San Mateo County supervisors will vote today on an ordinance raising the standards for the certification of new wells in the Mid-Coast area in an effort to help protect limited groundwater supplies from depletion or saltwater intrusion.
The ordinance, which applies only to the Mid-Coast area where many residents are partially or entirely dependent on well water, was first proposed by Supervisors Rich Gordon and Mark Church in May in response to concerns about the increasing demands being placed on local aquifers by a growing population.
Under the new law, wells would need to meet new flow requirements and well owners would need to hire a geologist to supervise water testing and make sure there is a clear chain of custody for samples. In addition, water from wells with levels of chloride or conductivity exceeding state standards could no longer be treated to be made drinkable, because these tests are thought to reveal early signs of possible saltwater intrusion.
The new law had initially also required that wells return to above sea level and that pump tests be conducted only during certain seasons, but these requirements were dropped during a public review process due to a lack of strong science to support them, Gordon said.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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