Agenda - 06-13-2006-7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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GOVERNOR'S GROVE SUBDIVISION WATER QUALITY STUDY PROPOSAL ORANGE COUNTH HEALTH DEPARTMENT Apri128, 2006 STUDY METHODOLOGY Residents of Governor's Grove subdivision have registered complaints for several months to Health Department staff about their well water quality. Some of them actively participate in the Mill Creek Road area community meetings. Generally, the complaints are regarding turbidity (cloudiness of water), sediment, f xture staining and other aesthetic problems with the water in the neighborhood. There is concern among some of the residents that other development activities and the new Hillsborough Reservoir may be affecting groundwater quality in the area and thus leading to the well problems. The development has 82 lots and is located on either side of Governor Scott Road,just east of Mil] Creek Road. All of the homes are served by individual well and septic systems. Most homes were constructed in the mid to late 1990s by the land developer and are of modular construction. From a quick tax record and GIS review, it appears that the subdivision is completely built out and there are no remaining vacant lots. Given the nature of the complaints, the Division of Environmental Health Services previously recommended that concerned residents apply for bacteriological and inorganic chemical water samples, For complaints of'this nature, we generally also request the state lab test for total suspended solids and turbidity as well because they are the best indicators of high sediment levels and cloudiness, Staff offers two options for studying the water quality of this development below.. As part of the initiative and regardless of the method selected, we will also: • Survey land disturbance, • Survey any potential biosolids application activities in the areas immediately surrounding the subdivision, • Evaluate the topographical relationships of problem wells to any disturbance and also to the new reservoir. If the results show higher than expected values From the analyses or something in the field evaluation reveals an obvious problem, we will request that a hydrogeological consultant from the NC Division of Water Quality visit the area and offer guidance for further study or remediation. Stud~Methodolog, Select six homes on the corners and extremities of the neighborhood to collect bacteriological and inorganic water samples. After the sample analyses are complete, we would videotape the six wells to assess their structural integrity and adequacy and whether the well construction is contributing to the alleged water problems. The property owner' will need to consent for the videotape service and possibly provide some assistance in facilitating the process (e.g., removing well houses or pulling the pump). Staff will review all the videotapes and make recommendations based on the findings, If additional expertise is needed to evaluate the tapes, we will contact well construction experts at the state level.