17.107 Private Wells.

(1) Definitions. Well means an excavation or opening into the ground made by digging, boring, drilling, driving or other methods for the purpose of obtaining groundwater for consumption or other use.

(2) Abandonment Required. All wells located in the City of Manitowoc shall be abandoned in accordance with the terms of this section and Wis. Admin. Code NR 812 by December 31, 1991, or not later than one year from the date of connection from the City of Manitowoc municipal water systems to any building located on the premises on which the well is located, whichever occurs last, unless the owner possesses a current well operation permit under subsection (4) of this section.

(3) Abandonment Procedures.

(a) Method of Abandonment. All wells required to be abandoned under this section shall be abandoned according to the procedures and methods of Wis. Admin. Code NR 812. All debris, pumps, piping, unsealed liners and any other obstructions which may interfere with sealing operations shall be removed prior to abandonment. Abandonment shall be performed by a licensed well driller or pump installer.

(b) Advance Notice Required. The owner of the well or the owner’s agent shall notify the Clerk at least 48 hours prior to commencement of any well abandonment activities.

(c) Verification. The well owner shall submit an abandonment report form, on a form supplied by the Department of Natural Resources, to the City Clerk and to the Department of Natural Resources within 10 days of completion of the well abandonment. This report shall include verification by the licensed well driller or pump installer who performed the abandonment that all applicable laws and regulations have been followed in completing the abandonment.

(4) Well Operation Permit. Applications for a well operation permit shall be made to the Clerk on a form provided by the Building Inspection Department. The Clerk shall issue a permit authorizing operation of the well for a period of five years, upon certification by the applicant that the following conditions have been met:

(a) The well and pump installation meet or are upgraded to meet the requirements of Wis. Admin. Code NR 812;

(b) The well produces bacteriologically safe water as evidenced by at least two samplings taken a minimum of two weeks apart. The applicant is responsible for having the samples taken and tested at a laboratory approved by the State of Wisconsin, and submitting the results with the application;

(c) There are no cross connections between the well and the City of Manitowoc municipal water system; and

(d) No well water is or may be discharged into the Manitowoc sanitary sewer system without a separate meter installed to measure flows in order to compute sewer charges.

(5) Well Operation Permit Fees. The fee for the issuance of an initial permit to a well existing on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section shall be $50.00. The permit fee for a well constructed after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section shall be $125.00. In either case, the fee for the renewal of an existing permit shall be $125.00.

(6) Mandatory Connections to Water Mains.

(a) Except as set forth in subsection (6)(b) of this section, within 60 days after notification by Manitowoc Public Utilities or the City of Manitowoc to an owner of any building or improvement intended in whole or in part for human habitation or occupancy of the availability of public water service, the owner shall cause to be made a connection to the applicable water main at the owner’s expense, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 281.45. Except for owners utilizing a permitted private well as authorized in this section, such owner shall abandon any existing source of water currently being used or intended to be used for the building for human habitation or occupancy after such connection is made, in accordance with this section. Any owner utilizing a private well properly permitted under this section may continue to do so only for the purpose of irrigation/lawn watering so long as such owner holds a valid private well permit. Should a private well permit not be renewed, or be terminated, the applicable owner shall abandon such private well in accordance with subsections (2) and (3) of this section.

(b) Notwithstanding the above, any property owner that owns a validly permitted private well as of January 1, 2014, shall not be obligated to connect such property to the water main until 30 days after the failure of the private well or the revocation, termination or expiration of the private well permit.

(c) Should an owner fail to make such connection in compliance with subsection (6)(a) or (b) of this section or should in the reasonable determination of Manitowoc Public Utilities or the City of Manitowoc, a health hazard otherwise exist, Manitowoc Public Utilities or the City of Manitowoc may undertake all efforts to have such water main connection made and shall assess the cost thereof against the benefited property and such assessment shall bear interest at and be collected in the same manner as other special assessments.

(d) Any person who violates any provision of this title shall be subject to a daily fee imposed by Manitowoc Public Utilities and may be prosecuted for failure to connect.

[Ord. 19-520 § 5, 2019; Ord. 17-846  1, 2017. Prior code § 17.107]