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Home My WebLink AboutTALL BIRCH BLK 2 LT 1AOnsite File Tall Birch Block 2 Lot 1A #011-085-38 Property is connected to city water & sewer. Well is being utilized for irrigation. M d T,�` r AUG 2 65 2021 Mike, Raovan Robert Doehl Director and Building Official Municipality of Anchorage 4700 Elmore Road P. O. Box 196650 Anchorage, AK 99519-6650 Dear Mr. Doehl, 6800 Whitehall St Anchorage, AK 99502 August 23, 2021 ap�GlOd[�D eaa y Re: Variance for Irrigation Well We are requesting permission or a variance to convert our former home -use well at 6800 Whitehall to an irrigation well with a faucet so that we will be able to water our flower gardens, hedges, flowers pots, and lawn without (1) incurring increased water fees due the possible future requirement that single-family dwellings install water meters, and (2) because the expense of properly abandoning our well is substantial as compared to the cost of converting it to an irrigation only well. We have lived at 6800 Whitehall Street since 1972 and used our well for household water and irrigation until August 16, 2021 when we first began to use city water. We found it necessary to hook up to city water, at great expense, due to sediment in the water which increased substantially in recent years despite the use of the a Filox cleaning system and water filters. Indeed, at the end we found it appropriate to use bottled water for human consumption. We have also been concerned about the possibility of contamination of the aquifer due to the use of certain chemicals in the fire -fighting foam used by the nearby Ted Stevens International Airport. The well is now of course shut off and properly isolated from our home water system. We have removed the pressure tank as well. The Municipality presently requires the use of water meters at all commercial and multi - residential units (three or more units). And plumbing to permit the ready installation of a water meter is now required for new single family residences. Anchorage Municipal Code 23.25.613.0. (effective October 2020) Indeed, the Municipality Plumbing Inspector, Yars Dovba, informed our plumber and me that it was appropriate for us to comply with Section 613 by installing a 24 -inch section of pipe where a water meter could be placed because of the substantial amount of plumbing involved in our conversion from well water to city water. AWWU has no current plans to require water meters in single-family dwellings. But the enactment of Section 613 in 2020 is an indication that water meters may be required at existing single-family dwellings sometime in the future. The fact that the Municipality may choose to meter water and charge for it sometime in the future is of some concern as we do have a large number of flower gardens, hedges, flower pots and a relatively large lawn, all of which require watering. Our gardens are located both above and in front of a three -foot -high retaining wall in our back yard. The wall, hedges, and flowers extend well more than 100 feet. We also have a total of about 60 feet of gardens adjacent to the front and back of our house. Anchorage Well and Pump estimates that it would cost approximately $3,500 to fill the 240 -foot well with bentonite and properly abandon it in accord with Anchorage Municipal Code 12.55.060(L). On the other hand, the installation of an irrigation well is