Paso Robles News|Friday, March 29, 2024
You are here: Home » Politics » City to impose new well restrictions
  • Follow Us!

City to impose new well restrictions 

Well regulations paso robles

A map of properties within the city that have private wells.

Will require metering of all private wells within city limits

–At Tuesday night’s Paso Robles City Council meeting, the council voted to amend the City Municipal Code to begin establishing permit requirements for the development and use of private wells, establishing policies for recycled water, and enrolling private well usage in the city’s water conservation program.

The city introduced a new outline of the terms for approval of the use of private wells, and will begin requiring metering of all private wells. January 5, 2016 is the current adoption date of the new restrictions.

While most parcels within the city are served from city water lines, there are approximately 1,000 acres within the city out of a total of 12,000 that are irrigated with water from private wells. This includes fewer than 30 residences that remain on well water due to historical annexations and the distance from the city’s potable water system.

The amendment to the code was proposed to, “preserve and protect groundwater resources by establishing updated standards for permitting private wells and for making recycled water available to certain customer classes as those supplies become available from the city.”

As written, the amendment will establish a process by which requests for private wells can be evaluated and/or regulated to, “ensure the continuing quality and sustainability of groundwater.” The city would be installing the meters at the city’s expense. Council proposed that the meters be remotely readable. They will report usage on a monthly basis.

On Jan. 1, 2015, the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act went into effect, requiring local agencies to manage groundwater basins designated by the California Department of Water Resources as medium or high priority in a sustainable manner.

Water production from private wells within the city limits was previously not metered nor is it currently subject to the city’s water conservation and water shortage contingency plan.

The amendment will allow new wells in some cases, and will require monthly reports on all private wells, include private well users in water conservation program, and require connection to future recycled water in certain cases.

Share To Social Media

Comments