ALTERATION-REPLACEMENT ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM. An onsite wastewater treatment system that is designed to comply with the requirements of this chapter when an alteration to a property or building occurs, or when a change in use of a building is made that affects the wastewater flow. An ALTERATION- REPLACEMENT ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM may consist of the complete replacement of all components of the system, or the replacement of selected system components, and may include the soil treatment component.
ANIMAL PEN WASHWATER. Water that has been used to wash floors of animals pens.
ATYPICAL WASTEWATER FLOW. Wastewater flow that is not typical of domestic sewage due to conditions described in § 171.065.
BASE FLOOD ELEVATION. The elevation delineating the level of flooding resulting from the 100-year flood frequency storm event.
BEDROOM. Any room in a dwelling that is suitable for regular use as private sleeping quarters for a person, including a room in a basement, that contains a closet and shares a common hallway with, or is adjoining a bathroom containing at least a toilet, lavatory and shower stall. A room is not considered to be suitable for regular use as private sleeping quarters for a person if the room is the sole means for accessing other rooms in the house (i.e., functions as a hallway) with the exception of bathrooms and mechanical rooms.
BUILDING FOOTPRINT. The outside perimeter of a building including attached garages, seasonal rooms, breezeways and covered porches, excluding covered decks and patios.
BUILDING PLAN. A plan prepared to depict the floor plan of a building, including both existing and proposed space.
CLASS I AEROBIC TREATMENT UNIT. A mechanical wastewater treatment unit classified, listed and labeled as Class I by an ANSI accredited third-party testing and certification organization, and certified compliant with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electro- chemical Commission (IEC) Guide 65 to determine compliance with the requirements of NSF ANSI Standard 40 for wastewater treatment systems.
COARSE SAND. Fill material having an effective diameter of 0.15 to 0.30 mm with a coefficient of uniformity <5.0, and having less than 20% material coarser than 2 mm and less than 5% silt and clay.
CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN. A plan that depicts the design of a code compliant Alteration-Replacement OWTS submitted in accordance with the requirements of § 171.068(D). The development of the site plan may require the determination of wetlands boundaries and the base flood elevation from appropriately licensed professionals.
CONSTRUCTION APPROVAL. A non-transferable approval issued to a licensed onsite wastewater treatment system installation contractor to construct/install an onsite wastewater treatment system in accordance with the approved site plan and the requirements of this chapter.
DEFLECTION (OF A CONCAVE SOIL TREATMENT COMPONENT). The maximum distance between the down slope edge of a soil treatment component to the length of a perpendicular line that intersects furthest points of the contour line along the down slope edge of the soil treatment component. The percent deflection is determined by dividing the amount of deflection by the effective soil treatment component length. The effective length of a soil treatment component is the distance between the furthest points along the contour line of the down slope edge of the soil treatment component.
DISCHARGE RATE. The volume of wastewater discharged from a low pressure distribution system expressed as gallons per minute, and applied as a rate either per perforation, per line, or per system.
DISTAL END PRESSURE. A measure of system pressure in a low pressure distribution system made at the end of a lateral distribution pipe opposite the force main connection, and expressed as feet of pressure head.
DIVERTER VALVE. A valve with a single inflow that may be adjusted to direct outflow into any one of two or more directions.
DOMESTIC SEWAGE. Wastewater derived principally from dwellings, businesses, office buildings, institutions, food establishments, or similar facilities.
EFFLUENT FILTER. A removable, cleanable, or disposable device installed on the outlet piping of a septic tank for the purpose of retaining solids of a specific size and/or modulating effluent flow rate.
FAILING ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM. An onsite wastewater treatment that is not properly and/or adequately treating and dispersing wastewater, causing unsanitary conditions as described in § 171.050(A), and as a result, creating an imminent health hazard or a public nuisance.
FLOW CONTROL DEVICE. A device specially designed to equalize the outflow elevation of effluent from a distribution box, typically a rotating pipe cap provided with an off center outflow orifice that can adjust the flow line by rotation of the cap.
HEALTH OFFICER. The Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department or an appropriate designated agent.
HIGH STRENGTH WASTEWATER.
(1) Sewage having a 5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) greater than 300 mg/l, Total Suspended Solids (TSS) greater than 200 mg/l, or fats, oils, and greases greater than 50mg/l entering a primary pretreatment component; or
(2) Effluent from a septic tank or other pretreatment component that has a BOD5 greater than 170 mg/l, TSS greater than 60 mg/l, or fats, oils, and grease greater than 25 mg/l that is intended to be applied to an infiltrative surface.
ILLICIT DISCHARGE. A discharge or dumping of material into a drain or stormwater system that is not composed entirely of stormwater, except for discharges allowed under the provisions of this chapter or NPDES Permit No. ILR40 Part I.B.2.