estimated to cost $800 to $1,000. The conversion to city water has been very expensive. The excavation and plumbing to install Municipality water have cost more than $10,000, and the landscaping and gravel resurfacing of the driveway that we are undertaking, mostly as a consequence of the excavation for the pipe from street to the house, will cost over $6,000. In sum, the additional expense of decommissioning the well seems very unreasonable since the well can still function usefully without harm to the Municipality. The well and its water are completely disconnected from the house and separate so that it not be possible for well water to contaminate the water that comes from the Municipality. We believe it is reasonable for the Municipality to permit us to convert our well to an irrigation well and to use it as such. We would also point out that the well would not be abandoned under Anchorage Municipal Code 12.55.060(L) if it is used to irrigate—to water our lawn, hedges, and flowers. Thank you for your consideration of this request. We hope to hear back from you before freezing weather arrives. Sincerely, William H. Hawley, Jr. Hawleys@acsalaska.net (907) 440-1243 (cell) CC Frank Nosek Nosek Law Group 810 N Street Anchorage, AK 99501 HEALTH DEPARTMENT 327 EAGLE ST. ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99501 279-2511 INSPECTION REPORT ON-SITE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM LOCATION SEPTIC TANK: LEGAL DESCRIPTION DISTANCE FROM WELL LIQUID CAPACITY /"~'~ ~-) cC") GALLONS· ~, '~-~' (? 7 ..... NUMBER OF MATERIAb~'~"//= ~'(~ ~"'~-U/:J/(~'/~('~'~'~-~'~' COMPARTMENTS / . ~LIQUID INSIDE LENGTH INSIDE WIDTH ~DEPTH SEEPAGE SYSTEM: SEEPAGE PiT: NUMBER OF PITS /// OUTSIDE DIAMETER ~ OR WIDTH LINING MATERIAL/~-/~-,¢~'~- E'~- ~)~/~'~'-~''~/~' ~/~'~" DISTANCE FROM WELL /~)/~ / ? NEAREST LOT LINE. TOTAL EFFECTIVE ABSORPTION AREA (WALL AREA) / LENGTH /~"~) , DEPTH · BUILDING FOUNDATION SQ. FT. TILE DRAIN FIELD: DISTANCE FROM WELL /.FOUNDATION_ NUMBER OF LINE~// DISTANCE BETWEEN LINES AB~,~TJ NO'~A'REA DEPTH~ TOP OF TILE TO FINISH GRADE WELL: LOT LINE ~'/× ~-/?~://~-~'- TYPE ~,,"~/~ -z'/~. ,/~:~ / ~ NEAREST EST LOT LINE_ WIDTH SQ. FT. LENGTH OF EACH LINE~ TOTAL LENGTH , OF LINES IN. TOTAL EFFECT~IVE IN. ABOVE TILE DEPTH OF FILTER MATERIAL BENEATH TILE · -~,~ DISTANCE FROM ~--/ WATER . DEPTH ~ z , BUILDING·FOUNDATION. ~ SAMPLE · SEWER LINE ~ SEPTIC ~-~ / SEEPAGE ~ / · TANK r SYSTEM .,'/'~'~ . CESSPOOL NEAREST OTHER SOURCES DISTANCES: DIAGRAM OF SYSTEM DATE lq /q 7/ HEALTH AUIHORII¥ SUBJECT: Sewer System, Lot lA, Blk. 2, Tall Birch Sub. EXCAVATOR: Dave Brown Dave Brown contacted the Borough Health Dept. 11~17-70 and requested a partial final. The subject sewer system was inspected 11-17~70. The septic tank and seepage pit was in although the pipe connecting the septic tank and concrete rings had not been in- stalled yet. The seepage pit was 12'xl2' with two, possibly 3 concrete rings. Three according to Dave Brown. The hole size was short and had insufficiant amount of gravel at the time of the inspection. Dave Brown was not present at this time nor did he contact the Health Dept. later to obtain permission to cover the installation. A message was left at his office to contact the Health Dept, ref. the installation of the system. The call was not returned. 