For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. All other words, terms, phrases, formulas, chemicals and the like not included herein shall have the meaning as defined in the latest version of the Glossary-Water and Wastewater Control Engineering, prepared by the Joint Editorial Board representing the American Public Health Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Water Works Association, the Water Pollution Control Federation or, if not defined therein, by Webster’s Dictionary.
ACT. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Clean Water Act which are used interchangeably in this chapter and refer to Pub. Law No. 92-500, as adopted in 1972 and amended by Pub. Law No. 96-217 in 1977, being 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq., and all succeeding amendments.
ADMINISTRATOR. The person employed by the township as Administrator of the system or his or her duly authorized agents, assistants or deputies.
ALTERNATIVE DISCHARGE LIMIT. Any limits set by the village in lieu of the promulgated national categorical pretreatment standards, for integrated facilities in accordance with the combined wastestream formula as set by the EPA.
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, street or public way which crosses, adjoins or abuts upon the property and which passes not more than 200 feet at the nearest point from a structure in which sanitary sewage originates.
BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND or BOD. The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedures in five days at 20°C, expressed in parts per million (PPM) by weight.
BUILDING DRAIN. The part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soils, waste and other drainage pipes inside of the walls of the building and conveys said discharge to the building sewer. The building sewer shall begin five feet outside the inner face of the building wall.
BUILDING SEWER. The pipeline extending from the building drain to the public sewer or other place of disposal, including all pumping equipment, structures and appurtenances.
CESSPOOL. An underground pit into which raw domestic sewage or other untreated liquid waste is discharged, and from which the liquid seeps into the surrounding soil or is otherwise removed.
CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND or COD. The measure of the oxygen consuming capacity of inorganic and organic matter present in water or wastewater expressed as the amount of oxygen consumed from a chemical oxidant in a specified test. COD does not differentiate between stable and unstable organic matter and thus does not necessarily correlate with biochemical oxygen demand. COD is also known as OC and DOC, oxygen consumed and dichromate oxygen consumed, respectively.
CHLORINE DEMAND. The difference between the amount of chlorine added to water or wastewater and the amount of residual chlorine remaining at the end of a specified contact period. The demand for any given water varies with the amount of chlorine applied, time of contact and temperature.
CLERK. The Clerk of the township, or his or her duly authorized agents, assistants or deputies.
COMBINED SEWER. A sewer receiving both surface runoff and sewage.
COMBINED WASTESTREAM. The wastestream at industrial facilities where regulated process effluent is mixed with other sewage or wastes (either regulated or unregulated) prior to treatment.
COMPATIBLE POLLUTANT. A substance amenable to treatment in the wastewater treatment plan such as biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, pH and fecal coliform bacteria, plus additional pollutants identified in the NPDES permit if said treatment facility was designed to treat such pollutants, and in fact does remove such pollutant to a substantial degree. Examples of such additional pollutants may include: chemical oxygen demand; total organic carbon; phosphorus and phosphorus compounds; nitrogen compounds; fats, oils and greases of animal or vegetable origin.
COMPOSITE SAMPLE. A series of representative samples taken over a specific time period and combined into one sample.
CONNECTION or CHARGE. The charge for connection of a building sewer to the public sewer. The CHARGE consists of a one-time fee payable to the township for the privilege to connect to the public sewer and is intended to reimburse the township for charges it pays for access to the public sewer system and waste treatment facilities in accordance with the wastewater treatment, maintenance, management and service agreement between the township and Algoma Township. This CHARGE may also be in addition to all assessments levied against a parcel which is located within a special assessment district and appearing on a special assessment roll. This fee shall be considered separate from the fee charged to all users for operation, maintenance and replacement of the system.
CONNECTION INSPECTOR. The Health Department or the county’s Plumbing Inspector or other person responsible for inspecting connections of building sewers to the public sewer, or his or her duly authorized representative.
COOLING WATER. The water discharged from any use such as air conditioning, cooling or refrigeration, or to which the only pollutant added is heat.
COUNTY. The County of Kent, Michigan.
GARBAGE. Solid wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food and from the handling, sale and storage of produce.
GRAB SAMPLE. A sample which is taken from a wastestream on a one-time basis with no regard to the flow in the wastestream and without consideration of time.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT. The county’s Department of Public Health.
