For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACT or THE ACT. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Pub. L. 92-500, also known as the Clean Water Act, being 33 USC 1251 et seq. as amended.
APPROVAL AUTHORITY. The Director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy or its successor state department.
ATTORNEY. The City Attorney of the City of Mount Pleasant, Isabella County, Michigan.
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF INDUSTRIAL USER.
(1) A principal executive officer of at least the level of vice-president, if the industrial user is a corporation;
(2) A general partner or proprietor if the industrial user is a partnership or proprietorship, respectively; or
(3) A duly authorized representative of the individual designated above if such representative is responsible for the overall operation of the facilities from which the indirect discharge originates.
AVAILABLE PUBLIC SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM. A public sanitary sewer system located in a right-of-way, easement, highway, or public way which crosses, adjoins, abuts, or is contiguous to the realty involved and passes not more than 200 feet at the nearest point from a structure in which sanitary sewage originates.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs). Schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices to implement the prohibitions listed in § 51.062 (A) through (P) and 40 CFR 403.5(a)(1) and (b). BMPs include treatment requirements, operating procedures, and practices to control plant site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, or drainage from raw materials storage.
B.O.D. (denoting Biochemical Oxygen Demand). The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biological oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at 20° C., expressed in milligrams per liter.
BUILDING DRAIN. That part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge soil, waste, and other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer, beginning five feet outside the inner face of the building wall.
BUILDING SEWER. The extension from the building drain to the public sewer or other place of disposal.
BYPASS. The diversion of the waste stream from any or all treatment processes; whether intentional or otherwise.
CAPACITY CHARGE. In addition to any other assessments, costs or levies hereunder, a charge for capacity utilization and/or reservation shall be levied for all connections to the sewer system; further and existing connections, where the use is increased, shall be charged a capacity charge based on the increased units.
CATEGORICAL PRETREATMENT STANDARD. Any regulation containing pollutant discharge limits promulgated by the EPA in accordance with section 307(b) and (c) of the Act (33 USC 1347) which applies to a specific category of industrial users.
CITY. The City of Mount Pleasant which has jurisdiction over the use and operation of the sewage treatment plant and sewage collection system.
CLASSES OF USERS. The division of sanitary sewer customers into classes by similar process or discharge flow characteristics, as follows:
(1) DOMESTIC USER. Individual homes or dwelling units (including mobile homes, apartments, condominiums, or multi-family dwellings), or other structures, that discharge only segregated domestic wastes or wastes from sanitary conveniences.
(2) INDUSTRIAL USER. Any user that is not considered a domestic user as defined above.
(3) SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL USER. Any industrial user that:
(a) Is subject to federal categorical pretreatment standards.
(b) Has an average daily discharge of more than 25,000 gallons of process wastewater to the POTW (excluding sanitary, non-contact cooling, and boiler blowdown wastewater).
(c) Provides more than 5% of the POTW organic or hydraulic dry weather loading.
(d) Is designated as such by the Superintendent on the basis that it has a reasonable potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation, or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement.
COMPATIBLE POLLUTANT. Biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, pH and fecal coliform bacteria, plus any additional pollutants identified in the NPDES permit if the treatment works was designed to treat such pollutants, and in fact can remove such pollutants to a substantial degree. The term SUBSTANTIAL DEGREE generally means removals in the order of 80% or greater.
COMBINED SEWER. A sewer receiving both surface runoff and sewage.
DAILY MAXIMUM LIMIT. The maximum allowable discharge limit of a pollutant during a calendar day. Where DAILY MAXIMUM LIMITS are expressed in units of mass, the daily discharge is the total mass discharged over the course of the day. Where DAILY MAXIMUM LIMITS are expressed in terms of a concentration, the daily discharge is the arithmetic average measurement of the pollutant concentration derived from all measurements taken that day.
DEBT SERVICE CHARGE. A charge allocated to all users for the purpose of generating revenues for retirement of outstanding bond issues, collectible via property taxes and the sewer service surcharge.
DOMESTIC WASTES. Normal wastes from residential living units resulting from day-to-day activities such as but not limited to dishwater, laundry water, bath water, sink water, shower water, and toilet water.
GARBAGE. Solid wastes from the domestic and commercial preparation, cooking, and dispensing of food, and from the handling, storage, and sale of produce.
INCOMPATIBLE POLLUTANT. Any pollutant that is not a compatible pollutant, as defined in this section.
INDIRECT DISCHARGE or DISCHARGE. The introduction of pollutants into a POTW from a non-domestic source regulated under section 307(b), (c), or (d) of the Act.
INFILTRATION. Any waters entering the system from the ground, through such means as, but not limited to, defective pipes, pipe joints, connections or manhole walls. INFILTRATION does not include and is distinguished from inflow.
INFILTRATION/INFLOW. The total quantity of water from both infiltration and inflow.
