Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §§404-A to 404-D are enacted to read:

§404-A.__Standards for modeling and mapping aquifers

1.__Standards.__The commissioner shall establish by rule standards for modeling and mapping well field areas, zones of contribution and recharge areas in aquifers.__Standards for mapping may be based on existing geologic mapping of known aquifer characteristics, limited field verification, the location of existing and potential well fields and pumping rates, hydrogeological features, groundwater level data, surface water discharge information for model calibration and pump test data for model verification.

2.__Rulemaking. The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this section.__Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

§404-B.__Mapping required

1.__Mapping of existing wells by water companies.__A public or private water company serving 1,000 or more persons shall map all areas of contribution and recharge areas for its wells in stratified drift aquifers.

2.__Mapping of existing wells by department. The department shall map all areas of contribution and recharge areas for wells in stratified drift aquifers that are used by public or private water company serving fewer than 1,000 persons.

3.__Mapping of potential wells by water companies.__A public or private water company serving 10,000 or more persons shall map all areas of contribution and recharge areas for potential wells within stratified drift aquifers identified as future sources of water supply.

4.__Mapping of potential wells by department.__The commissioner shall identify and make recommendations for mapping, or shall map, all significant areas of contribution and recharge areas for potential wells in stratified drift aquifers not identified by a public or private water company as a potential source of water supply under subsection 3.

§404-C.__Approval of maps