§ 85-810. General requirements.

All permit applications shall be submitted to the Building Division on forms it provides and shall comply with all the requirements therein, including but not limited to the following:

A. 

Application for permit. Permit applications shall include, but not be limited to, the following items which may be satisfied by documentation supplied by the design engineer, installer or equipment manufacturer as applicable:

(1) 

Demonstrate compliance with applicable site plan requirements.

(2) 

A plot plan on an approved property survey no greater than a scale of one inch equals 40 feet depicting the limits of the setback zone distance from structures, property lines and public roads.

(3) 

Certification by the design engineer and/or installer that the geothermal system complies with all applicable regulations and all applicable state and/or local building codes.

(4) 

Subsequent to installation and on or before final inspection, certification by the design engineer and/or installer that the geothermal system was installed as designed and that the design and installation complies with the relevant industry standards and guidelines outlined below in Subsection B of this section, including but not limited to Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual J heat pump unit sizing for residential systems, ACCCA Manual N or comparable load calculation techniques for commercial systems, and manufacturer-specified closed loop and DX field design guidelines.

(5) 

A one-line diagram of the electrical components on the plan in sufficient detail to allow for a determination that the manner of installation conforms to the National Electric Code, Electric Code of the Town of Brookhaven and the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.

(6) 

An engineering analysis of the geothermal energy systems showing compliance with the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and certified by a licensed professional engineer.

(7) 

Soil studies. Soil studies shall be required for geothermal energy systems having installations to be located on nonstandard soil conditions such as gravel, sand, muck, dune, beach, or dredge spoil. No soil studies shall be required for all other geothermal energy systems, provided the manufacturer thereof submits a certification stating that the geothermal energy system and its foundation are suitable for installation in the soil at the proposed location.

B. 

Design standards and guidelines.

(1) 

The design and installation standards of geothermal systems, including related wells and boreholes for the GHX, shall conform to applicable industry standards, including, but not limited to, those listed below by type of system, and shall comply with the Brookhaven Town Code:

(a) 

All systems: the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), ACCA, Refrigeration Section of the International Building Code, and other similar certifying organizations. The manufacturer specifications shall be submitted as part of the application.

[1] 

The individual piping loops and circuits, and fully constructed piping network for all geo thermal systems shall be pressure tested for integrity of original material and joints prior to backfill in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and the governing standards or guidelines.

[2] 

Materials used to backfill horizontal GHXs and the buried, horizontal piping for vertical GHXs shall be suitable granular soil and shall be free from frozen lumps, ashes, refuse, vegetable or organic matter, rocks, or boulders over 150 mm (six inches) in any dimension, or other materials that may damage the piping. The backfilled excavations shall be compacted in accordance with industry standard practice and governing guidelines and regulations.

(b) 

Open loop systems: the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) and the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

(c) 

Closed loop systems: the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) and the NGWA.

(d) 

Direct exchange (DX) systems: the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and in accordance with manufacturer's guidelines, methods and standards.

(2) 

For closed-loop systems, the following specifically apply:

(a) 

Closed loop borefield installers must be trained and accredited by IGSHPA and certified by the piping manufacturer in polyethylene pipe heat-fusion or electro-fuse welding techniques, whichever is used.

(b) 

Closed loop borefields that will supply greater than 50 tons of heating/cooling capacity must be designed by an IGSHPA certified geothermal designer in good standing with the IGSHPA.

(c) 

If antifreeze solutions are used as a circulating fluid in the buried ground heat exchanger, only antifreeze recommended by IGSHPA such as methanol, ethanol and food-grade propylene glycol shall be permitted.

(d) 

The borehole annulus (space between the borehole wall and the piping) shall be filled and sealed through its entire depth with a high-solids bentonite clay grout (at least twenty-percent solids by weight), from the bottom of the borehole to the top using the tremie method of grouting.

(e) 

Where grouting material extends through zones of salt water, a salt-water-resistant grout material shall be used.

(f) 

All horizontal closed-loop systems shall be no more than 20 feet deep.

(3) 

For open horizontal loop systems, the following specifically apply:

(a) 

Open loop system contractors must be registered with the NYSDEC for drilling and installing wells and installing and start-up of submersible pumps and a copy of a NYSDEC well completion report must be submitted after the installation of the wells.

(b) 

Well drilling contractors must notify the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) of the location of wells installed as part of an open loop geothermal system.

(c) 

Open loop systems with rated pumping capacity of greater than 45 gallons per minute (gpm), or systems of lesser capacity proposed on a site with existing water supply wells and for which the combined pumping capacity of proposed on a site with existing water supply wells and for which the combined pumping capacity of proposed and existing wells exceeds 45 gpm, must obtain a Long Island well permit from the NYSDEC Division of Water.

(d) 

Open loop systems with a rated pumping capacity of greater than 45 gpm shall employ use of a plate-frame or shell-in-tube heat exchanger (HX) installed between the well piping and building hydronic loop to prevent cross-contamination of the return water by refrigerant, biocides, or corrosion inhibitors.

