Supervisors: No well moratorium, but meters and increased fees are possible

Madera County officials have abandoned a proposal to halt construction of new wells in favor of coming up with a system to monitor how much water is being used in the county.

The Madera County Board of Supervisors recently tabled a proposal to implement a moratorium on new well construction.

Last month, District 2 Supervisor David Rogers said he opposed the moratorium because he doesn’t believe in infringing on the property rights of private citizens.

The well pumping issue has become a focus for the county because of the drought. Officials want to know how well pumping is impacting the county’s water table.

Since the rejection of the moratorium, attention has shifted to requiring meters on new wells.

“The main thing is to track it so we have an idea of what is being taken out of the ground. Then you’re better able to determine how to (conserve),” said Jared Carter, Madera County deputy public works director.

Carter said the county already monitors the public systems, but he has no idea how soon monitoring can be implemented for private wells. At the Sept. 9 Madera County Board of Supervisors meeting, Johannes Hoevertsz, Madera County public works director, said an ordinance can be presented by October.

The Madera County Board of Supervisors also is in the process of increasing well permit fees to pay for additional staff to monitor well use. The new permit fee is estimated to generate $75,000 to $100,000 annually.

Rogers said he supports establishing a water balance and including all industries, not just agriculture.

Hoevertsz said water balance can be achieved through recycling water or setting up a 1-to-1 ratio in which every gallon of water pumped must be replaced.

This story was originally published September 25, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Supervisors: No well moratorium, but meters and increased fees are possible."