Purpose

It is the purpose of this Ordinance to protect the public, municipal water supply for the City of Richmond from land uses that pose a threat to the quality and quantity of the groundwater being extracted from the municipal wells within the land area described as Aquifer Protection Districts.

The Aquifer Ordinance is designed to:

• Prevent the contamination of groundwater resources;
• Prevent excessive extraction of the groundwater resources;
• Regulate land-use activities that store, handle, or produce hazardous material ;
• Require the use of best management practices (regulatory and non-regulatory) for the protection of existing and future groundwater sources of drinking water;
• Identify the responsibility of the City of Richmond, as the local governmental unit, and the Department of Metropolitan Development, as the responsible agent for the City, in protecting groundwater resources in the city of Richmond;
• Prevent any increase in the risk of contamination of the aquifer from existing or future uses.