A draft well field protection ordinance last revised in 2009 should be completed and approved expeditiously to protect the water source of about 7,000 residents of western Clark County, a water source protection committee quorum said Thursday.

Work on the draft stalled three years ago. It was never finalized and approved to take to a vote before Enon’s council.

Interest in completing the binding ordinance was renewed recently, due in part to an industrial zoning request in Mad River Twp. within Enon’s wellhead protection area.

The residential-to-industrial rezoning was approved last month by county commissioners with several provisions that, at the request of officials from the village and other agencies, include no hazardous waste treatment or disposal, criminal corrections or adult-oriented businesses be allowed to operate on the property.

“(Village and township officials) all agreed that we need to protect the ground water here because if we don’t, then we’re not going to have anything,” Chairman Tim Howard said of the rezoning case. “The development of this ordinance kept coming up as a topic that: ‘Hey, Enon, when you get this done, we will make sure that future developments are made aware that they’re going to have to follow this ordinance.’”

“This may be the difference between yea and nay in the future as far as development,” Committee Member Marian Ladislaw said.

Drinking Water Source Protection Committee members agreed Thursday to individually scour the entire draft ordinance and meet again in about a month to discuss any changes they propose. Their next regular meeting would have been in three months.

Previously, the committee approved the draft’s glossary and the Wellhead Operation Area and Well Field Protection Overlay District sections.

Not completed were the Enforcement Provisions, Regulated Substances, Reporting and Protection Requirements, Public Water Supply Protection Authorities, Well Field Protection Appeals Board, and Penalties sections.

Once revised and approved by the committee, the ordinance will go before council for consideration.

The committee consists of Enon Mayor Tim Howard, Councilman Elmer Beard, Water Superintendent Steve Durall, Mad River Twp. Trustee Kathy Estep, Clark County Community Development Senior Planner Allan Neimayer, Eric Swaisgood from the Speedway Corporation and local residents Ben Richard and Ladislaw.

The next meeting date has not yet been set.