(1) General.
Springs vary greatly in their characteristics and they should
be observed for some time before development to determine any flow and quality
variations. Springs determined to be under the direct influence of surface
water shall comply with surface water treatment requirements.
(2) Source Protection.
Public drinking water systems are responsible for protecting
their spring sources from contamination. The selection of a spring shall only
be made after consideration of the requirements of Section R309-515-4. Springs
must be located in an area that shall minimize threats from existing or
potential sources of pollution. A Preliminary Evaluation Report on source
protection issues is required by Subsection R309-600-13(2). If certain
precautions are taken, sewer lines may be permitted within a public drinking
water system's source protection zones at the discretion of the Director. When
sewer lines are permitted in protection zones both sewer lines and maintenance
holes shall be specially constructed as described in Subsection
R309-515-6(4).
(3) Surface
Water Influence.
Some springs yield water that has been filtered underground
for years; other springs yield water that has been filtered underground only a
matter of hours. Even with proper development, the untreated water from certain
springs may exhibit turbidity and high coliform counts. This indicates that the
spring water is not being sufficiently filtered in underground travel. If a
spring is determined to be under the direct influence of surface water, it
shall be treated to meet the surface water treatment requirements specified in
Section R309-505-6.
(4)
Pre-construction Submittal Before beginning spring development construction,
the following information shall be submitted to the Director and approved in
writing:
(a) detailed plans and specifications
covering the development work;
(b)
if available, a copy of an engineer's or geologist's statement indicating:
(i) the historical record of spring flow
variation;
(ii) expected minimum
flow and the time of year it will occur;
(iii) expected maximum flow and the time of
year it will occur;
(iv) expected
average flow; and
(v) the behavior
of the spring during drought conditions;
(c) acceptable evidence that the water system
has a legal right to divert water for the proposed use from the spring
source;
(d) a Preliminary
Evaluation Report on source protection issues as required by Section
R309-600-13;
(e) a copy of the
chemical analyses required by Subsection R309-515-4(5); and
(f) an assessment of whether the spring is
under the direct influence of surface water, refer to Subsection
R309-505-7(1)(a).
(5)
Information Required after Spring Development. After development of a spring as
a drinking water source, the following information shall be submitted to the
Director for review.
(a) proof of satisfactory
bacteriologic quality;
(b)
information on the rate of flow developed from the spring.
Immediately after spring development, the water system shall
collect monthly spring flow data during operating seasons when the spring is
reasonably accessible, as a minimum, for three years, and submit spring flow
data to the Director for determination of spring yield. After evaluating the
spring flow information including seasonal and annual variations, the Director
will determine a spring yield, which will be used in assessing the number of
and type of connections that can be served by the spring. The spring yield
typically is set at the 25th percentile of the spring flow data. If the spring
exhibits significant seasonal or annual variations, the spring yield may be
assessed on a case-by-case basis.
(c) Record drawings of spring
development.
(6)
Operating Permit Required.
Water from the spring can be introduced into a public water
system only after it has been approved for use, in writing, as evidenced by the
issuance of an Operating Permit by the Director, see Section R309-500-9.
(7) Spring Development.
The development of springs for drinking water purposes shall
comply with the following requirements.
(a) The spring collection device, whether it
be collection tile, perforated pipe, imported gravel, infiltration boxes, or
tunnels must be covered with a minimum of 10 feet of relatively impervious soil
cover. Such cover must extend a minimum of 15 feet in all horizontal directions
from the spring collection device. Clean, inert, non-organic material shall be
placed in the vicinity of the collection device.
(b) Where it is impossible to achieve the 10
feet of relatively impervious soil cover, an acceptable alternate will be the
use of an impermeable liner provided that:
(i)
the liner has a minimum thickness of at least 40 mils;
(ii) each seam in the liner is folded or
welded to prevent leakage;
(iii)
the liner is certified as complying with ANSI/NSF Standard 61. This requirement
is waived if certain that the drinking water will not contact the
liner;
(iv) the liner is installed
in such a manner as to assure its integrity. No stones, two inches or larger,
or sharp edged, shall be located within two inches of the liner;
(v) a minimum of two feet of relatively
impervious soil cover is placed over the impermeable liner; and
(vi) the soil and liner cover are extended a
minimum of 15 feet in every horizontal direction from the collection
devices.
(c) Each spring
collection area shall be provided with at least one collection box to permit
spring inspection and testing.
(d)
Each junction box and collection box must comply with Rule R309-545 with
respect to access openings, venting, and tank overflow. Lids for these spring
boxes shall be gasketed and the box adequately vented.
(e) The spring collection area shall be
surrounded by a fence located a distance of 50 feet, preferably 100 feet if
conditions allow, from each collection device on land at an elevation equal to
or higher than the collection device, and a distance of 15 feet from each
collection device on land at an elevation lower than the collection device. The
elevation datum to be used is the surface elevation at the point of collection.
The fence shall be at least stock tight, see Rule R309-110. In remote areas
where no grazing or public access is possible, an exception to the fencing
requirement may be granted by the Director. In populated areas, a six-foot high
chain link fence with three strands of barbed wire may be required.
(f) Within the fenced area any vegetation
having deep roots shall be removed by a means not negatively affecting water
quality.
(g) A diversion channel,
or berm, capable of diverting the entirety of anticipated surface water runoff
away from the spring collection area shall be constructed immediately inside
the fenced area.
(h) A permanent
flow-measuring device shall be installed. Flow measurement devices such as
critical depth meters or weirs shall be properly housed and otherwise
protected.
(i) The spring shall be
developed as thoroughly as possible to minimize the possibility of excess
spring water ponding within the collection area. Where the ponding of spring
water is unavoidable, the excess shall be collected by shallow piping or french
drain, and be routed beyond and down grade of the fenced area, whether or not a
fence is in place.