INCOMPATIBLE OR NON-COMPATIBLE POLLUTANTS. Pollutants which are not compatible pollutants.
INDUSTRIAL COST RECOVERY. The township’s recovery from certain industrial users of the system portions of any federal grant amount allocable to the treatment of industrial waste from such users.
INDUSTRIAL USER. Any user who may accidentally or intentionally discharge industrial wastes to the system.
INDUSTRIAL WASTES. Liquid wastes, solids or semisolids from industrial processes as distinct from domestic sewage.
INSPECTION FEE. The fee charged by the connection inspector and payable by a user for the cost of inspecting the connection of a building sewer to the public sewer.
INTEGRATED FACILITIES. Industrial facilities which combine process waste-streams prior to treatment.
INTERFERENCE. Inhibition or disruption of the system, treatment processes or operations which contributes to a violation of any requirement of the NPDES permit. The term includes prevention of sewage sludge use or disposal by the system in accordance with § 405 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, being 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq., or any guidelines or regulations developed pursuant to the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA), being 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq., the Clean Air Act, being 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401 et seq., the Toxic Substances Control Act, being 15 U.S.C. §§ 2601 et seq., 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 system.
LABORATORY DETERMINATION. The measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes in accordance with the methods contained in the latest edition at the time of any such measurement, test or analysis of Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Waste Water, a joint publication of the American Public Health Association, the American Waterworks Association and the Water Pollution Control Federation in accordance with any other method prescribed by the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter.
MAY. The act referred to is permissive.
mg/l. Milligrams per liter.
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES). The program for issuing, conditioning and denying permits for the discharge of pollutants from point sources into the navigable waters, the contiguous zone and the oceans pursuant to § 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, being 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
NATIONAL PRETREATMENT STANDARDS or PRETREATMENT STANDARDS. Any regulation containing pollutant discharge limits promulgated in accordance with § 307(b) and (c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, being 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq., which applies to industrial users.
NPDES PERMIT or NATIONAL POLLUTION DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM PERMIT. According to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, being 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq., as amended, persons are prohibited from discharging pollutants into a watercourse or natural outlet from a point source unless its discharge is authorized by a permit issued either by the U.S. EPA or by an approved state agency.
NATURAL OUTLET. Any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface or ground water.
NON-DOMESTIC USERS. All users of the system, except residential users.
NORMAL STRENGTH OF DOMESTIC SEWAGE. Liquid sewage or wastes discharged from habitable buildings and residences, including human excreta and wastes from sinks, lavatories, bathtubs, showers, laundries and all other water carried wastes of organic nature, either singly or in combination thereof. NORMAL DOMESTIC SEWAGE has a maximum biological oxygen demand of 200 mg/l, a maximum suspended solids content of 250 mg/l and a pH between 6.5 and 9.5 and which does not contain a concentration of other constituents which will interfere with the normal sewage treatment process.
NUISANCE. Without limitation, any condition where sewage or the effluent from any sewage disposal facility is exposed to the surface of the ground; or is permitted to drain on or to the surface of the ground or into any natural outlet; or when the odor, appearance or presence of this material has an obnoxious or detrimental effect on or to the senses and/or health of persons; or when it shall obstruct the comfortable use or sale of adjacent property.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OR O&M COSTS. All costs, direct and indirect, inclusive of all expenditures attributable to administration, replacement and treatment and collection of sewage or wastes, but not including debt service necessary to ensure adequate treatment and collection of sewage or wastes on a continuing basis in conformance with the NPDES permit, U.S. Farmers Home Administration grant conditions, U.S. EPA requirements and other applicable regulations.
ORDER OF DETERMINATION. A written order of the village establishing the allowable wastewater discharge characteristics or requirements for any given user.
PERSON. Any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation or group.
pH. The negative logarithm of the concentration of hydrogen ions solution, in grams per liter.
POLLUTANT. Any of the various chemicals, substances and refuse materials such as solid waste, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat and industrial, municipal and agricultural wastes which impair the purity of the water and soil.
PPM. Parts per million.
PRETREATMENT. The reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties in wastewater to a less harmful condition prior to or in lieu of discharging or otherwise introducing such pollutants into the system. The reduction or alteration can be obtained by physical, chemical or biological processes, process changes or by other means, except as prohibited by 40 C.F.R. § 403.6(d).
