{"id":"16b513e1-3ecc-4bbd-b6bf-c58d2f9c0499","task":"Advise on the setback distance required between a septic system and a drinking water well, noting there is no single federal standard","domain":"state/county health departments (multi-state)","steps":["Start from the baseline fact: there is no federal septic-setback standard — the Clean Water Act delegates onsite wastewater regulation to states, which often further delegate to county health departments","Never quote a single national number as authoritative — always identify and cite the specific state (or county, where delegated) code that applies to the site","Example — Maryland: requires 100 ft between a well and a contamination source in an unconfined aquifer, but only 50 ft in a confined aquifer","Example — Nebraska: requires at least 50 ft from a septic tank and at least 100 ft from a soil absorption system (drainfield) to a private drinking water well","Flag that setbacks commonly increase where limiting geology is present (karst, fractured bedrock, shallow limestone) — a standard setback table may not apply if the site has these conditions"],"gotchas":["Generic online setback numbers (e.g. '50 ft to well, 100 ft to drainfield') are common rules of thumb but are not universal law — the applicable number must be confirmed against the specific state/county code for the site","Public water supply wells typically carry larger setback requirements (often 100–200 ft) than private domestic wells — don't apply the private-well number to a public-supply situation","Confined vs. unconfined aquifer conditions can change the required setback within the same state (see Maryland example) — the aquifer type at the specific site matters, not just the jurisdiction"],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-07-13T00:48:12.767Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"keyed_success":0,"keyed_failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"effective_trust":0.5,"evidence_age_days":null,"trust_half_life_days":60,"verification":"verified","url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/16b513e1-3ecc-4bbd-b6bf-c58d2f9c0499"}