Virginia Administrative Code › Title 12 - HEALTH › Agency 5 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH › Chapter 630 - PRIVATE WELL REGULATIONS › Part III - Design and Construction Criteria › Article 1 - General Requirements › Section 12VAC5-630-380 - Well location

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Sanitary
					 survey. Any obvious source of toxic or dangerous substances within 200 feet of
					 the proposed private well shall be investigated as part of the sanitary survey
					 by the district or local health department. Sources of contamination may
					 include, but are not limited to, items listed in Table 3.1, abandoned wells,
					 pesticide treated soils, underground storage tanks, and other sources of
					 physical, chemical or biological contamination. If the source of contamination
					 could affect the well adversely, and preventive measures are not available to
					 protect the ground water, the well shall be prohibited. The minimum separation
					 distance between a private well and structures, topographic features, or
					 sources of pollution shall comply with the minimum distances shown in Table
					 3.1. Where the minimum separation distances for a Class IV well cannot be met,
					 a permit may be issued under this chapter for a well meeting all of the
					 criteria in
					 12VAC5-630-400 and
					 12VAC5-630-410 and the separation
					 distance requirements for either a Class IIIA or IIIB well, without deviation,
					 and such Class IV well shall not be required to meet the water quality
					 requirements of
					 12VAC5-630-370.
TABLE 3.1 DISTANCES (IN FEET) BETWEEN A
								WELL AND A STRUCTURE OR TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURE
Structure or Topographic Feature
Class IIIC or IV
Class IIIA or B
Building foundation
10
10
Building foundation (termite treated)
501
501
House sewer line
502
502
Sewer main, including force mains
503
503
Sewerage system
50
50
Pretreatment system (e.g. septic tank, aerobic unit,
								etc.)
50
50
Sewage disposal system or other contaminant source
								(e.g., drainfield, underground storage tank, barnyard, hog lot, etc.)
100
50
Cemetery
100
50
Sewage Dump Station
100
501
1See
								12VAC5-630-380
2Private wells shall not be
								constructed within 50 feet of a house sewer line except as provided below.
								Where special construction and pipe materials are used in a house sewer line to
								provide adequate protection, and the well is cased and grouted to the water
								bearing formation, all classes of private wells may be placed as close as 10
								feet to the house sewer line. Special construction for house sewer lines
								constitutes cast iron pipe with water-tight caulked joints or mechanical joints
								using neoprene gaskets, or solvent welded Schedule 40 or better polyvinyl
								chloride (PVC) pipe. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide
								documentation from the contractor that such construction and pipe materials
								have been installed. In no case shall a private well be placed within 10 feet
								of a house sewer line.
3Private wells shall not be
								constructed within 50 feet of a sewer main except as provided below. Where
								special construction and pipe materials are used in a sewer main to provide
								adequate protection, and the well is cased and grouted to the water bearing
								formation, Class III wells may be placed as close as 35 feet to a sewer main
								and Class IV wells as close as 10 feet. Special construction for sewer mains
								constitutes ductile iron pipe with water-tight joints, solvent welded Schedule
								40 or better polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe (SDR-35 plastic PVC with neoprene
								gaskets). It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide documentation
								from the local building official or sanitary district that such construction
								and pipe materials have been installed. In no case shall a Class III well be
								place within 35 feet of a sewer main. Likewise, in no case shall a Class IV
								well be placed within 10 feet of a sewer main.
B. Downslope siting of wells from potential
					 sources of pollution. Special precaution shall be taken when locating a well
					 within a 60 degree arc directly downslope from any part of any existing or
					 intended onsite sewage disposal system or other known source of pollution,
					 including, but not limited to, buildings subject to termite or vermin
					 treatment, or used to store polluting substances or storage tanks or storage
					 areas for petroleum products or other deleterious substances. The minimum
					 separation distance shall be:
(i) increased
					 by 25 feet for every 5.0% of slope; or (ii) an increase shall be made to the
					 minimum depth of grout and casing in the amount of five feet for every 5.0% of
					 slope.