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7540 Main Street
Suite 7
Sykesville, MD 21784
410-795-4626 phone
410-795-4611 fax
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Print Media:
Groundwater Resources on Delmarva
Somerset County: Permit Issued for Disputed Wells
Somerset County Resolves MDE Water Appropriation Issues
Walnut Park Shopping Center Opens
Terrapin Run Expert Testimony
| Westminster Makes Plans to Protect Water Supply |
On Wednesday January 19, 2005, the Carroll County Times reported in a copyrighted front-page story that "the City's environmental consultant, Sykesville-based Advanced Land and Water Inc., will help organize meetings in February to determine how to best protect Westminster's underground water sources as the city grows, said Advanced Land and Water Inc. President Mark Eisner. ... "
"Advanced Land and Water Inc. also prepared the source water assessment plan for the city, which included wellhead protection recommendations for Westminster's 11 groundwater supply wells... Westminster officials commissioned the water study to fulfill a requirement of the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act, which requires states to develop source water assessment programs."
In an extensive interview ALWI granted late in the afternoon of Tuesday, January 18th, Mr. Eisner discussed the option that the City has to implement an ordinance-based wellhead protection plan. Though not required by present EPA or MDE regulations, some municipalities use ordinances as a means of protecting wells and groundwater supplies from possible contamination arising as a consequence of incompatible land uses. Gas stations are but one type of land use that may be deemed incompatible if in close proximity to a City drinking water supply well.
"Land-use ordinances that would protect wells from potential contamination from gas stations or other businesses that would use underground tanks is an example of [what] could be enacted. Incompatible land [uses] close to a well may not be a great idea," Mr. Eisner said.
According to the Times article, the City has yet to determine whether an ordinance-approach is necessary sought, and if so, the specific content of such an ordinance has yet to be decided. Westminster Councilman Thomas Ferguson said he and other City officials will need to decide whether passing land-use ordinances would be beneficial to water quality and fair to property owners. "How far we're going to go with this, I don't know right now," Ferguson said. "We need a lot more public input."
The full article can be viewed at The Carroll County Times Online
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ALWI Designs Repair of Large Sinkhole
ALWI Supports New High-Capacity Water Supply
EPA Presents Source Water Protection Award to Cecil County, MD.
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