Wellfield Protection
In order to safeguard the groundwater supply utilized by the Parsons Avenue Water Plant located in southern Franklin County, the City of Columbus established a Wellfield Protection Program on October 23, 1990 by enacting Chapter 1115 of the Columbus City Code. This program operates on a plan review process as opposed to an outright prohibition of certain land uses. This means that many different types of land uses are feasible in the wellfield so long as specific precautions are taken to ensure that the potential for contamination is minimized or eliminated. The city enacted administrative changes to Chapter 1115 on December 15, 2015.
Chapter 1115 authorizes the creation of two protection boundaries. The first of these boundaries is a 1,000 foot radius around each collector well where the use of hazardous/regulated substances are strictly controlled (also known as Wellfield Protection Area I or WPI). The second boundary is a five-year travel time line based on hydrologic modeling (also known as WPII). The current WPII boundary was approved by the Director of Public Utilities in September 2014. View the Wellfield Protection Boundary Map.
In addition, this ordinance authorizes the creation/maintenance of a Regulated Substance List; requires secondary containment for all above ground and underground storage tanks and 55-gallon drums containing regulated substances; and requires parcels using greater than de minimis quantities to have routine inspections (bi-annual for all users except mining operations are required to have monthly inspections) to ensure that regulated substances are being used and stored properly. Enforcement of this regulation is given to the Director of Public Utilities or their designee, who currently is the Wellfield Protection Coordinator at the Parsons Avenue Water Plant.
Chapter 1115 of the Columbus City Code
Wellfield Protection Boundary Map
Regulated Substance List
For more information, contact:
Wellfield Protection Coordinator
Parsons Avenue Water Plant Email:
[email protected]
Phone: 614-645-3227