PRETREATMENT REQUIREMENTS. Any substance or procedural requirement related to pretreatment of sewage or wastes prior to discharge into the sewage treatment facility.
PROPERLY SHREDDED GARBAGE. Wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of foods that have been shredded or cut to such 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 any dimension.
PUBLIC SEWER. The system, which is owned and controlled by the township.
RECEIVING FUND. The separate depository account established by the Treasurer for the system pursuant to § 51.41 of this chapter.
REPLACEMENT. Expenditures and costs for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories or appurtenances which are necessary during the service life of the sewage works to maintain the capacity and performance for which the system was designed and constructed.
ROAD COMMISSION or COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION. The Kent County Road Commission, Kent County, Michigan, and/or its duly authorized agent or representative.
SANITARY SEWER. A sewer which carries sewage, storm, surface and ground waters are not normally admitted to a sanitary sewer.
SEPTIC TANK. A water-tight tank or receptacle used to receive sewage or wastes from flush toilets, sinks, lavatories, bathtubs, showers, laundry drains and similar waste lines, and is intended to provide for the separation of substantial portions of the suspended solids in such sewage or wastes and the partial decomposition by bacterial action on solids so separated.
SERVICE CONNECTION OR LATERAL. The extension of the public sewer laterally from the main collector sewer to the property line of the parcel adjacent to the path of the public sewer.
SEWAGE DISPOSAL FACILITIES. Any toilet device, cesspool, seepage pit, septic tank, subsurface disposal system or other devices used in the disposal of sewage or wastes.
SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY or WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. The physical plant designated to receive and treat the raw, untreated sewage or wastes of the properties, which is located in the Village of Sparta, Michigan, and which serves the system.
SEWAGE WORKS or TREATMENT WORKS. All facilities for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing of sewage or wastes, including all service connections, mains, manholes and pumping stations.
SEWAGE or WASTES. Any combination of the water-carried wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, including industrial wastes and domestic sewage.
SEWER. Any pipe, tile, tube or conduit for carrying sewage or wastes.
SHALL. The act referred to is mandatory.
SIGNIFICANT VIOLATION. Any of the following:
(1) A violation which remains uncorrected 45 days after notification of non-compliance;
(2) A violation which is a part of a pattern of non-compliance over a 12-month period;
(3) A violation which involves a failure to accurately report non-compliance; or
(4) A violation which results in the exercise of emergency authority under 40 C.F.R. § 403.8(f)(2)(vi)(B).
SLUG. Any discharge of water, sewage or industrial wastes which, in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow, exceeds, for any period of time longer than 15 minutes, more than five times the average 24-hour concentration of flows during normal operation.
SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT. Any Camp Lake Sewer Special Assessment District, as may be determined by the Township Board.
SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL. Any sewer special assessment roll as may be confirmed by the Township Board.
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.
STATE. The State of Michigan.
STORM SEWER or STORM DRAIN. A sewer which carries storm or surface waters, or drainage, but excludes sewage or wastes and industrial wastes.
STRUCTURE OR BUILDING IN WHICH SANITARY SEWAGE ORIGINATES. A building or structure in which toilet, kitchen, laundry, bathing or facilities which generate water-carried sanitary sewage are used or are available for use for household, commercial, industrial or other purposes.
SUBSURFACE DISPOSAL SYSTEM. An arrangement for distribution of septic tank effluent or overflow beneath the ground surface.
SUPERVISOR. The Supervisor of the township or his or her authorized representative.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS or S.S. Either floating on the surface of or suspended in water, sewage or wastes, or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering and biologic processes.
SYSTEM. The sewage works and sewage treatment facility and all appurtenances thereto, known generally as the CAMP LAKE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM.
SWRC. The State of Michigan Water Resources Commission or any of its affiliates, the state’s Department of Health, the state’s Department of Natural Resources or the state’s Department of Transportation.
TOILET DEVICE. A privy, outhouse, toilet, chemical closet or other device used for the disposal of human excreta.
TOWNSHIP. The Township of Sparta, located in Kent County, Michigan, and/or its duly authorized agent or representative.
TOXIC POLLUTANT. Any pollutant or combination of pollutants which is or can potentially be harmful to public health or to the environment, including those listed as toxic in regulations promulgated by the Administrator of the EPA under the provisions of § 307(a) of the Act, being 33 U.S.C.§ 1317(b).
