Definitions

(a) Unless expressly stated otherwise, the following terms shall, for the purpose of the Connecticut Well Drilling Code, have the meanings indicated in this section. (b) Words used in the present tense include the future; words used in the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter; the singular number includes the plural and the singular. (c) Where the terms are not defined in this section or in Section 25-126 of the General Statutes, they shall have their ordinarily accepted meanings or such as the context may imply. (1) Access port: A suitable opening into the well to allow measurement of water level. (2) Annular space: The space between two objects, one of which is surrounded by the other. This includes the space between the wall of an excavation and the wall of a pit; between the wall of an excavation and the casing of a well; or between two casings. (3) Aquifer: A water bearing earth material which can transmit water in significant quantity. It can be either consolidated rock, such as ledge rock, or unconsolidated material, such as sand, gravel, or soil with boulders. (4) Artesian well: A well in which static water level rises above the top of the aquifer. The aquifer is confined by an impermeable geologic formation overlying the aquifer. (5) Bentonite clay grout: A mixture of bentonite clay and water with not less than two pounds of bentonite clay for every gallon of water. (6) Board: The State Plumbing and Piping Work Examining Board. (7) Casing: A pipe placed in a well to prevent the walls from caving, or to seal off surface drainage and other contaminants, so that they cannot enter the well. (8) Construction of well: All acts necessary to construct or repair wells for any intended purpose of use, including the location and excavation of the well, placement of casings, screens, and fittings, and well development and testing. (9) Contamination: The act of introducing into water, foreign materials of such nature, quality, and quantity as to cause degradation of the quality of the water. (10) Disinfection: The inactivation of harmful organisms present in water, through use of an accepted chlorine solution or other accepted disinfection material or procedure. (11) Drawdown: The extent of lowering of the water table or piezometric surface within or adjacent to the well, resulting from the discharge of water from the well. Draw down is measured between the static water level and the pumping water level. The quantity of water available in the well from the static water level to the pump intake is known as the draw down available. (12) Established ground surface: The permanent elevation of the surface of the ground at the site of the well after completion of grading, excavation; or other land movements. (13) Ground water: Water encountered below the ground surface of the earth within the zone of saturation that can supply wells and springs. (14) Grout or grouting material: A low permeability material placed in the annular space between the casing and the formation or within the borehole which is at least impermeable as the soil formation. The purpose of the grout is to resist the migration of pollutants into the annular space. (15) Cement grouts: A mixture of portland cement, sand, and water. The mixture is usually composed of one bag of portland cement weighing ninety-four (94) pounds, an equal volume of dry sand, and five to six gallons of water. (A) Neat cement grout: A mixture of not more than six gallons of clear water to one bag of portland cement. (B) Sand cement grout: A mixture of not more than two parts sand to one part portland cement, and not more than six gallons of clear water to each bag of cement. (C) Concrete grout: A mixture of portland cement, sand, gravel and water. (D) Bentonite grout: mined processed bentonite clay. (E) Bentonite cement grout: A mixture of cement grout or sand cement grout with approximately ten per cent (10%) bentonite added to reduce shrinkage. (F) Natural grout: A mixture of water and natural materials excavated during drilling of the well. The materials shall be placed by whatever techniques are effective for the existing conditions to achieve maximum density, strength, and impermeability of the fill material. (G) Sand clay grout: A mixture of bentonite clay and sand in equal proportions. (16) Flowing artesian well: A well in which the static water level is higher than the top of the casing and water flows from the well. (17) Installation of pumps and pumping equipment: The procedure employed in the placement and preparation for operation of pumps and pumping equipment, including all construction involved in making entrances to the well and to the building, establishing seals, installing pump piping, valves, wiring, electrical controls and tanks. (18) Liner pipe: Pipe that is installed inside a completed and cased well for the purpose of sealing off undesirable water or for repairing ruptured or punctured casing or screens. The liner pipe and screens may be constructed of PVC schedule forty (40) plastic. (19) Owner: Any person or his agent who holds the title or other rights of property where a well is constructed, repaired, or abandoned. (20) Potable water: Water free from impurities in amounts sufficient to cause disease or other harmful physiological effects, with the minimum or maximum bacteriological, physical, and chemical composition as defined by the applicable laws and regulations of the Department of Health Services. (21) Repair: Any work involved in the reaming, sealing, installing, changing of casing depths, perforating, screening, cleaning, acidizing, surging, hydrofracting or other redevelopment of a well. (22) Specific capacity: The yield of a well expressed in gallons per minute per foot of drawdown, as abbreviated "gpm/ft." (23) Static water level: The depth to the surface of the water in a well measured from the land surface or other convenient, permanent, and specified datum, when no water is being discharged from the well and the water level has reached equilibrium. (24) Water well: An artificial excavation or opening in the ground, by which ground water can be obtained or through which it flows under natural pressure or is artificially withdrawn. (a) Well bored or augered: Any excavation made for water, or in exploration for water, using power driven equipment, where the drill consists of a continuous spiral of metal or a hollow cylinder or bucket attached to a shaft, and where the excavated material is brought to the ground service by upward movement along the surface of the spiral or removed by the bucket. (b) Well gravel: A well constructed into unconsolidated material. In the zone immediately surrounding the well screen more permeability is obtained by hydraulic action or by removing the finer formation material and replacing it with artificially graded coarser material. (c) Well drilled rock: A well drilled into consolidated rock in which that portion of the well drilled into the overlying unconsolidated material is supported by a casing. (d) Well dug: A well excavated into a shallow aquifer. (e) Well monitor: A well constructed for the purpose of aquifer testing, obtaining samples of ground water quality and/or measurement of ground water level. (25) Well-seal: An approved arrangement or device used to cap a well or to establish and maintain a junction between the casing or curbing of a well and the pipe or equipment installed therein, the purpose or function of which is to prevent contaminants from entering a well at the upper terminal. (26) Well vent: An outlet at the upper terminal of a well casing to allow equalization of air pressure in a well but at the same time so constructed as to avoid entry of water and foreign material into the well. (27) Well yield: The quantity of water per unit of time which may flow or be pumped continuously from a well. (28) Well hydrofracturing: A method of well development used to improve the specific capacity of new or existing drilled wells. Certain zones within the well are pressurized in excess of one hundred (100) psi with water in an effort to force open fractures in the bedrock. (29) Well abandonment: Actions taken to ensure that a well which is no longer in use shall not be a source or conduit for contamination of ground water resources. (30) Well contractor: A well drilling contractor is any person regularly offering to the general public the services of his employees or himself in the industry of obtaining water from a well for any purpose or use. (31) Master well driller: A master well driller is any person experienced and skilled in the industry of obtaining water from a well for any purpose or use.