LAW
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Ohio Laws and Rules
(A) “Alter or alteration” means to make a major change in the type of construction or configuration of a private water system, including without limitation, adding a disinfection or treatment device, for the purpose of disinfecting or treating the water source for a private water system due to contamination; converting a well with a buried seal to a well with a pitless adapter or well house installation; extending a distribution system to a dwelling or dwellings; converting a well that uses a well pit to a well with a pitless adapter or well house type of construction; extending the casing above ground; deepening a well; changing the type of pumping equipment when the change requires making new holes or sealing or plugging existing holes in the casing or wall of a well; or repairing, extending, or replacing any portion of the inside or outside casing or wall, or the walls of a spring or cistern, that extend below ground level.
(B) “Ansi” means the American national standards institute.
(C) “Api” means American petroleum institute.
(D) “Annular space” means the space between two cylindrical objects, one of which surrounds the other, such as the space between a borehole wall and the casing or casing coupling of a well, the space between a casing pipe and liner pipe, or the space between a temporary casing and a permanent casing.
(E) “Aquifer” means a consolidated or unconsolidated geologic formation or series of formations that are hydraulically interconnected and that have the ability to receive, store, or transmit water.
(F) “Astm” means the American society for testing and materials.
(G) “Bentonite” means a plastic, colloidal clay which has an extensive ability to absorb water and swell in volume, and which is composed predominantly of the mineral montmorillonite.
(H) “Bentonite grout” means a slurry of bentonite and water which has a high solids concentration and a minimum density or bentonite in a pelletized or course grade form.
(I) “Board of health” means the board of health of a city or general health district created by or under the authority of Chapter 3709. of the Revised Code, the authority having the duties of a board of health in any city as authorized under section 3709.05 of the Revised Code, or the authorized representative of such a board or authority.
(J) “Casing” means an impervious durable pipe that is placed in a well and is used to prevent the walls from caving, exclude surface drainage, undesirable water or other fluids, or unwanted or harmful materials from a well.
(K) “Coarse grade bentonite” means bentonite that has been crushed to a size of three-eighths to three-quarters of an inch.
(L) “Coliform bacteria” means all of the aerobic and facultive anaerobic, gram-negative, nonspore-forming, rod-shaped bacteria that ferment lactose with gas formation within forty-eight hours at thirty-five degrees celsius.
(M) “Conductor pipe” or “tremie pipe” means a small diameter pipe used to place a grout slurry into the annular space of a well.
(N) “Conductor pipe-pumped” means pressure grouting with a conductor pipe that is lowered to the bottom of the annular space with grout pumped from the bottom up in a continuous operation. The end of the conductor pipe remains submerged and full of grout at all times.
(O) “Confined aquifer” means an aquifer bounded above and below by beds of distinctly lower permeability than that of the aquifer itself and which contains ground water under pressure greater than that of the atmosphere.
(P) “Consolidated” means lithified geologic formation materials. In Ohio these materials constitute formations such as sandstone, dolomite, limestone, shale, siltstone and coal.
(Q) “Contaminant” means any biological, chemical, physical, or radiological constituent in water that is or may become injurious to public health, safety or welfare.
(R) “Contamination” means the presence of any contaminant into the private water system or ground water which renders the water unfit for human consumption.
(S) “Department” means the department of health or board of health of a health district approved by the director to administer and enforce this chapter.
(T) “Develop or development” means to physically remove all fine materials, and sediment generated during construction of the well, by means including but not limited to surging, air surging or lifting, over pumping, backwashing, high velocity jetting or bailing of the completed well.
(U) “Director or director of health” means the director of the department of health of the state of Ohio and includes any authorized representative of the director.
(V) “Disinfect or disinfection” means the addition or use of chlorine or other disinfectant or process to the private water system to neutralize or destroy the growth of harmful bacteria.
(W) “Diversion ditch” means a shallow ditch, swale, earthen embankment, or other excavation to divert surface water away from a water source or supply.
(X) “Dry hole” means an open borehole or cased borehole that does not produce water in sufficient quantity for the intended use.
(Y) “Dwelling unit” means the place which is occupied by a person or persons.
(Z) “Formation” means a rock unit distinguished from adjacent deposits by a common characteristic.
(AA) “Formation stabilizer or filter pack” means siliceous, well-rounded, clean and uniform sand or gravel that is free of contaminants and foreign matter, properly sized, washed and disinfected and placed between the borehole wall and the well screen to prevent formation material from entering through the screen and to stabilize the borehole.
