NEWS: Wake Interference Ordinance Approved

8/27/2009

In an effort to promote public health and groundwater sustainability, the Wake County Human Services and Environmental Services Board today, Thursday, August 27, 2009, approved an ordinance that establishes a process to investigate causes and require mitigation of well interference. The new ordinance will go into effect Tuesday, October 1, 2009.

Well interference can occur when a well’s water supply, which provides water for drinking and basic sanitation, is depleted or degraded due to the pumping of another well.

"Since having a sustainable supply of water is essential to public health, the County is requesting that well owners notify the Environmental Services department when water level interference is first suspected," said Human Services Board, Environmental Services Sub-Committee Chair Buck Kennedy. "We will investigate the cause for the interference, help devise a plan to resolve the issue as quickly and efficiently as possible, as well as monitor the situation to ensure that the strategy has been properly implemented."

The ordinance also includes additional regulations for new large-capacity wells starting October 1, 2009.

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