IMMINENT HEALTH HAZARD. A hazard to public health when the evidence is sufficient to show that a condition or practice, posing or contributing to a significant threat of danger to health or safety, creates or may create a public health situation that should be corrected immediately to prevent injury or illness, and that should not be permitted to continue.
INCREASED WATER USAGE. A projected increase in the amount of water required to be treated by an onsite wastewater treatment system as a result of an alteration to a property or a change in the use of a property. Alterations to properties that result in INCREASED WATER USAGE include, but based on the determination of the Health Officer, are not limited to:
(1) The addition of a bedroom to a dwelling.
(2) The addition of square footage to any building that is greater than 50% of the original building square footage. The square footage increase calculation shall include the area of all approved building addition projects on record. The square footage of the building prior to the first approved project shall be the initial building square footage.
(3) An increase in the amount of water required to be treated by the onsite wastewater treatment system serving a non-residential building of greater than 150 gallons per day, as determined by the Health Officer in accordance with the requirements of Table C.1 in Appendix C, water meter data, or other acceptable means.
ISOLATION DISTANCE. The vertical measurement from a wastewater application point to a limiting layer.
LIFT STATION. A watertight containment intended solely to collect pretreated effluent and containing a submersible effluent pump, external pump switch(es), an audio-visual alarm, and additional pump control devices.
LIMITING LAYER. That plane in a soil profile that restricts the placement of a wastewater application point due to conditions including, but not limited to, seasonal soil saturation or permanent saturated conditions, restrictive permeability (loading rate of 0 gpd/ft2), excessive permeability (gravelly coarse sand or coarser texture), or fractured bedrock.
MAINTENANCE. Action taken by a Lake County licensed installation contractor or homeowner to restore proper onsite wastewater treatment system performance or function. The following actions shall be considered MAINTENANCE:
(1) Replacement of baffles, pumps, electrical components, switches, motors or controls, disinfection components, pretreatment component manholes, or risers;
(2) One-to-one replacement of header lines, building sewers, effluent conveyance piping, force mains, drip system supply and return lines, drop boxes or distribution boxes, in order to maintain or improve unrestricted flow of wastewater; and
(3) Removal of pipe blockages using mechanical auguring equipment.
MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. Routine or periodic action, as required by this chapter, taken by an appropriately licensed service provider or a homeowner to assure continued proper onsite wastewater treatment system performance, extend onsite wastewater treatment system longevity, and/or assure an onsite wastewater treatment system meets performance standards. The following actions shall be considered management activities:
(1) Servicing certified system pretreatment component(s);
(2) Sampling or servicing surface discharging onsite wastewater treatment system(s);
(3) Pumping holding tank(s);
(4) Reporting, by means required by this chapter, system management activities to the Health Officer;
(5) Services performed on drip distribution onsite wastewater treatment systems.
NEW ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM. A newly constructed onsite wastewater treatment system designed to serve:
(1) A new dwelling or non-residential building on a property on which a dwelling or non-residential building had not previously existed;
(2) A new dwelling or non-residential building on a property on which a dwelling or non-residential building had previously existed, but which has not been standing for at least one year; or
(3) A new dwelling or non-residential building that replaces an existing dwelling or non-residential building and the new dwelling or non-residential building has a different building footprint and/or location than the existing.
ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM (OWTS). A wastewater treatment and disposal system that is installed on the site at which the wastewater is produced, and:
(1) Disperses treated wastewater into the soil;
(2) Discharges treated wastewater to a discharge point open to the environment when the projected daily flow is less than 1500 gallons; or
(3) Contains wastewater in a tank or tanks for removal and disposal at a remote site.
ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM COMPONENT. A component of a wastewater treatment and disposal system that is installed on the site at which the wastewater is produced including, but not limited to, a septic tank, a lift station, a secondary pretreatment unit or soil treatment area. For the purposes of this chapter, an ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM COMPONENT may also be referred to as a SYSTEM COMPONENT.
PRE-TREATMENT SYSTEM COMPONENT. One or more septic tanks in parallel or series, exterior grease interceptor(s), or secondary treatment units designed to treat wastewater prior to it being treated by another onsite wastewater treatment system component.
PUBLIC SEWER. A sewer that is part of an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency regulated wastewater treatment and disposal system that is owned and/or operated by a governmental body or public utility.
REDOXIMORPHIC FEATURES. Soil characteristics associated with seasonal saturation that result from the chemical reduction and oxidation of iron and manganese compounds in the soil, and are indicative of the extent of soil saturation.
