Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 33 - Public Health - Local Governments And Rural Water Systems Improvements Board › Part 3 - Drinking Water Systems Improvements Revolving Loan Fund Program Regulations › Appendices › Appendix 33-3-G - Local Assistance and Other State Programs Annual Work plan Section 1452(g)(2) - Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996

Current through June 25, 2024
INTRODUCTION
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), Bureau of
				  Public Water Supply (Department), will use the Local Assistance and Other State
				  Programs Set-aside of the DWSRF in a wellhead protection and assistance
				  program. The program will be eliminating inactive wells or open holes, which
				  pose a contamination risk to the state's groundwater aquifers, by properly
				  abandoning them in accordance with state guidelines. Local governments realize
				  that the inactive wells/open holes pose a risk of contamination to the
				  groundwater which may be utilize via their active wells; however, funds to
				  properly abandon wells/holes are limited. The financial assistance provided
				  through this set-aside will allow the state, by way of contractual
				  agreement(s), to identify and then properly abandon inactive wells/open holes
				  posing contamination risks to the state's groundwater aquifers.
SELECTION PROCESS
A request for proposals (RFP) for two proposed contracts for
				  coordination and decommissioning/properly closing inactive water wells/open
				  holes was published in the legal section of The Clarion-Ledger; proposals were
				  received on May 10, 2013. All proposals were evaluated by the Department and
				  recommendations for aware were presented to the Board at their next regularly
				  scheduled Board meeting which followed the evaluation; both contracts were
				  awarded.
The first contract (the coordination contract) was awarded to
				  the Mississippi Rural Water Association (MsRWA). The second contract (closure
				  contract) was awarded to Mid-South Water & Machine Works (MSW&MW), who
				  is a licensed well driller. The contracts cover a two-year period with an
				  optional third year if exercised at the Board's discretion on July 1,
				  2015.
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
The activities described herein will be accomplished through
				  a four part process: Identification of wells / holes needing proper abandonment
				  for the protection of aquifers and the overall public health; communication
				  with public water supply that owns well/hole to encourage proper abandonment;
				  mobilization of well contractor to identified site to perform the work; and
				  confirmation that the work has been completed.
Identification
- MsRWA will use a list provided
				  by the Department through a cooperative effort with the Mississippi Department
				  of Environmental Quality Office of Groundwater Resources (MDEQ) to identify
				  wells or open holes owned by particular water systems to be abandoned.
				  Wells/holes deemed high risk by MDEQ will be sought out first for abandonment.
				  Upon completion, wells/holes that are considered medium risk will be addressed
				  next, then low risk.
Communication
- Staff from the MsRWA will meet
				  with system officials to encourage them to properly abandon existing inactive
				  wells or open holes posing risk of contamination to their water system and
				  aquifer. This is considered essential to successfully achieving the goal of
				  abandoning those wells/holes posing risk.
Mobilization
- Once the communication phase has
				  been completed, staff of the MSW&MW, the licensed well driller contractor,
				  will mobilize to the selected site and commence with the proper abandonment of
				  the well/hole. This will be accomplished in accordance with established
				  guidelines set forth by the MDEQ Office of Groundwater. When the abandonment is
				  complete, the well contractor will contact the MsRWA staff to inform them of
				  project completion.
Confirmation
- Staff of the MsRWA will perform
				  site visits to confirm proper abandonment of the wells/holes. When the
				  abandonment is confirmed, MsRWA will notify the Department to ensure that each
				  abandoned well matches invoices submitted for payment.
SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETING ACTIVITIES
The schedule for completing Local Assistance and Other
				  Program activities under this work plan will be the schedule established by set
				  contractual dates. This phase of well abandonment will be completed by June 30,
				  2015.
AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES
The MSDH will be monitoring contractors throughout the
				  process to ensure effective completion of contractual assignments.
EVALUATION PROCESS TO ASSESS THE SUCCESS OF SET-ASIDE
				  ACTIVITIES
The success of this set-aside will be defined by the ability
				  of the MSDH through the solicited contractor(s) to remove by proper abandonment
				  wells or open holes that potentially pose a risk to existing water supplies and
				  the aquifers which supply the well water.