§ 8.40.020. Definitions.

The following words and phrases shall, for the purpose of this chapter, have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:

"Abandoned" or "abandonment" shall apply to a well which has not been used for a period of one year, unless the owner declares in writing to the health officer, his intention to use the well again for supplying water or other associated purpose (such as an observation well or injection well) and received approval of such declaration. All such declarations shall be renewed annually. Test holes and exploratory holes shall be considered abandoned twenty-four hours after construction work has been completed, unless otherwise approved by the health officer;

"Agricultural wells" mean water wells used to supply water for irrigation or other agricultural purposes, including stock wells;

"Cathodic protection well" means any artificial excavation in an aquifer or in excess of fifty feet, constructed by any method for the purpose of installing equipment or facilities for the protection electrically of metallic equipment in contact with the ground commonly referred to as cathodic protection;

"Community water supply well" means a water well for domestic purposes in systems subject to Chapter 7 of Part 1 of Division 5 of the California Health and Safety Code (commencing with Section 4010);

"Completion or completion operation" means any work conducted after artificial excavation to include:

(1)

Placement of well casing,

(2)

Gravel packing,

(3)

Sealing,

(4)

Casing perforation, or

(5)

Other operations deemed necessary by the health officer;

"Contamination" means an impairment of the quality of water to a degree which creates a hazard to the public health through poisoning or through spread of disease;

"Destruction or destroy" means the complete filling of a well in such a manner that it will not produce water or act as a conduit for the interchange of water, when such interchange will result in deterioration of the quality of water in any water-bearing formations penetrated;

"Electrical grounding well" means any artificial excavation in an aquifer or in excess of fifty feet, constructed by any method for the purpose of establishing an electrical ground;

"Health officer" means the health officer of San Luis Obispo County, his medical deputies, his environmental health officers, or his duly authorized representatives;

"Individual domestic well" means a water well used to supply water for domestic needs of an individual residence or commercial establishment;

"Industrial wells" mean water wells used to supply industry on an individual basis;

"Modification or repair" means the deepening of a well, reperforation, sealing or replacement of a well casing;

"Observation well" means a well used for monitoring or sampling the condition of a water-bearing aquifer, such as water pressure, depth, movement or quality;

"Person" includes any person, firm, association, corporation, organization, partnership, business trust, company, or special district formed under the laws of the State of California;

"Pollution" means an alteration of the quality of water to a degree which unreasonably affects:

(1)

Such waters for beneficial uses, or

(2)

Facilities which serve such beneficial uses. Pollution may include contamination;

"Public nuisance," when applied to a well, means any well which threatens to impair the quality of ground water or otherwise jeopardize the health and safety of the public;

"Salt water (hydraulic) barrier wells" mean wells constructed to extract or introduce water into the ground as a means of preventing intrusion of salt water into a fresh water-bearing aquifer;

"Test or exploratory hole" means an excavation used for determining the nature of underground geological or hydrological conditions, whether by seismic investigation, direct observation, or any other means;

"Well" means any artificial excavation constructed by any method for the purpose of extracting water from or injecting water into, the underground, or for providing cathodic protection or electrical grounding of equipment, or for making tests or observations of underground conditions, or for any other similar purpose. Wells include, but shall not be limited to, community water supply wells, individual domestic wells, industrial wells, agricultural wells, cathodic protection wells electrical grounding wells, test and exploratory holes, observation wells and salt water (hydraulic) barrier wells, as defined herein, and other wells whose regulation is necessary to fulfill the purpose of this chapter. This definition shall not include:

(1)

Oil and gas wells, or geothermal wells constructed under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Conservation, except those wells converted to use as water wells, or

(2)

Wells used for the purpose of:

a.

Dewatering excavation during construction,

b.

Stabilizing hillsides or earth embankments,

(3)

And the following artificial excavations:

a.

Drill holes for soil testing purposes where such holes are less than twenty-five feet in depth,

b.

Holes or excavations for soil percolation tests,

c.

Drill holes for seismic exploration where such drill holes are less than twenty-five feet in depth,

d.

Excavations for drainage percolation ponds or spreading basins.

"Well drilling contractor" means a contractor licensed in accordance with the provisions of the Contractors License Law, Chapter 9 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code (commencing with Section 7000) and who shall possess a valid C-57 water well contractors license.

(Ord. 2400 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 1271 § 1 (part), 1973)