INFLOW. Any waters entering the system through such sources as, but not limited to, building downspouts, footing or yard drains, cooling water discharges, seepage lines from springs and swampy areas and storm drain cross connections.
INSPECTOR. Any person or persons authorized by the city to inspect and approve the installation of building sewers and their connection to the public sewer system.
INTERFERENCE. A discharge that, alone or in conjunction with a discharge or discharges from other sources, causes inhibition or disruption of the POTW treatment processes or operations which contributes to a violation of any requirement of the city's NPDES permit. The term includes prevention of sewage sludge use or disposal by the POTW in accordance with section 405 of the Act, (33 USC 1345) or any criteria, guidelines, or regulations developed pursuant to the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA), the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, or more stringent state criteria (including those contained in any state sludge management plan prepared pursuant to Title IV of SWDA applicable to the method of disposal or use employed by the POTW.
LOCAL LIMIT. Specific discharge limits developed and enforced by the city upon industrial or commercial facilities to implement general and specific discharge prohibitions listed in 40 CFR 403.5(a)(1) and (b).
MAJOR CONTRIBUTION DISCHARGER. A discharger having a flow volume of 10,000 gallons or more per average work day or containing any of the prohibited discharges in § 51.062 of this chapter.
MANAGER. The Manager of the City of Mount Pleasant, or his or her authorized agent or representative.
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE HEADWORKS LOADING (MAHL). The maximum loading of a pollutant that can be received at a POTW's headworks without causing pass-through or interference.
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE INDUSTRIAL LOADING (MAIL). The maximum loading of a pollutant that can be received at a POTW's headworks from all permitted industrial users and other controlled sources without causing pass-through or interference.
MAY. Permissive, (see SHALL.)
MONTHLY AVERAGE LIMIT. The highest allowable average of daily discharges over a calendar month, calculated as the sum of all daily discharges measured during a calendar month divided by the number of daily discharges measured during that month.
NATURAL OUTLET. Any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface or groundwater.
NEW SOURCE.
(1) Any building, structure, facility, or installation from which there is (or may be) a discharge of pollutants, the construction of which commenced after the publication of proposed pretreatment standards under section 307(c) of the Act that will be applicable to such source if such standards are thereafter promulgated in accordance with that section, provided that:
(a) The building, structure, facility, or installation is constructed at a site at which no other source is located; or
(b) The building, structure, facility, or installation totally replaces the process or production equipment that causes the discharge of pollutants at an existing source; or
(c) The production or wastewater generating processes of the building, structure, facility, or installation are substantially independent of an existing source at the same site. In determining whether these are substantially independent, factors such as the extent to which the new facility is engaged in the same general type of activity as the existing source, should be considered.
(2) Construction on a site at which an existing source is located results in a modification rather than a new source if the construction does not create a new building, structure, facility, or installation meeting the criteria of division (1) (b) or (c) above but otherwise alters, replaces, or adds to existing process or production equipment.
(3) Construction of a NEW SOURCE as defined under this division (3) has commenced if the owner or operator has:
(a) Begun, or caused to begin, as part of a continuous onsite construction program:
A. Any placement, assembly, or installation of facilities or equipment; or
B. Significant site preparation work including clearing, excavation, or removal of existing buildings, structures, or facilities which is necessary for the placement, assembly, or installation of new source facilities or equipment; or
(b) Entered into a binding contractual obligation for the purchase of facilities or equipment which are intended to be used in its operation within a reasonable time. Options to purchase or contracts which can be terminated or modified without substantial loss, and contracts for feasibility, engineering, and design studies do not constitute a contractual obligation under this division (3).
NORMAL STRENGTH SEWAGE. A sanitary wastewater flow containing an average daily of not more than 300 mg/l or an average daily suspended solids concentration of not more than 350 mg/l.
NPDES PERMIT. The permit issued pursuant to the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System for the discharge of wastewaters into the waters of the state.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE and REPLACEMENT COSTS. All costs, direct and indirect, (other than debt service) necessary to ensure adequate wastewater treatment on a continuing basis, conform with all related federal, state and local requirements, and assure optimal long term facility management (these O & M and R COSTS include replacement costs).
OPERATIONAL UPSET. An unintentional and temporary discharge from a pretreatment facility in noncompliance with standards of a wastewater contribution permit and beyond the reasonable control of the discharger. OPERATIONAL UPSET does not include noncompliance due to operational error, improperly designed treatment facilities, inadequate treatment facilities, lack of preventative maintenance, or careless or improper operation.
PASS-THROUGH. A discharge which exits the POTW into Waters of the United States in quantities or concentrations which, alone or in conjunction with a discharge or discharges from other sources, is a cause of a violation of any requirement of city's NPDES permit, including an increase in the magnitude or duration of a violation.
PFAS. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
pH. The logarithm of the reciprocal of the concentration of hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution.
POLLUTANT. Dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter backwash, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, medical wastes, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, municipal, agricultural and industrial wastes, and certain characteristics of wastewater (e.g., pH, temperature, TSS, turbidity, color, BOD, COD, toxicity, or odor).
