TranslateGeneral Well Permitting Information
On December 6, 2024, Permit Sonoma hosted a public outreach workshop regarding well permitting/regulations and well construction requirements to assist our well customers better understand and navigate the well permitting process. Permit Sonoma has updated well construction permitting processes to comply with directives from a management review and/or AB2234 requirements. The workshop is available for viewing below.
Workshop Summary;
- Online application process: All updates to the well construction permitting process are now in effect.
a.Well construction permitting improvements are now consistent with how Permit Sonoma processes most other construction permits including clearly identifying what is required as part of a complete application and developing a plan review checklist for site plans.
b. Permit Sonoma has created a webpage to identify the application submittal requirements for all permits including well construction permits. Applicants are encouraged to visit this webpage to be aware of what documents may be required based on the proposed scope of work and to better ensure well construction application submittals are complete.
c. Permit Sonoma has created a Well Site Plan Requirements checklist to assist applicants prepare well site plans and to guide Permit Sonoma staff review well site plans.
d. Permit Sonoma has created a webpage detailing Water Conservation Requirements. Water conservation forms and supporting information is required with water supply well permit application submittals.
e. Permit Sonoma has created a webpage detailing Water Well Metering and Monitoring Requirements. Installation of a meter and reporting of water use is required of all new water wells, except for residential wells serving a single parcel with a total groundwater use of 2.0 acre-feet or less. If metering requirements apply, a PJR-147 Water Resources Monitoring Application Form is required with water supply well permit application submittals. - Well construction permit application reviews
a. Reviews of well construction permit applications are now being conducted using Digital Plan Room (DPR). Permit Sonoma conducted a separate workshop regarding how to use DPR. The DPR workshop is available for viewing below.
b. Well permit site plans must be submitted through DPR as “Site Plans”. Supporting document must be submitted through DPR as “Supplemental Forms”.
c. Well permit site plans must include all applicable items from the Well Site Plan Requirements checklist (form WLS-057). Permit Sonoma staff will be using form WLS-057 as a check list to perform reviews of well construction applications. A vicinity map that provides directions to the well site(s) must be included in site plan along with any specific written details on how to access the well site(s).
d. Well construction permit applications should include supporting documents needed to demonstrate the proposed work complies with Sonoma County Municipal Code, Chapter 25B Water Well Construction Standards. Supporting documents include but are not limited to county records, septic permits, well logs, Hydrogeologic Reports, and Geotracker Known Contaminated Sites.
e. Public Trust Review is required for water supply well permits within the Public Trust Review Area, unless determined exempt. Public Trust Review involves the evaluation of impacts to streams and rivers caused by existing and proposed groundwater extraction in the local watershed prior to permit issuance. - Well construction work and inspections
a. Construction practices
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- Work is expected to comply with the approved scope of work under an issued permit, the approved site plans, and Sonoma County Municipal Code, Chapter 25B Water Well Construction Standards.
- The issued permit and approved site plans must be onsite during performance of work. Inspection staff use the approved site plans to verify compliance with the approved scope of work.
- Correction notices will be issued for work not authorized or not in compliance with the permit or with the approved site plans.
- Revision submittals are required for any changes to the approved scope of work.
b. Scheduling inspections
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- All inspection requests shall be made using Permit Sonoma’s inspection request options.
- At the start of work, the permittee must notify Permit Sonoma by inspection request and provide an estimated completion date.
- The permittee must notify Permit Sonoma by inspection request at least 24 hours in advance of the anticipated seal or destruct inspection time.
- Inspection requests must be during normal working hours so that staff can be present and honor the required 15-minute grace period past the scheduled time for staff to arrive.
- Permit Sonoma staff may inspect the work prior to the seal or after. Any inspections performed through VuSpex will require pictures and/or videos be uploaded.
c. Sealing Methods
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- Sealing methods must comply with Sonoma County Municipal Code, Chapter 25B Water Well Construction Standards. Use of a tremie pipe is the required method, unless the annular seal is dry and no deeper than 30 feet.
- The tremie pipe must be long enough to be installed within 5 feet of the desired seal depth and the top of the pipe should remain in the material until the seal is completed.
- The seal is to be completed in one continuous operation to prevent bridging, therefore there should be enough sealing material onsite.
Bentonite chips are an option for annular spaces that are dry and no greater in depth than 30 feet.
- Well destructs
a. Casing Removal: The remaining casing should be ripped or perforated from the surface to a depth of 30 feet, or deeper if required by the enforcing agency. The well driller may propose alternate methods of destruction (see SCMC Section 25B-11) for those wells where physical access limits the ability to remove the casing. This provision shall only apply to wells that do not have a permitted annular seal.
b. Water Present in the Well: If water is present in the well, the sealing material must be placed in the zone to be sealed using methods (e.g., a tremie device) that prevent free fall, dilution, or separation of aggregates from the cementing materials.
c. Missing Well Logs: Well logs are sometimes submitted months to a year later or not at all. Even when third parties are hired, the permitte is still responsible for ensuring that the destruction is done correctly, and the well logs are submitted. - Dry Weather Well Yields
a. Dry weather well yield applications must be submitted with accurately completed WLS-006 forms along with well logs and correctly referenced well permit numbers.
b. Field Inspections
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- All inspection requests shall be made using Permit Sonoma’s inspection request options.
- Dry weather well yield inspections must be requested at least 24 hours in advance but permittee are encouraged to request inspection as far in advance as possible to allow inspection staff to better manage and balance inspection work with other assignments. Inspections may be requested up to a week in advance using Permit Sonoma’s inspection request options.
- The site plans must clearly identify the property address and location of well testing site including any directions or route information. The property address and site must be clearly identified for inspection staff to locate.
- The well yield permit must be onsite at the well location during the pump test.
- All readings including any unusual readings/events/problems during the test must be properly documented in the report and submitted to Permit Sonoma for review.
- The person conducting the pump test must
- be the licensed professional required by the well yield permit or a person under responsible charge of the licensed professional,
- be know how to conduct the pump test in accordance with Permit Sonoma policy,
- have the proper equipment and supplies to properly conduct and document pump test. Persons that are not authorized to conduct pump test such as property owners, real estate agents, etc. shall not conduct the pump test.