17.40.01

PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY.

(1)

Purpose. The residents of the Village of Germantown depend exclusively on groundwater for a safe drinking water supply. Certain land use practices and activities can seriously threaten or degrade groundwater quality. The purpose of this Wellhead Protection Ordinance is to institute land use regulations and restrictions protecting the municipal water supply of the Village of Germantown and promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the residents.

(2)

Authority. Statutory authority of the Village to enact these regulations was established by the Wisconsin Legislature in §62.23(7)(a) and (c), Wis. Stats. Under these statutes, the Village has the authority to enact this ordinance to encourage the protection of groundwater resources.

17.40.02

APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS. The regulations specified in this Wellhead Protection Ordinance shall apply to those areas of the Village of Germantown that lie within the recharge areas for municipal water supply wells as defined in subsection 17.40.05, and are in addition to the requirements in the underlying zoning district, if any. If there is a conflict between this ordinance and the zoning ordinance, the more restrictive provision shall apply.

17.40.03

DEFINITIONS.

(1)

Aquifer. A saturated, permeable geologic formation that contains and will yield significant quantities of water.

(2)

Cone of Depression. The area around a well, in which the water level has been lowered at least 1/10 of a foot by pumping of the well.

(3)

Facilities. A general term referring to land uses, business operations, activities, developed property, or material stored.

(4)

Five-Year Time of Travel. The recharge area upgradient of the cone of depression, the outer boundary of which it is determined or estimated that groundwater will take 5 years to reach a pumping well.

(5)

Municipal Water Supply. The municipal water supply of the Village of Germantown.

(6)

Person. An individual, partnership, association, corporation, municipality or state agency, or other legal entity.

(7)

Recharge Area. The area which encompasses all areas or features that, by surface infiltration of water that reaches the zone of saturation of an aquifer, supplies groundwater to a well.

(8)

Thirty-Day Time of Travel. The recharge area upgradient of a well, or its cone of depression, the outer boundary of which it is determined or estimated that groundwater will take 30 days to reach a pumping well.

(9)

Well Field. A piece of land used primarily for the purpose of locating wells to supply a municipal water system.

(10)

Well. A boring into the earth for the purpose of extracting groundwater for supply to the municipal water supply.

(11)

Zone of Saturation. The area of unconsolidated, fractured or porous material that is saturated with water and constitutes groundwater.