POTW (PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS). A treatment works, as defined by section 212 of the Act (33 U.S.C. 1292). This definition includes any devices or systems used in the collection, storage, treatment, recycling, and reclamation of sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature and any conveyances, which convey wastewater to a treatment plant.
PRETREATMENT. The reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties in wastewater prior to, or in lieu of, introducing such pollutants into the POTW. This reduction or alteration can be obtained by physical, chemical, or biological processes; by process changes; or by other means, except by diluting the concentration of the pollutants unless allowed by an applicable pretreatment standard.
PRETREATMENT STANDARDS. Prohibited discharge standards, categorical pretreatment standards, and local limits.
PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. Any septic tanks, lagoons, cesspools, or other facilities intended or used for the disposal of sanitary sewage other than via the public sanitary sewer.
PROHIBITED DISCHARGE STANDARDS. Absolute prohibitions against the discharge of certain substances; these prohibitions appear in § 51.062(A) through (P).
PROPERLY SHREDDED GARBAGE. The wastes from the preparation, cooking, and dispensing of food that have been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than one-half-inch in dimension.
PROPERTY OWNER. The person or persons having legal title to the premises according to the city's tax records and shall include in the case of a land contract sale the land contract vendee or vendees, provided that the city has been furnished with a copy of said land contract or assignment thereof.
PUBLIC SEWER. The main collector sewer system in which all owners of abutting properties have equal rights, and is controlled by the city.
REPLACEMENT. Necessary expenditures made during the service life of the treatment works to replace equipment and plant appurtenances required to maintain the intended performance of the treatment works.
RESIDENTIAL EQUIVALENTS or EQUIVALENT UNIT. The factor representing a ratio of the estimated sewage generated by each user class to that generated by the normal single-family residential user.
SANITARY SEWER. A sewer which carries sewage and to which storm, surface, and groundwaters are not intentionally admitted.
SEWAGE. A combination of the liquid and water carried wastes from residences, commercial buildings, institutions, and industrial establishments, (including polluted cooling water) together with such ground, surface, and storm waters as may be present. The three most common types of SEWAGE are:
(1) COMBINED SEWAGE. Wastes including sanitary sewage industrial sewage, storm water, infiltration and inflow carried to the water resource recovery facilities by a combined sewer.
(2) INDUSTRIAL SEWAGE. A combination of liquid and water-carried wastes, discharged from any industrial establishment, and resulting from a trade or process carried on in that establishment (this shall include the wastes from pretreatment facilities and polluted cooling water).
(3) SANITARY SEWAGE. The combination of liquid and water carried wastes discharged from toilet and other sanitary plumbing facilities.
SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY. Any arrangement of devices and structures used for treating sewage.
SEWER. A pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.
SEWER SERVICE SURCHARGE. The charge collected from all non-taxable customers for the purpose of generating that portion of debt retirement of outstanding bond issues.
SEWERAGE WORKS. All facilities for collecting, pumping, treating, and disposing of sewage.
SHALL. Mandatory, (see MAY).
SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING. A residence in which only one family resides.
SLUG. Any discharge of water, sewage or industrial waste which in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow exceeds for any period of duration longer than 15 minutes more than five times the average 24 hours concentration or flows during normal operation.
STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION (SIC). A classification pursuant to the Standard Industrial Classification Manual issued by the Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, 1972.
STORM DRAIN or STORM SEWER. A storm sewer which carries storm and surface water and drainage, but excludes sewage and industrial wastes, other than unpolluted cooling water.
SURCHARGE. The additional charge which a user discharging wastewater having strength in excess of the limits set by the city for transmission and treatment within the sanitary sewage system will be required to pay to meet the cost of treating such excessively strong wastewater.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS. Solids that either float on the surface of, or are in suspension in water, sewage, or other liquids, and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
SYSTEM. The complete city wastewater collection and treatment system, including all sewers, pumps, lift stations, treatment facilities or other facilities and appurtenances used or useful in the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of domestic, commercial or industrial wastes, and all easements, rights and land for same and including all extension and improvements thereto which may hereafter be acquired or constructed.
TABLE OF UNIT FACTORS. That table which shall be adopted by the city and utilized to identify the various classifications of sewer users and stating as residential equivalents the ratio of such use of the system to that of a single-family residence.
TREATMENT WORKS. All facilities for collecting, pumping, treating, and disposing of sewage, as defined above.
USER O & M & R CHARGE. The charge levied on all users of the treatment works for the cost of the operation and maintenance including replacement, of such treatment works.
WASTEWATER. Water which contains, or previous to treatment has contained, pollutants such as sewage and/or industrial wastes.
WATERCOURSE. A channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.
(Ord. 622, passed 3-4-85; Am. Ord. 727, passed 4-29-91; Am. Ord. 1074, passed 9-27-21)