33 Miss. Code R. § 5-G
INTRODUCTION
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), Bureau of Public Water Supply (Department), will use the Local Assistance and Other State Programs Set-aside of the DWSRF in a wellhead protection and assistance program. The program will be eliminating inactive wells and/or open holes which pose a contamination risk to the state's groundwater aquifers, by properly abandoning them in accordance with state guidelines. Local governments realize that the inactive wells/open holes pose a risk of contamination to the groundwater which may be utilize via their active wells; however, funds to properly abandon wells/holes are limited. The financial assistance provided through this set-aside will allow the state, by way of contractual agreement(s), to identify and then properly abandon inactive wells/open holes posing contamination risks to the state's groundwater aquifers.
SELECTION PROCESS
A request for proposals (RFP) for two proposed contracts for coordination and decommissioning/properly closing inactive water wells/open holes was published in the legal section of The Clarion-Ledger; proposals were received on May 10, 2013. All proposals were evaluated by the Department and recommendations for aware were presented to the Board at their next regularly scheduled Board meeting which followed the evaluation; both contracts were awarded.
The first contract (the coordination contract) was awarded to the Mississippi Rural Water Association (MsRWA). The second contract (closure contract) was awarded to Mid-South Water & Machine Works (MSW&MW), who is a licensed well driller. The contracts cover a two-year period with an optional third year if exercised at the Board's discretion on July 1, 2015.
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
The activities described herein will be accomplished through a four part process: Identification of wells / holes needing proper abandonment for the protection of aquifers and the overall public health; communication with public water supply that owns well/hole to encourage proper abandonment; mobilization of well contractor to identified site to perform the work; and confirmation that the work has been completed.
Identification - MsRWA will use a list provided by the Department through a cooperative effort with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Office of Groundwater Resources (MDEQ) to identify wells or open holes owned by particular water systems to be abandoned. Wells/holes deemed high risk by MDEQ will be sought out first for abandonment. Upon completion, wells/holes that are considered medium risk will be addressed next, then low risk.
Communication - Staff from the MsRWA will meet with system officials to encourage them to properly abandon existing inactive wells or open holes posing risk of contamination to their water system and aquifer. This is considered essential to successfully achieving the goal of abandoning those wells/holes posing risk.
Mobilization - Once the communication phase has been completed, staff of the MSW&MW, the licensed well driller contractor, will mobilize to the selected site and commence with the proper abandonment of the well/hole. This will be accomplished in accordance with established guidelines set forth by the MDEQ Office of Groundwater. When the abandonment is complete, the well contractor will contact the MsRWA staff to inform them of project completion.
Confirmation - Staff of the MsRWA will perform site visits to confirm proper abandonment of the wells/holes. When the abandonment is confirmed, MsRWA will notify the Department to ensure that each abandoned well matches invoices submitted for payment.
SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETING ACTIVITIES
The schedule for completing Local Assistance and Other Program activities under this work plan will be the schedule established by set contractual dates. This phase of well abandonment will be completed by June 30, 2015. The Board plans to exercise the option for the third year which will extend the contracts to June 30, 2016.
AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES
The MSDH will be monitoring contractors throughout the process to ensure effective completion of contractual assignments.
EVALUATION PROCESS TO ASSESS THE SUCCESS OF SET-ASIDE ACTIVITIES
The success of this set-aside will be defined by the ability of the MSDH through the solicited contractor(s) to remove by proper abandonment wells or open holes that potentially pose a risk to existing water supplies and the aquifers which supply the well water.
33 Miss. Code. R. § 5-G