Do You Have a Class V Injection Well? by Valerie Orr

The answer may be “yes” highways, parking lots, roofs, contamination. Often, Class V if you have a “dry” well, septic lawns, gardens and industrial aquifer remediation wells are system, or a heat pump return and construction sites. used in the treatment of flow well. Pollutants commonly found in contaminated ground water There are actually 30 storm water runoff include lead, and/or soils. Remediation may different types of Class V wells, gasoline, oil, grease, tar, residue involve the injection or re- sometimes referred to as from paving, rubber injection of air, potable water, shallow injection wells or “dry” particulates, herbicides, extracted and treated ground wells. Some of the more pesticides, fertilizers, coliform water, and nutrients and/or common types of wells include: bacteria, de-icing salts, liquid beneficial bacteria. storm water drainage wells, wastes, industrial solvents, and All Class V injection industrial disposal wells, heat asbestos. Not only do pollutants wells are regulated by Ohio pump and air conditioning reach the ground water EPAs Underground Injection return flow wells, cesspools, accidently through storm water Control (UIC) unit of the septic systems, floor drains and drainage wells due to spills and Division of Drinking and sump pumps. The majority of leaks, but often contamination Ground Waters (DDAGW). these wells are simple in occurs when wastes, including UIC regulations require the construction and inject fluid used motor oil, and antifreeze, owners or operators of new and into shallow, geologic household chemicals and existing Class V injection wells formations by gravity flow or industrial wastes are to report the wells for inventory low-volume pumps. intentionally dumped into or purposes. Any wells installed Class V wells generally near the wells. after November 9, 1985, for the inject nonhazardous fluids into Industries, businesses and purpose of injecting sewage, or above an underground source utilities generate a wide variety industrial waste, or other waste of drinking water and are of fluids, wastes or wastewater as defined in the Ohio Revised frequently located in areas not during daily operations. Code must apply for an served by storm sewers or Refineries, chemical plants, installation and operating sanitary sewer systems. When smelters, pharmaceutical plants, permit. improperly managed, Class V laundromats, dry cleaners, UIC regulations strictly wells pose a significant threat to funeral homes and mortuaries, prohibit injecting any the ground water. tanneries, and laboratories are contaminant that exceeds When municipalities just a few of the places that may primary drinking water experience rapid growth or have use industrial disposal wells or standards into an underground limited or no storm sewer septic systems to dispose of their source of drinking water. systems, storm water drainage wastes. For further information problems are often the result. Another Class V category regarding Class V injection In Ohio, a common solution has is the automotive service wells, please contact the been to take advantage of the disposal well. Automotive DDAGW, UIC unit. local geology by directing these wastes or fluids are discharged fluids below the sub-surface intentionally or unintentionally through storm water drainage to disposal wells or septic wells directly into the ground systems through floor drains water. Storm water drainage and interceptors. Due to the wells can vary in depth from a nature of the fluids often used few feet to a few hundred feet, and generated by industrial and depending upon the geology of automotive service facilities, the area. these wells are considered a Storm water runoff can high priority for regulation. contain a wide variety of Not all Class V wells contaminants from streets, cause ground water