Why should I care about a wellfield?
For many years we believed that our groundwater was protected from contamination by being underground. We now know that substances on the surface can seep down and contaminate our drinking water supply. As Central Indiana grows the only source of additional water will be the groundwater resources.
How does this affect me in the school, nursing home, or other large institutional use business?
- Changes to Indianapolis zoning codes and Marion County health ordinances will likely affect your business operations by mandating certain Best Management Practices (BMPs) that were previously voluntary (see below).
- If you are careful to contain your contaminants, you will avoid polluting your site, or environs and avoid a potentially expensive clean-up down the road.
- Being a good neighbor in your wellfield is good for your business – it will be appreciated by your customers.
What are potential contaminants?
Any chemical used as part of your operations could contaminate groundwater if handled, stored, or disposed of in an incorrect manner. Potential contaminants are generally chemicals used as a part of landscaping operations such as herbicides or pesticides, fuel for lawnmowers, tractors, or other vehicles, chemicals used for cleaning or disinfection, back-up generators. Within schools, chemicals used as part of science laboratories or as part of art classes can also be potential contaminants to groundwater. Within nursing homes and other medical facilities, medical waste and chemicals used as treatments may also potential contaminant groundwater if stored or handled incorrectly.
What am I required to do under the new health code?
- Provide secondary containment for any containers over 40 gallons of liquids or 240 lbs of water soluble solids that can hold 110% of the volume of the container for at least 24 hours.
- Provide secondary containment for any areas where multiple containers adding up to 40 gallons of liquids or 240 lbs of water soluble solids that can hold 110% of the volume of the containers for at least 24 hours.
- Insure containment areas located outside are properly drained or covered from weather.
- Make an emergency response spill prevention plan. Check out this spill plan to help you start!
- Notify chemical suppliers and waste transporters in writing that you are in a wellfield protection area. Download a printable notification form.
- Post signs at all entrances so employees, customers, and visitors know that you are in a wellfield protection area. Post signs with the appropriate emergency numbers for your area. Post signs on sinks and within chemical storage areas that remind employees that chemicals can’t be dumped down the drains. Use our signs, or make your own.
- Create a chemical inventory that lists all of the chemicals at your facility. Use this worksheet to help you get started.
- Have a spill kit. View information on what should be in your spill kit.
- Train employees on the use of the spill kit. Log your training records on this form.
- Make sure your floors are in good condition to make sure no spills, leaks, or drips, can flow through the floor into the ground.
- Make sure all of your chemical containers are labelled.
What else can I do at my facility to help protect groundwater?
Schools
- Appropriately store landscaping chemicals, equipment, and fuel. All liquids or water soluble chemcials should be stored indoors on a floor free of cracks, preferably in secondary containment. Any easy way to provide secondary containment for small quantities of chemicals is to store them within a plastic storage tote (such as a Rubbermaid tote).
- Develop a chemical management program to improve your chemical management practices. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) provides a Green Steps for Schools Toolkit. The United States Environmental Protection Agency provides a Toolkit for Safe Chemical Management.
- When possible use ecofriendly cleaners and disinfectants.
- In art classes and studios, try to reduce the amount of chemicals stored and switch to ecofriendly products when possible.
Nursing Homes
- Appropriately store landscaping chemicals, equipment, and fuel. All liquids or water soluble chemicals should be stored indoors on a floor free of cracks, preferably in secondary containment. Any easy way to provide secondary containment for small quantities of chemicals is to store them within a plastic storage tote (such as a Rubbermaid tote).
- When possible use ecofriendly cleaners and disinfectants.
- Try to reduce the amount of textiles requiring laundering and use eco-friendly products when possible.
- Appropriately manage and store chemicals and medical waste.
Other Institutional Uses
Please contact us and describe the processes at your facility and we can provide recommendations.
Education and Training
There are many resources and face-to-face help to assist you in being compliant. Here’s what you can do:
- Review our resource page for helpful videos, websites, and signs for your business.
- Contact us for a business assessment or help on developing your spill plan.
