Reviewing Files of Contaminated Sites
for the Community Well Siting Process

Under New Hampshire Administrative Rules Env-Ws 378, 379 and 389 for the siting of wells for community water systems and bottled water, applicants must identify potential and known sources of contamination within the wellhead protection area of proposed wells. Applicants must review Department of Environmental Services files relative to those sources and summarize certain information in well-siting reports submitted to DES. This fact sheet outlines the steps in the process and of information that the applicant must glean from the files.

1. The applicant contacts DES’s Drinking Water Source Protection Program (DWSPP) at (603) 271-7017 to request a map and inventory of the wellhead protection area (WHPA).

2. The DWSPP sends the applicant a map and inventory of known and potential contamination sources developed from available DES database records. The inventory identifies each source by project type, project name, facility name and address, facility site number and project number.

3. The applicant calls the DES file librarian at (603) 271-8808 to make an appointment to look at specific files. The applicant does not necessarily need to review files for every project on the list. The table on the back of this page summarizes the project types requiring file review and summarization. Only active projects must be reviewed.

4. When reviewing the files, the applicant must obtain and summarize the following information for each project type listed on the back of this sheet. The following information for each site must be presented with the preliminary well siting report. The first five items below will be listed on the DES inventory received with the map.

• DES project type.
• DES facility site number.
• DES project manager. (If not clear from the file, ask the DES file librarian.) If the project manager is listed as “closed,” no file review is required.
• Facility name and address.
• Property owner’s name and address.
• A general description of site activities.
• A chronology of events, including any releases, investigation, and remediation activities.
• When applicable, a description of the nature, extent, amount, and location of the contamination or suspected release, status of the remediation, and copies of maps showing the extent of the groundwater management zone and groundwater contamination, groundwater contours, and location of the site in relation to the proposed well(s). For each project file reviewed, the well siting report should address each of the following questions.
  
  
  • Was groundwater contamination suspected or detected?
  • Has the contamination source been removed?
  • Has a groundwater management permit been issued? Is there any indication whether the terms of the permit are being followed?
  • If contamination is left in the ground what is the concentration and extent?
  • Has DES required further action?

Projects Types Requiring File Review

For Additional Information

Please contact the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau at (603) 271-2513 or dwgbinfo@des.state.nh.us or visit our website at www.des.nh.gov/dwgb. All of the bureau’s fact sheets are on-line at www.des.nh.gov/dwg.htm.

Note: This fact sheet is accurate as of January 2007. Statutory or regulatory changes, or the availability of additional information after this date may render this information inaccurate or incomplete.