(e) 

Heat pump coils and HS material of construction for open loop systems must be compatible with the groundwater chemistry per manufacturer's limits.

(f) 

Water extraction.

[1] 

Open loop systems may utilize a waterway to the extent permissible under federal, state or local municipal laws or regulations.

[2] 

Installation requirements for open loop wells shall be the same as those for potable water wells with respect to the means to prevent aquifer contamination (grouting, etc.), or in conformance with standards, regulations, or guidelines established by the Town Engineer, NYSDEC, NGWA, and AWWA.

[3] 

Any water table drawdown caused by an extraction well or wells shall not cause harm to the environment or otherwise impact the use of existing water supply wells on neighboring properties.

(g) 

Discharge of water.

[1] 

Discharge of water from open loop systems into storm or sanitary sewer systems shall be prohibited, except upon written approval of the SCDHS, NYSDEC, or other authority having jurisdiction.

[2] 

Discharge of water from open loop systems into a waterway or tidal or freshwater wetland is not allowed unless approved by applicable federal, state and local authorities.

[3] 

Underground injection of water discharge from an open loop system shall be subject to the following conditions:

[a] 

Returned water shall contain no treatment or additives or other introduced chemicals.

[b] 

The return well shall recharge the same aquifer from which the supply water is extracted and recharge shall occur within 50 vertical feet of the supply well screen.

[c] 

The return well shall discharge the water below the water table depth to prevent aeration of the return water which can lead to precipitation of iron or other minerals and premature plugging of the well screens.

[d] 

The return well shall be located a minimum distance of 200 feet from wells on adjacent properties.

[e] 

The return well shall be located a minimum distance of 100 feet from the on-site well.

[f] 

The return well shall recharge the groundwater from which supply water is extracted.

(h) 

Return water practices shall not cause erosion, harm to the environment or flooding at the surface or other nuisance conditions on neighboring properties.

(i) 

Geothermal systems shall not encroach on public drainage, utility roadway or trail easements of any nature.

(j) 

The use of open loop systems within identified wellhead protection areas is prohibited.

(4) 

For DX systems, the following apply:

(a) 

DX system contractors shall demonstrate that they have successfully completed a DX system installers training course and are certified by an applicable equipment and material manufacturer to install DX systems.

(b) 

Piping and tubing shall be of a material equivalent to or better than Type Air Conditioning Refrigeration (ACR) piping, tubing and associated fittings in accordance with the appropriate ASTM standard and ASME standard.

(c) 

Below-grade joints shall be purged with inert gas and brazed in accordance with American Welding Society (AWS) standards. Piping tubing and fittings shall be installed in accordance with CSA standards.

(d) 

DX system contractors shall perform joining of all refrigerant connections per CSA standards.

(e) 

All underground Type ACR piping and tubing shall have a cathodic protection system which shall be designed and installed in accordance with the appropriate CSA standards and local site-specific conditions.

(f) 

For vertical DX boreholes that are drilled into saturated aquifer materials (below the water table), the borehole annulus shall be filled and sealed through its entire depth with a geothermal grout from the bottom of the borehole to the top using the tremie method of grouting per CSA standards.

(g) 

Horizontal DX GHXs and vertical DX boreholes lying above the water table shall be backfilled and compacted as specified in Subsection B(1)(a) of this section. Due consideration shall be given to settling of the excavated area.

C. 

As-built drawing. Upon completion of construction, a scaled as-built drawing must be provided showing the locations of buried wells, closed loops, DX boreholes and horizontal connector piping, triangulated from two points on the property such as a building corner or other permanent structure. Offsets must also be shown from the nearest property line, and on-site septic systems and private water wells.

D. 

Setbacks.

(1) 

All horizontal closed-loop systems shall be no more than 20 feet deep.

(2) 

Unless otherwise specified, geothermal systems shall be located a minimum distance of 25 feet from any property line.

(3) 

Aboveground equipment associated with geothermal pumps shall not be installed in the front yard of any lot or the side yard of a corner lot adjacent to a public right-of-way and shall meet all required setbacks for the applicable zoning district.

(4) 

All geothermal systems shall be located a minimum distance of:

(a) 

Ten feet from any water, sewage or utility line.

(b) 

Ten feet from any building foundation.

(c) 

Twenty-five feet from any potential source of contamination, such as underground fuel tanks, except a supply well in an open loop system shall be a minimum of 50 feet from such potential source of contamination.

(d) 

Fifty feet from any storm water recharge structure.

(e) 

Fifty feet from any sewage disposal structure, such as a septic tank or cesspool or leaching field, except a supply well in an open loop system shall be a minimum of 75 feet from such sewage disposal structure.

(f) 

All setbacks or separation distances shall be verified by a qualified water supply engineer or hydrogeologist in order to protect against thermal impacts, water level drawdowns and groundwater impacts or structures.

Amended 5-21-2015 by L.L. No. 10-2015, effective 6-2-2015