Well Sealing
Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment seeks to continue a 100% cost share assistance well sealing program, that has been active since 2012, and an overall well sealing grant program that has existed since the early 2000s. County residents rely on groundwater for 100% of their drinking water. The County seeks to continue its diligent protection of this vital groundwater supply for its residents by sealing unused wells. Unused wells are a potential threat to health, safety, and the environment. Furthermore, the presence of numerous groundwater contaminant plumes throughout the County in areas only highlights has heightened the need to seal off these unused wells. The county proposes to provide 100% cost share reimbursement, up to a maximum of $2,000 (75% from CWF, 25% from matching funds), for wells located within Special Well Construction and Boring Areas (SWBCAs), known contamination areas and/or Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMA). This 100% program, first launched in 20212 and supported through subsequent grants, supplements a long standing well sealing program that offers 50% cost share reimbursement for any area in the county. If additional grant funds remain available, the county would propose to seal additional wells under our 50% program, under the same formula (75% from CWF, 25% from matching funds).
Annie Felix-Gerth
(b) $8,500,000 the first year and $8,500,000 the second year are for grants to local government units to protect and restore surface water and drinking water; to keep water on the land; to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; and to protect groundwater and drinking water, including feedlot water quality and subsurface sewage treatment system projects and stream bank, stream channel, shoreline restoration, and ravine stabilization projects. The projects must use practices demonstrated to be effective, be of long-lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation plans, watershed restoration and protection strategies (WRAPS), or local water management plans or their equivalents. Up to 20 percent of this appropriation is available for land-treatment projects and practices that benefit drinking water.
The primary measurable outcome is the number of wells sealed. With an average well sealing at a cost of between $1,600 - $2,200, the county estimates 25 additional wells may be sealed in DWSMAs, SWBCAs, or areas of contamination.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS