§ 485:48 — Wellhead Protection

The department may institute a wellhead protection program as described in section 1428 of the federal Safe Drinking Water Amendments of 1986. The program shall be consistent with the provisions of RSA 485-C and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
I. Determination of the responsibilities of state and local government units, and those of public drinking water supply systems with respect to wellhead protection.
II. Determination of the extent of the wellhead protection area, based on reasonably available hydrogeologic data, groundwater flow, recharge, discharge, and other data the department deems necessary to such determination.
III. Identify within each wellhead protection area all potential anthropogenic sources of contaminants which may have any adverse effect on human health, through consideration of all potential sources of such contaminants.
IV. Technical assistance, financial assistance, implementation of control measures, education, training, and demonstration projects to protect the water supply within wellhead protection areas from such contaminants.
V. Contingency plans for the location and provision of alternate drinking water supplies for each public water system in the event of well or wellfield contamination by such contaminants.
VI. Procedures, including, but not limited to, the establishment of technical and citizens' advisory committees, to encourage the public to participate in developing the protection program for wellhead areas. Such procedures shall include notice and opportunity for public hearing on the state program before it is submitted to the administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency, for approval.

Legislative History

1989, 339:1. 1991, 344:2. 1996, 228:106, eff. July 1, 1996.