Date: Fri 31-Oct-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

aquifer-protection-Majewski

Full Text:

Town Weighs Options For Protecting Aquifer

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Few people would argue against protecting the quality of drinking water

supplies, and now some members of the town's Conservation Commission are

talking about creating rules designed to safeguard Newtown's sole source

aquifer, according to Christopher Majewski, the town's environmental

enforcement officer.

Currently, the town's zoning regulations contain some general rules concerning

the protection of potential drinking water supplies. State law allows local

Planning and Zoning Commissions to consider the effects that proposed

development would have on the quality of surface water and underground water.

The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been developing a

set of model rules concerning the protection of aquifers. When completed, the

model regulations will be available for use by municipalities' aquifer

protection agencies in fashioning local aquifer protection rules.

Unlike many municipalities which are served by public water supplies fed by

surface reservoirs, Newtown has two public water supply systems fed by the

Pootatuck Aquifer.

That stratified-drift aquifer contains groundwater in the spaces between

coarse-grained sand and gravel deposited in the Pootatuck River Valley.

The wellhead for the privately-owned public utility company United Water is

located across South Main Street from Sand Hill Plaza. United Water has about

1,000 customer accounts in central Newtown and southward along South Main

Street.

Another wellhead into the Pootatuck Aquifer is on Potatuck Land Company

property off Mile Hill Road. That supply serves Garner Correctional

Institution, Fairfield Hills, and Nunnawauk Meadows.

Unlike stratified drift aquifers, many domestic water wells which serve

individual properties are fed by bedrock aquifers whose water supplies are

contained within the fissures in subsurface bedrock.

Wellhead Protection

In Newtown, the Conservation Commission has been designated as the town's

Aquifer Protection Agency by an ordinance approved by the Legislative Council.

In that capacity, the commission will be responsible for "wellhead

protection," or environmental protection of the area near the wells of public

water supplies, explained Mr Majewski.

To aid in the task of wellhead protection, the town has "Level B" generalized

mapping of aquifer protection areas. "Level B" mapping is theoretical mapping

or basic mapping that represents areas which need to be protected to preserve

aquifer water quality.

To be more effective, more detailed and refined "Level A" mapping is required,

Mr Majewski said. Such mapping more accurately depicts the boundaries of

aquifer protection areas. It is developed through the use of pump testing to

gauge the water "drawdown" rates of aquifers, Mr Majewski explained.

Two Aspects

A community can protect its aquifers through a two-pronged approach in which

its Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) establishes "overlay" zones to

prohibit or regulate activities detrimental to aquifer water quality, and its

Conservation Commission monitors activities near the wellheads for underground

public drinking water supplies, Mr Majewski said.

Some Conservation Commission members have expressed an interest in developing

aquifer protection rules, he noted.

Protecting aquifer water quality could entail a town's prohibiting solid waste

disposal, road salt storage, and certain forms of heavy industry in sensitive

areas, as well as employing sound environmental management practices requiring

special permits for certain land uses and activities, according to Mr

Majewski.

Low-risk activities in aquifer protection areas include low-density housing,

open space land and certain types of agriculture, he said.

The DEP regulations on protecting the water quality of surface reservoirs are

well established, Mr Majewski said.

But aquifer protection regulations for underground drinking water supplies are

a relatively new field.

Balancing Interests

Creating such rules involves balancing the interests of environmental

protection against business interests, he said.

Until DEP adopts some model aquifer protection regulations, there isn't a

state mandate or any official state guidance on the matter, he said.

The best approach to protecting the local aquifer may involve having the P&Z

expand the scope of its rules on aquifer protection and some later point have

the Conservation Commission approve aquifer protection rules for areas near

public water supply wellheads, he said.

A state law passed in 1989 concerns aquifer protection areas. It seeks to

advance groundwater protection by requiring towns to designate aquifer

protection areas and create land use regulations to protect public drinking

water supplies within aquifer protection areas.

The law also requires the state to develop regulations and provide technical

assistance and educational programs on groundwater protection.

DEP Viewpoint

According to DEP, the types of land uses and activities which contaminate

groundwater quality will be regulated in aquifer protection areas. Regulated

businesses may have to use new procedures and/or install new equipment to

minimize the chance of pollution. New very-high-risk businesses such as waste

disposal, most manufacturing, and bulk petroleum or chemical storage will not

be allowed to locate in protected areas. Businesses most likely to be

regulated include: gasoline stations, auto and engine service businesses,

machine shops, dry cleaners, furniture strippers, printers, photo processors,

medical offices and laboratories.

Highway maintenance garages, road salt storage facilities and waste disposal

operations will be regulated.

According to DEP, homeowners may be affected by restrictions on underground

fuel storage and home occupations. Residents who live in aquifer protection

areas will be educated about the risks of using pesticides and fertilizers,

improper septic system use, and keeping and using hazardous materials, such as

paints, paint thinners and automotive chemicals.