§ 611-1. Purpose; applicability.

A. 

These rules and regulations have been adopted to protect the water supplies of the residents of Plainville from excessive contamination of nitrate and other harmful chemicals resulting from the subsurface discharge of wastewater effluent. Nitrate contamination of drinking water is a serious public health problem. Nitrate also may serve as an indicator of other groundwater degradation associated with the use of household and industrial chemicals, pesticides, solvents, and other toxic substances. Therefore, the presence of those other substances may be presumed to be present also, when more than natural background levels of nitrate occur. Subsurface wastewater disposal, without nitrogen removal, is a major source of nitrate-nitrogen loading in the groundwater and surface waters.

B. 

These rules and regulations shall also protect surface water and groundwater from excessive nitrate-nitrogen and other nutrient loading and will retard the process of eutrophication of the lakes and ponds.

C. 

By requiring sufficient dilution of nitrates as well as these other by-products of human activity, they may be decreased to a level which does not constitute a threat to the public health. Adequate land area surrounding a subsurface sewage disposal system will result in the dilution of the subsurface sewage discharge to levels of contaminants that will not constitute a threat to public or environmental health.

D. 

The Town of Plainville derives its water supply from groundwater. The groundwater supplies both the public water system and individual on-site wells. The groundwater of the Town of Plainville, and the surface waters which contribute to the groundwater, constitute its water supply. Therefore, this regulation shall apply to any subsurface wastewater disposal system located within the zone of contribution of a public water supply well, located in an area of private well supplies, located within the watershed of Turnpike Lake, Mirimichi Lake, or any other pond in the Town of Plainville, or within the watershed of any stream which drains into said lakes and ponds.

E. 

This regulation shall not apply for the repair of existing septic systems where there is no increase in wastewater flow or there is no change of use. It shall not apply where there is connection to Town sewer.