure tank. It is run preferably somewhere else in the home, but water is also run out of the sample tap to bring new water through it. The sample is then taken. Avoiding contaminating the sample by touching the threads of the sample bottle or even breathing too close is the way we did it. Sample information is recorded, and the sample is put in a cooler with ice. It is stored in a refrigerator before it is picked up by the lab.

9)        The well inspection is done along with the sample. Isolation distances may be rechecked if suspect. The wellhead is observed to be at least 12 inches above grade level. There should be a vent screen on the underside of the approved type of well cap. A probe may be used to determine if the well is grouted to the surface as required. The pipe specs, pressure tank specs, and components are observed. The wellhead is GPS’d into ArcGIS Survey 123, the information is put into GIS, and pictures are taken of the wellhead, the pressure tank, and components that can be stored in GIS as well.

10)   The sample is sent to the lab for analysis. Doing coliform testing: total coliform and E coli, there is a two-day turnaround time.

11)   If the sample tests good (<4.2 MPN total coliform) and 0 E coli, then the private water system is approved. Approval is sent, usually via email, to the property owner and the well driller.

12)   If the sample tests too high in coliform bacteria, then the well must be further disinfected and re-sampled at a cost to the property owner. The presence of coliform bacteria does not in itself indicate that the well is contaminated since all coliform bacteria are not harmful. However, its presence does indicate that contamination is much more likely since harmful coliform bacteria can live where non-harmful coliform bacteria live. With the unacceptable sample email or letter, the sanitarian can use another Excel macro sheet to determine the amount of chlorine and vinegar to add to the well for deeper disinfection and how long to run it based on the well’s depth and  sustainable yield. The time period to run the well to remove the chlorine is also given. This disinfection is typically done by the water well driller but may be done by the property owner or someone known to them using the custom instructions provided for that well.

13)   If the second sample comes back unacceptable then the well may be super-chlorinated. This may include washing down and brushing down the casing. I had this happen once. The water well driller dug up the water line and found that a gasket did not seal right near where it came into the house and there was a small amount of dirty water that was likely the source of the coliform bacteria. A third sample is then obtained at a cost to the property owner.

14)   Once a good sample is obtained the private water system is approved and a letter is sent out to property owners and well driller.

15)   If a good sample cannot be obtained, then the well may have to be continuously chlorinated. This involves a chlorination system and possibly a UV light, all at expense to the property owner.

16)   The well may be disapproved for use until a good sample is obtained.