(BB) “Granular bentonite” means bentonite that has been processed to coarse granular particles ranging in size from thirty-three to ninety-three thousandths of an inch.
(CC) “Ground water” means all water occurring in an aquifer.
(DD) “Grout” means the materials set forth in or approved under paragraph (I) of rule 3701-28-07 of the Administrative Code.
(EE) “Grout displacement method” means placing a calculated volume of grout sufficient to fill the annular space plus fifteen percent extra grout into the borehole through a conductor pipe. A drillable plug is then attached to the bottom of the permanent casing and the permanent casing lowered through the grout into the borehole allowing the grout to be forced up the annular space. If necessary, pressure is applied to the top of the casing to hold it in place until the grout is set.
(FF) “Grout shoe-continuous injection” means pressure grouting by using a grout shoe with a check valve installed in the bottom of the permanent well casing and connected by a conductor pipe to the surface through which grout is pumped until the entire annular space is filled with grout. The conductor pipe is removed, the permanent casing set at the bottom of the borehole, and the grout allowed to set until cured.
(GG) “Halliburton” means pressure grouting by filling the casing and annular space with water, mud or a bentonite slurry and using a single plug or double plugs inserted watertight into the bottom or top of the permanent casing through which a calculated volume of grout sufficient to fill the annular space and the bottom ten feet of casing is pumped with a conductor pipe through a watertight seal. The grout is then displaced by using water pressure or pressure from the drill stem to advance the plug or plugs. Pressure is maintained in the casing until the grout has set.
(HH) “Hauled water storage tank” means any tank used to store potable water for use as a private water supply.
(II) “Health District” means a city or general health district as created by or under the authority of Chapter 3709. of the Revised Code.
(JJ) “Hydrostatic head” means the height of the free surface of a body of water above a given subsurface point or a reflection of the ground water level plus the pressure head.
(KK) “Liner” means a permanent well casing installed within another permanent well casing and may extend into the borehole to support the walls of the borehole.
(LL) “NSF” means the national sanitation foundation.
(MM) “Nominal diameter or nominal pipe size” means the inside diameter of pipe for pipe sizes one-inch through twelve inch diameter and means the outside pipe diameter for pipe sizes greater than twelve inches in diameter.
(NN) “One hundred year flood” means a flood having a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
(OO) “One hundred year flood plain” means a portion of a designated flood plain that may be inundated by a one hundred year flood.
(PP) “Oversized or enlarged borehole” means a borehole larger in diameter than the well casing pipe.
(QQ) “Packer” means a rubber or inflatable device used to temporarily or permanently seal off a portion of the borehole, annular space or well casing.
(RR) “Pelletized bentonite” means bentonite that has been processed into pellets or tablets that have a diameter of one-fourth to one-half inch.
(SS) “Permanent casing” means durable, impervious pipe placed or driven into the borehole and left in place to maintain the well opening.
(TT) “Person” includes the state, a political subdivision, individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, or any legal entity defined as a person under section 1.59 of the Revised Code.
(UU) “Pitless adapter” means an assembly of parts which permits water to pass through the casing or extension thereof; provides access to the well and to the parts of the water system within the well; and provides for the transportation of the water and the protection of the well and water therein from surface or near surface contaminants.
(VV) “Pitless unit” means an assembly which extends the upper end of casing to above grade and prevents the entrance of contaminants into the well, to conduct water from the well, to protect water from freezing or extremes of temperature and to allow access to the well and components of the pumping equipment.
(WW) “Potable water” means water which is satisfactory for all drinking, culinary, and domestic purposes.
(XX) “Powdered bentonite” means a mixture of bentonite clays and other clay in a powdered form.
(YY) “Pressure grouting” means any of the following methods of placing a grout slurry into a well or the annular space of a well:
(1) Conductor pipe-pumped
(2) Grout shoe – continuous injection
(3) Well seal with conductor pipe- pumped
(4) Halliburton method
(5) Grout displacement method.
