California Water Well Standards, DWR Bulletin 74 ... - County of Glenn

Need for Cathodic Protection Well StandardsCathodic protection wells, along with other types of wells, can allow ground water quality degradation to occur.Improperly constructed or destroyed cathodic protection wells can constitute a preferential pathway for themovement of poor-quality water, pollutants, and contaminants. Cathodic protection wells constructed withgravel backfill to land surface are particularly conducive to the movement of poor-quality water, pollutants,or contaminants.Water and electrolytes are sometimes introduced into cathodic protection wells through vent pipes, or gravelfill in the annulus, to keep wells functional where natural electrolytes are lacking. Such a practice could beconsidered "waste disposal" and may be illegal if poor-quality water is used.Permanently inactive cathodic protection wells pose a threat for the movement of poor-quality water,pollutants, and contaminants, and should be properly destroyed. Permanently inactive cathodic protectionwells are a threat to ground water quality because they become dilapidated with time, are sometimes forgotten,and are sometimes used for waste disposal.Many cathodic protection wells have small diameter vent pipes that prevent entry by persons and most animals.However, large vent pipe sizes can pose a serious safety threat if left open at land surface.History of Cathodic Protection Well StandardsThe California Legislature enacted legislation in 1949 directing the California Department of Water Resourcesto develop recommended water-quality protection standards for the construction and destruction of wells. TheLegislature amended the Water Code in 1968 to require standards for cathodic protection wells.Cathodic protection well standards for California were first published in 1973 as DWR Bulletin 74-1, CathodicProtection Well Standards: State of California. Standards presented here replace those contained in Bulletin74-1. Additional discussion on the history of well standards is contained in the "Introduction" section of thissupplement (Bulletin 74-90) and Bulletin 74-81, Water Well Standards: State of California.Scope of StandardsThe following are recommended minimum standards for construction, alteration, maintenance, and destructionof cathodic protection wells in California. They only serve as minimum guidelines toward ensuring cathodicprotection wells do not constitute a significant pathway for movement of poor-quality water, pollutants, andcontaminants. These standards do not ensure a cathodic protection well will perform its corrosion protectionfunction adequately.The functional requirements of cathodic protection wells may conflict with the application of certain standardsfor the protection of water quality. Consequently, some compromise has been made between well functionand resource protection in the development of these standards.Organization of StandardsThese standards are arranged in a format similar to the Water Well Standards. Since many of the standardsthat apply to water wells also apply to cathodic protection wells, many references are made in these standardsto the Water Well Standards. Standards that apply only to cathodic protection wells or that require emphasisfor cathodic protection wells, are discussed in detail in these standards.-63-