WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED SETBACK DISTANCE FOR A NEW PRIVATE DRINKING WATER WELL FROM A CURRENTLY OPERATING OR UNPLUGGED ABANDONED WELL?

It is important to plan the location of the well to reduce the risk of influence from other site features such as roads and septic systems. As a general guidance, a new well should be drilled at least 50 to 100 feet from existing or unplugged abandoned wells. Such ''setbacks" or "buffer strips" serve diverse purposes, for example, protection of surface waters from pollution, protection of structures from flooding or erosion, and preservation of riparian habitat and shoreline amenities. One of the most prevalent features Watershed Rules and Regulations is the use of setback distances for separating waterbodies from potentially polluting activities.

Depending on the activity, typically 25-1,000 ft of land must separate the activity from nearby waterbodies. Greater distances are required for setbacks around reservoirs, reservoir stems, and controlled lakes than for those around wetlands and watercourses, which encompasses all perennial streams and in some cases intermittent streams. Although the use of setbacks is quite common in watershed regulations across the country, little research has been done regarding the effectiveness of setbacks per se in preventing contamination of waterbodies from nonpoint source pollution. Rather, research has focused on the use of buffer zones for nonpoint source pollutant removal. Buffer zones are natural or managed areas used to protect an ecosystem or critical area from adjacent land uses or sources of pollution.

Effective buffers along rivers, reservoirs, and lakes either retain or transoform nonpoint source pollutants or...

They are an increasingly used best management practice (BMP) for many activities. Effective buffers along rivers, reservoirs, and lakes (riparian buffers) either retain or transform nonpoint source pollutants or produce a more favorable environment for aquatic ecosystem processes. If a setback is subject to management or natural preservation can it be considered a "buffer" that reliably insulates ecosystems and resources from nonpoint source pollution. Because of the lack of information regarding unmanaged setbacks, this review focuses on management of buffer zones for achieving pollutant removal. In the absence of management, it is virtually impossible to predict what effect the setback distances in the MOA will have on the water quality of the local watershed. However, if the management practices reviewed and recommended in the following sections are used, then the setbacks may approach the pollutant-removal capabilities predicted for buffer zones.

It should be noted that waterbodies have a substantial effect on the characteristics of the surrounding buffer zones. That is, depending on whether they border wetlands, reservoirs, or streams, buffer zones will function differently. These differences are discussed when appropriate. Another important consideration is that buffer zones may not be permanent pollutant sinks, but rather may act as temporary storage areas that can be both sources and sinks of pollution. This is especially true for sediment and phosphorus, for which no degradation processes exist in the buffer (nitrogen can be removed via denitrification). Factors that enhance the long-term storage potential of riparian buffer zones, such as harvesting of vegetation, are important in evaluating their long-term effectiveness.

As a general guidance, a new well should be drilled at least 50 to 100 feet from existing or unplugged abandoned wells. Check with your local health department for specific requirements in your area. Unused abandoned wells should be properly plugged to protect against potential groundwater contamination.