Franklin County BOC Approves Amended Water Well Policy

Franklin County Commissioners have approved a new policy for determining the use of privately owned water wells in the event of a drought or other water shortage.

At their regular meeting last week, the board approved the plan in conjunction with approving a waiting list of well owners.  According to county manager Billy Morse, the new policy is now in effect.

Under the amended policy, new wells added to the pool of available wells will first have to undergo state-required testing at the owner’s expense. After that, the county will issue a memorandum of understanding to the property owner. Once the MOU is signed, the well would be added to the county’s list.  Wells will then be accessed by the county as needed and according to their location and the area of need in the county.

“The property owner is aware that the county may enter into an agreement with them, but there is a possibility that the county may never draw a drop of water from that well,” County Manager Billy Morse added.

Controversy over how privately owned wells are used began in January when commissioner Clint Harper suggested some well owners who had submitted requests for the county to use their wells were being over looked.

Then in April, a decision to add a second well from Wayne Ertzberger was tabled until the board heard from county engineer John Phillips who explained his procedure for selecting wells.

At that time, county commissioner Jeff Jacques recommended Phillips be left to determine which wells were used.  However, commission chair Thomas Bridges requested Morse and Phillips come up with a new written well policy.

At their work session last month, Jacques said he was satisfied with the amended well policy and motioned to add the second Ertzberger well to the county list of wells.

“It would be the same memorandum of understanding issued to Mr. Ertzberger as all the others who are in the pool,” he said. “This is nothing more than transferring Mr. Ertzberger’s well to the pool.”

“I think it’s good that we can add as many people to the well pool as possible,” noted commission chair Thomas Bridges. “That gives the county a lot more flexibility of choosing wells.”