TREASURER. The Treasurer of the township, or his or her duly authorized deputies, assistants or agents.
U.S. EPA or EPA. The United States Environmental Protection Agency, which assures the protection of the environment by abating or controlling pollution on a systematic basis.
UNIT or UNITS. A standard of measuring the relative quantity of sewage or wastes and the benefits derived from the disposal thereof ordinarily arising from the occupancy of a single-family residential dwelling unit, as defined or determined from time to time by the township through its Township Board. Said UNITS are set forth in § 51.09 of this chapter, according to the use of the property. Any use not listed in § 51.09 of this chapter shall, in the discretion of the Supervisor, upon authority of the Township Board, possess those units which attach to the property based upon the most similar use listed in § 51.09 of this chapter. Such UNIT shall not necessarily be related to the actual use arising from any such use or dwelling unit.
UPSET. An exceptional incident in which there is unintentional and temporary non-compliance with categorical pretreatment standards because of factors beyond the reasonable control of the industrial user. An UPSET does not include non-compliance to the extent caused by operational error, improperly designed sewage treatment facilities, inadequate sewage treatment facilities, lack of preventive maintenance or careless or improper operation.
USER. The recipients of services provided by the system including premises which are connected to and discharge sewage or wastes into the system and shall consist of the following classes:
(1) RESIDENTIAL USER. A user whose premises:
(a) Are domiciles for single- or multiple-family use; and
(b) Discharge only domestic sewage.
(2) GOVERNMENTAL USER. A user whose premises:
(a) Are publicly-owned facilities performing local government functions (e.g., government office building, post office, library, school); and
(b) Discharge only domestic sewage.
(3) COMMERCIAL USE. A user whose premises:
(a) Are privately owned and used to perform and/or sell services and/or products for profit (such as, retail and wholesale stores, restaurants, motel, gasoline stations); and
(b) Discharge primarily domestic sewage.
(4) INSTITUTIONAL USER. A user whose premises:
(a) Are owned by a non-profit organization pursuant to I.R.C. § 501, being 26 U.S.C. § 501, as amended (such as, churches, hospitals); and
(b) Discharge primarily domestic sewage.
(5) INDUSTRIAL USER. A user whose premises:
(a) 1. Discharge more than the equivalent of 50,000 gallons per day (gpd) of sewage or wastes (which may, at the discretion of the township, be exclusive of domestic sewage) and which is identified in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1972, Office of Management and Budget, as amended and supplemented, under one of the following divisions:
a. Division A, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing;
b. Division B, Mining;
c. Division D, Manufacturing;
d. Division E, Transportation, Communication, Electric, Gas and Sanitary Service; and
e. Division I, Services.
2. For purposes of this division (5)(a), the equivalent of 50,000 gpd of sewage or wastes shall be determined on an actual volume basis or by the weight of BOD or SS equivalent to that weight found in 50,000 gpd of normal strength sewage or wastes.
(b) Discharge sewage or wastes containing toxic pollutants or poisonous solids, liquids or gases in sufficient quantity either singly or by interaction with other wastes, to contaminate the sludge of the sewage works and sewage treatment facility, or to injure or to interfere with any sewage treatment process, or which constitutes a hazard to humans or animals, creates a nuisance or creates any hazard in or has an adverse effect on the water receiving any discharge from the sewage treatment facility.
USER CHARGE.
(1) A charge based on units levied on users of the system for the user’s proportionate share of the cost of operation and maintenance (including replacement).
(2) The USER CHARGE does not contain a component for debt service because the debt incurred by the township to acquire and construct the system is being paid by special assessments levied by the township on properties located within the special assessment district.
USER SURCHARGE or SURCHARGE. A charge imposed on a user of the system who discharges sewage or wastes in excess of normal strength.
VILLAGE or THE VILLAGE. The Village of Sparta, located in Sparta Township, Kent County, Michigan, or the person designated by the Village Council to represent the village.
WATERCOURSE. A channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.
WATERS OF THE STATE. All streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, watercourses, waterways, wells, springs, reservoirs, aquifers, irrigation systems, drainage systems and all other bodies or accumulations of water, surface or underground, natural or artificial, public or private, which are contained within, flow through or border upon the state or any portion thereof.
(Prior Code, § 70.002) (Ord. 92-2, effective 4-23-1992)