For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. Unless otherwise defined in this chapter, terms shall be as adopted in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, published by the American Public Health Association, and American Water Works Association, and the Water Pollution Control Federation and as set forth in 40 C.F.R. part 136. Waste constituents and characteristics shall be measured by Standard Methods unless a mutually agreed upon acceptable alternative method is adopted, or in such other method established by state or federal regulatory agencies. Monitoring and metering will be carried out by customarily accepted methods.
BENEFICIAL USES. These include, but are not limited to, domestic, municipal, agricultural, and industrial use, power generation, recreation, aesthetic enjoyment, navigation, and the preservation and enhancement of fish, wildlife, and other aquatic resources or reserves, and other uses, both tangible or intangible, as specified by state or federal law.
BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD). The quantity of dissolved oxygen in milligrams per liter required during stabilization of the decomposable organic matter by aerobic biochemical action under standard laboratory procedures for five days at 20°C. The laboratory determinations of BOD shall be made in accordance with procedures set forth in Standard Methods, therein and conventionally referred to as BOD5.
BUILDING DRAIN. The lowest horizontal piping of a building drainage system which receives the discharge from soil pipes, waste pipes, and other drainage pipes inside a building and conveys it to a point outside of the building.
CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (COD). A measure of the oxygen equivalent of that portion of the organic matter in a sample that is susceptible to oxidation by a strong chemical oxidant. The laboratory determination shall be made in accordance with procedures set forth in Standard Methods.
COMBINED SEWER. A sewer which carries storm, surface, or ground water runoff in addition to sewage.
COMPATIBLE POLLUTANTS. Wastewater having or containing measurable biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, pH, fecal coliform bacteria, or additional pollutants identified or defined in the town’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or by the state or Town Council.
CONSTITUENTS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF WASTEWATER. The chemical, physical, bacteriological, and radiological properties, including volume, flow rate, and such other properties which serve to define, classify, or measure the contents, quality, quantity, and strength of wastewater.
DEBT SERVICE CHARGE. A charge levied on users of a treatment works to fund debt service on outstanding revenue bonds and current capital costs.
EFFLUENT. The water, together with any wastes that may be present, flowing out of a drain, sewer, receptacle, or outlet.
GARBAGE. Any solid wastes from the preparation, cooking, or dispensing of food or from the handling, storage, or sale of produce.
INCOMPATIBLE POLLUTANTS. Any pollutants which are not compatible pollutants.
INDUSTRIAL WASTES. Any solid, liquid, or gaseous substance or form of energy discharged, permitted to flow into or enter the sewerage system or ground from an industrial, manufacturing, commercial, or business process or from the development, recovery, or processing of any natural resource carried on by any person and shall further mean any waste from an industrial user, but not including sanitary sewage or stormwater.
INFILTRATION. The water entering the sewerage system directly or via private sewers, building drains, and building sewers connected therewith, from the ground, through such means as, but not limited to, defective pipe joints, connections, or manhole walls.
INFLOW. Water other than wastewater entering the sewerage system from sources such as leader’s, cellar, yard area, and foundation drains, drains from springs and swampy areas, manhole areas, cross-connections between storm and sanitary sewers, catch basins, cooling towers, stormwater, surface runoff, and street wastewater or drainage.
INSPECTOR. A person authorized by the Town Council or the Superintendent to perform inspection duties assigned to him or her by the Council or Superintendent.
LATERAL SEWER. The extension from the building drain to the sewerage system or other place of disposal.
MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR. A user discharging or introducing into the sewerage system which has a flow of more than 50,000 gallons per average workday; a toxic pollutant in toxic amounts as defined in § 307 U.S. Pub. Law No. 92-500 as now adopted or as hereafter amended; a flow or pollutant construction as now or hereafter defined or identified as a problem pollutant or flow by applicable state or federal regulations or by the Town Council; an effluent of significant impact, either singly or in combination with other contributors, on the wastewater treatment plant or the quality of its effluent; or any substance unusual or unique in quality or quantity requiring special attention or processing in order to effect proper wastewater treatment.
MAY. The act referred to is both permissible and approved.
NORMAL DOMESTIC SEWAGE. Sewage discharged by residential users.
NPDES PERMIT. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit now or hereafter held by the town and setting forth conditions for the discharge of any pollutants or combination of pollutants.