11-30-70 a reinspection was made of the subject sewer system and it was noted the sewer system had been covered. It was also observed the standpipes did not have airtight caps. The standpipe on the septic tank had been broken off almost below ground level. Env. Health Aide 327 Eagle St. Anchorage, Alaska 99501 279-2511 ,/ SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM - APPLICATION & PERMIT NAME OF APPLIGAmI~W .... ~ // ~ / '-- ADDRESS '~/ LOCATION OF INSTALLAT~~. ~ ~~. ~/,' ~ LEGAL DESCRIPT TO SERVE THE FOLLOWING FACILITY_ /~& ~ ~ [~ FINANCED THROUGn~ / '~ //~ ~ - pERCOLATION TEST RESULTS' ~'gff'[ ANTI gIPATED DATE OF COMPLET'O" ' "; ~7';~ ~' ' BELOW TO BE FIL~EB OUT BY HEALTH DEPArTMEnT THIS Ig TO SE _~_AS DESC~ED BELOW, SIZE OF UNIT TO BE SERVED .s.,,,~ ~A.. s,z. Z~ ~,, ~_S,,,A., A.,A~"~' .-~"" ~~'- ~ ~/ mA~.m ~, s~s~ DISTANCES: GRE^TER.ANCHORAGE AREA BOROUGh' H[,ALTIt DEPAI::THE~IT 327 EAGLE STREET ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99501 Legal Description. Lot_ ~/__Block.~j~&_oubdivlsion_ 'FALL RI :Q ~H :~----~" ' - Depth '~ ISU~[ Feet Soll Characteristics Location Sketch Was Guound Prater, Encountered?_~_.a~o~~ If Yes, At %~at Depth Net Time ~R~ATER ANCHORAGE AREA BOROUG~H~L DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 3500 TUDOR ROAD ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99507 279-8686 DATE RECEIVED: INSPECT: REQUEST INDIVIDUAL TIME: FOR APPROVAL OF SEWER AND WATER FACILITIES FOR APPROVAL ADDRESS: PHONE:. REQUESTED BY: ~/~?~ PROPERTY OWNER: /~::/'.~/~-~ LEGAL DESCRIPTION: ~_~0/~/:4, TYPE FACILITY TO BE INSPECTED: NUMBER OF BEDROOMS: .3 WELL DATA: A. T Y P E /-/V~/~_~m~~' B. DEPTH ,~"~ ~///>" D. CONSTR CT ON E. BACTERIAL ANALYSIS 6. SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM: SEPTIC TANK (IF HOMEMADE, SHOW DIAGRAM ON BACK) 2. AGE -~/~ 3. MANUFACTURER ~,~ ~'~~ 4. I N S T A L L E R ~ ~/~/~/I/ · ' .APPROVAL REQUEST~-~OR SEWER & WATER FACILITIE~_~~ ' PAGE TWO S'EEPAGE PIT 1, SIZE 2. LINING DISPOSAL FIELD NUM,ER OF LINES 2. TOTAL LENGTH REQUIRED MEASUREMENTS / A. WELL TO SEPTIC TANK B. WELL TO SEEPAGE PIT C. WELL TO SEWER LINE D. WELL TO PROPERTY LINE E. POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION F. SEPTIC TANK G. H. WELL TO OTHER FOUNDATION TO FOUNDATION TO SEEPAGE PIT SEEPAGE PIT TO PROPERTY LINE COMMENTS: APPROVAL VALID FOR ONE YEAR FROM DATE SIGNED. GREATER ANCHORAGE AREA BOROUGH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY GREATER ANCHORAGE AREA BOROU6 327 EAGLE STREET ANCHORAGE, ALAS~ 99S01 279-2511 INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE ~ND WATER FACILITIES Approval Requested By ~.~x~ Address Phone Number of Bedrooms Well Data: A. Type .. B. Depth //~,:: ' -/~ C. Size ff// D. Construction E. Bacterial Analysis_ 6. Sewage Disposal System: A. Septic Tank (If homemade, show diagram on back) 1. Size .//z~'-/~'2 ./d ~,/r2 ...~,.~,. 2. ^ge .v///, 3. Manufacturer ,///.w~./~, .~,,~2~..~ Installer f~' Approval Request for S~...ge & Water Facilities Page, Two B. Seepage Pit C. Disposal Field 1. Number of Lines //~//~/5~ 2. Total Length, 7. Required Heasurements A. Well to Septic Tank B. Well to Seepage 'Pit //~ / C. Well to Sewer Lin? .-~ ~ D. Well to Property Line //~ E. Well to Other Possible Contamination F. Fotmdation to Septic Tank .-~' G. Foundation to Seepage Pit H. Seepage Pit to Property Line 8. CO}~qENTS: DISAPPROVED: DATE: APPROVAL VALID FOR ONE YEAR FROH DATE SIGNED. GREATER ANCHORAGE AREA BOROUGH HEALTH DEPART~ENT EDll70