REPAIR TO AN ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM. Actions taken by a licensed installation contractor or homeowner to improve or correct the performance of an onsite wastewater treatment system, including, but not limited to, repairing or replacing an onsite wastewater treatment system component (not including the replacement of, or addition to, the soil treatment component), or to facilitate operation and maintenance of an existing onsite wastewater treatment system including, but not limited to, the following actions:
(1) Replacing a pretreatment system component.
(2) Replacing a lift station.
(3) Adding aerobic remediation, filtration, or distribution components.
(4) Replacing pressure distribution piping or drip tubing.
(5) Replacing the gravel bed in a Wisconsin mound system.
(6) Extending the basal width along the entire length of the downslope toe of a system using gravel or coarse sand, as applicable when reserve area is designated on an existing approved site plan.
(7) Installing a shallow toe drain at the downslope toe of a Wisconsin at-grade, mound, or modified mound system, or an Illinois raised filter bed system seeping to the ground surface provided the seeping water does not meet the definition of domestic sewage, and all system inflow and infiltration has been corrected. The toe drain shall discharge to a seepage trench and shall meet the setback distances in Appendix D.
REPLACEMENT ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM. An onsite wastewater treatment system that is designed to comply with the requirements of this chapter to replace all system components, or selected system components, but in all cases includes the replacement of the soil treatment component, of an existing onsite wastewater treatment system.
RESERVE SOIL TREATMENT AREA. An area designated for the replacement or enlargement of a soil based onsite wastewater treatment system.
SEPTAGE. Liquid and solid material removed from domestic septic tanks or other approved pretreatment systems, and specifically excluding wastes from portable toilets, holding tanks, grease traps and sewage treatment plant sludge material.
SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. A prepared plan that depicts the finished contouring of a site, including modifications to the site associated with proposed work on the onsite wastewater treatment system, to specifications acceptable to the controlling village or municipality or the County of Lake.
SOIL BASED ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM. A wastewater treatment and disposal system that is designed to discharge pretreated wastewater, for further treatment and dispersal, to an appropriate soil treatment component.
SOIL CLASSIFIER/SOIL SCIENTIST. A Certified Professional Soil Classifier (CPSC), as determined by the Illinois Soil Classifiers Association (ISCA), or a Certified Professional Soil Classifier (CPSC) or Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS) as determined by the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA).
SOIL LOADING RATE. The maximum rate, based upon a soil’s texture, structure, and consistence and expressed as gallons per day per square foot (gpd/ft2) of infiltration area, at which effluent may be applied to a soil treatment system.
SOIL RESOURCE GROUP. A group of soils specific to this chapter that share common traits and similar subsoil materials.
SQUARE FOOTAGE OF A BUILDING. The calculation, measuring the outside dimensions, of the floor area of an existing or proposed dwelling or non-residential building, or part of an existing or proposed dwelling or non-residential building, that is a habitable portion of the dwelling or non-residential building, and as further described below. The Health Officer shall not include the following areas in the calculation of the square footage of an existing or proposed dwelling or non-residential building, or part of an existing or proposed dwelling or non-residential building:
(1) Unheated or unfinished attics with exposed structural construction.
(2) Unheated screened or covered porches and breezeways.
(3) Unfinished basements.
(4) Finished basements that do not contain a bedroom.
SUBDIVISION. Any division or re-division of a parcel of land into two or more parts by means of mapping, platting, conveyance, change or rearrangement of boundaries.
SYSTEM TYPE. A category of onsite wastewater treatment system, as illustrated in Appendix E, and distinguished by system profile features that are designed to meet the required separation distance between the wastewater application point and the limiting layer.
TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY. A representation of changes in elevation of a property prepared to scale by an Illinois licensed surveyor or engineer, that depicts each one-foot change in elevation by a contour line, is referenced to a benchmark of known or assumed elevation, and which encompasses a sufficient area to include the proposed structure, the onsite wastewater treatment system area and any other topographical feature relevant to the wastewater system.
WASTEWATER. For the purposes of the enforcement of this chapter, and unless otherwise specified, the term WASTEWATER shall refer to domestic sewage.
WASTEWATER APPLICATION POINT. The point lowest in elevation at which wastewater applied to a soil treatment component of an onsite wastewater treatment system will first contact with soil or fill material.
WETLAND. Land that is inundated or saturated by surface or shallow ground water at a sufficient
frequency and duration to support, under ordinary conditions, a prevalence of vegetation adapted to such conditions (hydrophytic vegetation).
(Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. V], passed 11-12-1996; Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. V], passed 11-12-2013; Ord. 17-0605, passed 6-13- 2017; Ord. 19-0775, passed 5-14-2019; Ord. 24-1005, passed 8-13-2024)