House, Senate pass well-inspection bills
Friday, June 30th, 2006
By Chris Fitzsimon
Plans would require testing of private wells and set state standards
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
RALEIGH
Counties would be required to test new private drinking-water wells for several potential contaminants in identical bills that passed both the House and Senate environment committees yesterday.
Although about a third of the counties have some kind of plan in place to oversee well construction or well testing, it’s not required state-wide for small private wells for homes.
About 2.7 million people - almost a third of the state’s population - rely on well water. And 26,000 new wells are drilled annually, Leah Devlin, the state health director, told the House Environment Committee.
"This represents filling in an enormous gap in protecting drinking water in North Carolina," she said. "This is an enormous opportunity. This will actually be a very historic moment if you act in favor of his bill."
The bill would require each county to develop a permitting, inspection and testing program and enforce minimum standards set out in the bill and by the Environmental Management Commission. The commission already inspects large wells used by community water systems that serve large housing developments and some municipalities.
Under the proposal, every local health department would investigate a proposed well site and issue permits allowing construction and certifying the proper completion of the well. The agencies would be required within 30 days to test the new well’s water for bacteria, acidity and 17 different different elements and compounds, such as arsenic, lead and mercury. (more…)
Gov. Mike Easley has made well testing one of the leading items he wants the General Assembly to approve this year, Franklin Freeman, his top legislative lobbyist, told the House committee.
Representatives of the N.C. Home Builders Association and the N.C. Association of Realtors both raised concerns earlier that the requirement would result in testing backlogs and hold up construction. The Legislature wants to allocate money to eliminate those worries. (more…)
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