(ZZ) “Private water system” means any water system, other than a public water supply system, for the provision of water for human consumption, if the system has fewer than fifteen service connections and does not regularly serve an average of at least twenty-five individuals daily at least sixty days each year. A private water system includes any well, spring, cistern, pond, or hauled water and any equipment for the collection, distribution, transportation, filtration, disinfection, treatment, or storage of water extending from and including the source of the water to the point of discharge from any pressure tank or other storage vessel; to the point of discharge from the water pump where no pressure tank or other storage vessel is present; to the point where the distribution line enters the foundation of the building or dwelling, where the pressure tank is outside of the building or dwelling; or, in the case of multiple service connections serving more than one dwelling, to the point of discharge from each service connection where the service connection enters the foundation of the dwelling. A private water system does not include the water service line extending from the point of discharge to a structure.
(AAA) “Public water supply system” has the same meaning as in division (A) of section 6109.01 of the Revised Code.
(BBB) “Registered contractor”, “registered water systems contractor” or registrant means a person who is registered as a water systems contractor in accordance with division (B) (3) of section 3701.344 of the Revised Code and Chapter 3701-28 of the Administrative Code.
(CCC) “Repair” means any work performed on a private water system for the purpose of servicing or replacing with a like component. Repair includes, without limitation, servicing or replacing pumps or pumping equipment, filtration or disinfection equipment, storage or pressure tanks, belts, couplings, switches, or fuses. Repair does not include an alteration to the casing or wall of a water well or the walls of a spring box, hauled water storage tank, or cistern.
(DDD) “Seal” means to close a well, cistern or hauled water storage tank or to close a portion of a well or the annular space of a well.
(EEE) “Service connection” means that point at which the private water system enters any structure used for agricultural purposes, building, or dwelling. Where no structure used for agricultural purposes, no building, or no dwelling exists, each water outlet shall be considered a service connection.
(FFF) “Shale basket means” a conical shaped rubber packer that is attached to the bottom of the casing to seal the annular space and prevent grout from entering the open borehole or screened area of the well.
(GGG) “Source” means the site from which water is extracted for the purpose of supplying water to a private water system. Source includes a well, pond, spring box, cistern or water hauler.
(HHH) “Spring” means a place where ground water flows naturally from rock or soil onto the land surface or into a body of water.
(III) “Standard weight pipe” or “standard weight” means a class of pipe weight designated by ansi which is equivalent to schedule forty for nominal pipe sizes ranging from one-eighth of an inch to ten inches in diameter, and varies with pipe dimension for greater pipe diameters.
(JJJ) “Static water level” means the level of the water when measured from the established ground surface to the water surface in a well that is neither being pumped nor under the influence of pumping, or that is flowing under artesian pressure.
(KKK) “Temporary casing” means durable pipe placed or driven into a borehole to maintain an open annular space around the permanent casing during the construction of a well.
(LLL) “Test hole” means any excavation, regardless of design or method of construction, done for the purpose of determining the most suitable site for removing ground water from an aquifer for use in a private water system.
(MMM) Thermoplastic means polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).
(NNN) “Unconsolidated” means geologic formation composed of materials that are loose and not lithified.
(OOO) “Water systems contractor” or “contractor” means a person who constructs or develops a well for use as or as a part of a private water system or otherwise constructs a private water system, installs pumping equipment for a private water system, alters a private water system, repairs a private water system, seals a private water system, or performs any combination of those activities for hire; or, who inspects or evaluates private water systems for hire.
(PPP) “Well” means any excavation regardless of design or method of construction that is done or used for any of the following purposes:
(1) Removing ground water for the provision of water for human consumption; or
(2) Determining the quality, quantity, or level of ground water in or the stratigraphy of an aquifer, excluding borings for instrumentation in dams, dikes or levees or highway embankments.
(QQQ) “Well cap” or “cap” means a device used to enclose the atmospheric termination of the well casing.
(RRR) “Well screen” or “screen” means an intake structure with uniform openings designed to retain the aquifer formation, prevent collapse of the borehole adjacent to the screen, and accommodate a yield adequate for the intended use of the well.
(SSS) “Well seal with conductor pipe-pumped” means pressure grouting by setting the permanent casing just above the bottom of the borehole and filling the casing and annular space with water, drilling mud or a bentonite slurry. Conductor pipe is then set inside the casing to the bottom of the borehole either through a watertight well seal or packer. Grout is pumped into the annular space displacing all other fluids in the annular space and the permanent casing set in place.
(TTT) “Well vent or vent” means a screened opening in a well seal or cap to allow atmospheric pressure to be maintained in the well.
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 12/23/2004 and 11/15/2009
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 3701.344
Rule Amplifies: 3701.344
Prior Effective Dates: 1/1/1981, 1/1/84, 1/1/00