§ 14-5. Water wells; permit required.
(a)
No person shall drill any water well in the city without first obtaining a permit from the city public works department. The requirements are as follows:
(1)
Water well permits will be granted for irrigation purposes only.
(2)
The proposed depth of the well shall be reviewed by the director of public works to determine if there are any adverse impacts on the health, safety and general welfare of the city due to the depth of the proposed well and to document any such conclusions. Any abandoned test hole shall be plugged, filled, and capped according to the Administrative Rules of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
(3)
No well shall be permitted to be drilled within one thousand (1,000) feet of a city-owned well.
(4)
All well drillers shall be licensed as required by the state.
(5)
No well shall be used as a potable water source.
(6)
No well shall be connected to private plumbing. No well shall be connected to the city water distribution system without proper backflow protection as designated by TNRCC.
(b)
All wells must be inspected and approved by the city prior to the well being used by the applicant.
(c)
The city has the legal authority to require the abandonment of an existing private water will if the subject water threatens the public water supply or the health of its citizens. All abandonment costs will be the responsibility of the owner. The abandonment procedures must comply with all applicable Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) rules and regulations.
(d)
The city has the legal authority to enforce all TNRCC rules and regulations and all state, federal, and local regulations relating to the drilling, installation or abandonment of private water wells within the city limits.
(e)
The drilling and installation of all wells must comply with all federal, state and local rules and regulations.
(f)
All wells shall be, while either in use or abandoned, covered on the top so as to prevent a person from falling into the well. All abandoned wells not properly covered shall be filled.
(g)
All well-drilling permit applications shall be accompanied by a check for five hundred dollars ($500.00) made payable to the City of Hurst or in the amount established by the schedule of fees approved periodically by the city council.
(Code 1965, § 14-16; Ord. No. 1323, § 1, 3-14-91; Ord. No. 1615, § 1, 3-24-98; Ord. No. 1785, § 1, 5-29-01)