NUISANCE. Any substance which is injurious to health or offensive to the senses or an obstruction to the free use of property so as to interfere with the comfort or enjoyment of life or property.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE. All expenses related directly to the operating and maintaining including replacement of the sewage works as identified in the Uniform System of Accounts for Wastewater Utilities or as prescribed by the State Board of Accounts under the general headings, Plant Operation and Maintenance, Sewer Operation and Maintenance, Customer Accounts, Administrative and General, Insurance and Taxes.
pH. The conventional scientific measure of the degree of acidity or alkalinity.
POLLUTION. An alteration of the quality of water by waste, contaminants, or pollutants to a degree which renders such water unfit for beneficial uses.
PUBLIC SEWER. A sewer owned by the town.
RECEIVING SEWER SYSTEM. The Town Municipal Sewer System.
REPLACEMENT. Expenditures for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories, or appurtenances which are necessary during the useful life of the treatment works to maintain the capacity and performance for which such works were designed and constructed. The term OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE includes replacement.
SANITARY SEWAGE. Sewage such as, and having the characteristics of, domestic sewage from dwellings (including apartment houses and hotels), office buildings, factories, or institutions, free from storm and surface water and industrial wastes.
SANITARY SEWER. A sewer intended to carry only sanitary or sanitary and industrial waste waters from residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions.
SEWER. A pipe or conduit laid for carrying sewage or other liquids, and solids suspended or entrained therein.
SEWER CHARGES. The total of the user charge and the debt service charge.
SEWERAGE SYSTEM. The network of publicly owned sewers and appurtenances used for collection, transporting, and pumping wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant, and the wastewater treatment plant itself.
SHALL. The act referred to is mandatory.
SHREDDED GARBAGE. Garbage that is shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely in suspension under the conditions normally prevailing in the sewerage system, with no particle being greater than one-half inch in dimension.
STORM SEWER. A sewer intended to carry only stormwaters, surface runoff, street wash waters, and drainage.
SUPERINTENDENT. The Superintendent, subject to the control of the Town Council in all matters, of the Sewer Department.
SURCHARGE. A charge for sewerage services in addition to the basic sewer charge. This charge is assessed users whose sewage is of such a nature that it imposes upon the sewage works a burden greater than that covered by the basic user charge.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS. Solids which either float on the surface of or are in suspension in water, sewage, or other liquid and which are removable by laboratory filtration. Their concentration shall be expressed in milligrams per liter. Quantitative determinations shall be made in accordance with procedures set forth in Standard Methods.
USER. A person who introduces into or discharges into, including both the owner and occupant of real estate from which is introduced or discharged into the sewerage system any substance whatsoever.
USER CHARGE. A charge levied on users of a treatment works, or that portion of the ad valorem taxes paid by a user, for the user’s proportionate share of the cost of operation and maintenance (including) replacement of such works.
USER CLASSES.
(1) COMMERCIAL USER. Transit lodging, retail, and wholesale establishments or places engaged in providing merchandise for personal, household, or industrial consumption and for rendering services to others.
(2) GOVERNMENTAL USER. A user engaged in legislative, judicial, or administrative activities of federal, state, and local governments, such as court houses, police, and fire stations, town halls, and similar GOVERNMENTAL USERS.
(3) INDUSTRIAL USER. Any user who discharges industrial wastes.
(4) INSTITUTIONAL USER. A publicly or privately owned school, hospital, nursing home, prison, or other similar institution whose wastes are segregated domestic wastes.
(5) RESIDENTIAL USER. A user who introduces only normal domestic sewage from a single-family or multi-family dwelling into the sewerage system.
WASTE. Sanitary sewage and any and all other waste substances, liquid, solid, gaseous, or radioactive, associated with human habitation, or of human or animal origin, or from any producing, processing, manufacturing, or industrial operation of whatever nature, including such WASTE placed within containers of whatever nature prior to, and for purposes of, disposal.
WASTEWATER. The water-carried waste from residences, business buildings, institutions, and industrial establishments, singular or in any combination, together with such ground, surface, and stormwaters as may be present.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. Any arrangement of devices and structures used by the town for treatment and disposing of sewage, sludge, and other sewage constituents and products.
(Ord. 81-4, passed 11-2-1981)