Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Private Wells Water Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges county to provide more information on private well safety after storms
Summary
A resident told commissioners that private well owners face expensive, sometimes repeated repairs after storms and urged the county to continue resisting approvals of certain private-well developments; public health and the extension service were identified as resources for testing.
At the public-comment portion of the meeting, Gretchen Quarterman urged commissioners to keep residents informed about private well safety and said many homeowners have needed to drill new wells after recent storms. Quarterman, who identified her address in Hay Hires area and said she uses a private well, said storm impacts have increased the frequency of well failures and added that testing for contaminants such as PFAS can be costly for homeowners. She warned about sinkholes in areas underlain by limestone where aquifer drawdown can cause collapses and asked the county to avoid approving additional developments that increase strain on groundwater. County officials answered that private-well testing is available through the county public health department and the extension service; staff emphasized there is no mandatory testing requirement for private wells. Quarterman thanked county staff for a prior presentation on wells and water service and urged ongoing public education about water safety.
