15A NCAC 02L .0103. POLICY

(a)  The rules established in this Subchapter are intended to maintain and preserve the quality of the  groundwaters, prevent and abate pollution and contamination of the waters of the state, protect public health, and permit management of the groundwaters for their best usage by the citizens of North Carolina.  It is the policy of the Commission that the best usage of the groundwaters of the state is as a source of drinking water.  These groundwaters generally are a potable source of drinking water without the necessity of significant treatment.  It is the intent of these Rules to protect the overall high quality of North Carolina's groundwaters to the level established by the standards and to enhance and restore the quality of degraded groundwaters where feasible and necessary to protect human health and the environment, or to ensure their suitability as a future source of drinking water.

(b)  It is the intention of the Commission to protect all groundwaters to a level of quality at least as high as that required under the standards established in Rule .0202 of this Subchapter. In keeping with the policy of the Commission to protect, maintain, and enhance groundwater quality within the State of North Carolina, the Commission will not approve any disposal system subject to the provisions of G.S. 143‑215.1 which would result in:

(1)           the significant degradation of groundwaters which have existing quality that is better than the assigned standard, unless such degradation is found to be in the best interests of the citizens of North Carolina based upon the projected economic benefits of the facility and a determination that public health will be protected, or

(2)           a violation of a groundwater quality standard beyond a designated compliance boundary, or

(3)           the impairment of existing groundwater uses or increased risk to the health or safety of the public due to the operation of a waste disposal system.

(c)  Violations of standards resulting from groundwater withdrawals which are in compliance with water use permits issued pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.15, shall not be subject to the corrective action requirements of Rule .0106 of this Subchapter.

(d)  No person shall conduct or cause to be conducted, any activity which causes the concentration of any substance to exceed that specified in Rule .0202 of this Subchapter, except as authorized by the rules of this Subchapter.

(e)  Work that is within the scope of the practice of geology and engineering, performed pursuant to the requirements of this Subchapter, which involves site assessment, the interpretation of subsurface geologic conditions, preparation of conceptual corrective action plans or any work requiring detailed technical knowledge of site conditions which is submitted to the Director, shall be performed by persons, firms or professional corporations who are duly licensed to offer geological or engineering services by the appropriate occupational licensing board or are exempted from such licensing by G.S. 89E-6.  Work which involves design of remedial systems or specialized construction techniques shall be performed by persons, firms or professional corporations who are duly licensed to offer engineering services.  Corporations that are authorized by law to perform engineering or geological services and are exempt from the Professional Corporation Act, G.S. 55B, may perform these services.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143‑214; 143‑214.1; 143‑214.2; 143‑215.3(e); 143‑215.3(a)(1);

143B‑282;

Eff. June 10, 1979;

Amended Eff. August 1, 1989; July 1, 1988; September 1, 1984; December 30, 1983;

RRC Objection Eff. September 17, 1993, due to lack of necessity for Paragraph (e);

Amended Eff. November 4, 1993.