Date: Fri 23-Jan-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

aquifer-protection

Full Text:

State Presses Towns To Take Up The Cause Of Aquifer Protection

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is refining its draft

proposal of state aquifer protection regulations intended to ensure a

plentiful supply of public drinking water for present and future generations.

Robert Hust, a senior environmental analyst for aquifer protection in DEP's

planning and standards unit, said it may be about a year before the DEP

promulgates its statewide aquifer protection regulations and issues a set of

model regulations for adoption by affected municipalities.

Locally, the Pootatuck Aquifer, a major sand-and-gravel aquifer, is the source

of two public drinking water supplies -- the United Water system, which serves

about 1,000 customers in central Newtown, and the water wells that serve

Fairfield Hills, Garner Correctional Institution and Nunnawauk Meadows.

United Water's wellhead is across South Main Street from Sand Hill Plaza. The

other wellhead is on land owned by the Potatuck Land Company, near Garner.

Sand-and-gravel aquifers which provide groundwater to large public water

supplies are at particular risk of contamination because their groundwater may

be very close to the surface and their soils are highly permeable, according

to DEP. The state's aquifer protection program is intended to identify aquifer

areas which provide water supplies. The program is designed to protect the

aquifers from pollution by improving land use decision making and by reducing

potential contamination sources emanating from existing land uses.

The third draft of the state aquifer protection regulations is now under

review by a DEP advisory committee composed of affected businesses and public

utilities, Mr Hust said. Creating such rules involves balancing the interests

of environmental protection against business interests.

Until the state regulations and model municipal regulations on aquifer

protection are promulgated, towns should employ their zoning regulations to

protect aquifers which serve as public water supplies, Mr Hust said.

There has been some interest among town Conservation Commission members to

enact town aquifer protection regulations before the state issues the model

regulations for towns. The Conservation Commission has been designated the

town's Aquifer Protection Agency by the Legislative Council.

Towns will be able to enact aquifer protection rules which are more stringent

than the state rules, provided the town rules are intended to protect

aquifers, and not serve some other purpose, Mr Hust said.

When town aquifer protection regulations are in place and a violation is

noted, the Aquifer Protection Agency would issue a cease-and-desist order to

stop the violation. If that order is not effective, the agency would pursue a

court injunction to halt the violation, Mr Hust said. Zoning violations are

pursued in such a manner.

Mapping

The preliminary 1:1000 mapping required for aquifer protection throughout the

state has been performed on all of the 128 public water supply wells under the

program, Mr Hust said. A more detailed final version of that mapping has been

approved for five wellfields in the state.

The preliminary mapping is based on a mathematical formula. Final mapping is

based on more accurate field study.

In many cases, the final mapping will delineate aquifer protection areas much

smaller than the preliminary mapping, Mr Hust said.

The goal of the aquifer protection program is to environmentally protect the

areas around public water supply wellheads. Those are the areas in which water

is drawn up from subsurface flowing groundwater.

The aquifer protection maps will be keyed to both existing and proposed land

uses in wellhead areas. The state regulations will contain land use standards

and outright prohibitions of certain environmentally-hazardous activities in

those areas, Mr Hust said.

Businesses that are likely to be regulated include manufacturing and

industrial operations, wholesale facilities which store and use hazardous

materials, gasoline stations, auto repair businesses, machine shops, dry

cleaners, furniture strippers, printers, photo processors and laboratories.

Also, highway maintenance garages, road salt storage areas, airports and waste

disposal areas will be regulated. Workshops and laboratories in schools and

other institutions will have to follow "best management practices."

Also, homeowners may be affected by restrictions on underground fuel storage

and certain home occupations. Residents in aquifer protection areas will be

educated about the risk to groundwater quality from pesticides and

fertilizers, improper septic system use, paints, paint thinners, and

automotive fluids.

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 aquifer protection program will also have regulations on agriculture

in protected areas.

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

open space land, and certain types of agriculture.

A Case In Point

One example of the consequences of having aquifer protection regulations is

illustrated by an application now pending before the Conservation Commission.

Judith Volpe, the proprietor of Avance Esthetiques, is a day spa at Sand Hill

Plaza, has applied for a wetlands construction permit to build a

10,000-square-foot building off Washbrook Road, just north of the plaza. The

building would house a relocated spa and other businesses.

The development site lies within the aquifer protection area delineated by the

town's preliminary aquifer mapping.

In his review of the application, Christopher Majewski, the town's

conservation official, raises various issues about the site's proximity to

United Water's wellfield, which lies across South Main Street from Sand Hill

Plaza. The issues concern the site's proximity to the Pootatuck River which is

a major source of water for the wellfield.

Mr Majewski's questions focus on the effect removing 12,000 cubic yards of

earth materials will have on the river; the adequacy of erosion and

sedimentation plans; the effect of stormwater drainage from the site; the

possibility of river flooding; and the effects chemicals used by the

businesses in the new shopping center would have on Pootatuck River water

quality, among other concerns.

Mark Fois, an engineer for United Water, says the proposed project poses

serious potential water quality damage to the water supply wells across South

Main Street. According to Mr Fois, wastewater generated at the site should be

discharged into a holding tank instead of a septic system; the water company

wants to review the chemicals that would be used at the site; erosion control

plans should be more detailed; and steps should be taken to control the

release of silt, oil and grease into the river.

Mr Fois urges that the town require more safeguards to the public water supply

in connection with the development, or deny the application.