For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates, or requires, a different meaning.
ACT. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also referred to as the Clean Water Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
ADMINISTRATION COSTS. Fixed costs attributable to administration of the wastewater treatment works (for example, billing and associated bookkeeping, and accounting costs).
ASTM. American Society for Testing and Materials.
BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD). The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at 20C, expressed in terms of milligrams per liter (mg/l).
BUILDING DRAIN. The part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from waste, and other drainage pipes, inside the walls of the building, and conveys it to the building sewer, beginning three feet outside the building wall.
BUILDING SEWER. The extension from the building drain to the public sewer, or other place of disposal, also referred to as a house connection or service connection.
CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (COD). The quantity of oxygen, utilized in the chemical oxidation of organic matter as determined by standard laboratory procedures, expressed in terms of milligrams per liter (mg/l).
COMMERCIAL USER. Users which are business enterprises discharging normal domestic strength wastewater.
COMPATIBLE POLLUTANT. Biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, pH, and fecal coliform bacteria, plus additional pollutants identified in the NPDES/SDS permit if the treatment facilities are designed to treat such pollutants to a degree which complies with effluent concentration limits imposed by the permit.
CONTROL MANHOLE. A structure specifically constructed for the purpose of measuring flow, and/or sampling of wastes.
DEBT SERVICE CHARGE. A charge levied on users of the wastewater treatment works for the cost of repaying money bonded to construct the facilities.
EASEMENT. An acquired legal right for the specific use of land owned by others.
EXTRA STRENGTH WASTEWATER. Wastewater having a BOD, TSS, TKN, or phosphorus concentration greater than normal domestic strength wastewater, as defined herein, and not otherwise classified as an incompatible pollutant.
FECAL CLORIFORM. Any number of organisms common to the intestinal tract of humans and animals, whose presence in water is an indicator of pollution.
FLOATABLE OIL (FOG). Oil, fat, or grease in a physical state, such that it will separate by gravity from wastewater.
GARBAGE. Animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking, and serving of food.
GOVERNMENTAL USER. Users which are units, agencies or instrumentalities of federal, state, or local government discharging normal domestic strength wastewater.
INCOMPATIBLE POLLUTANT. Waste that either singly, or by interaction with other wastes, interferes with the wastewater treatment works, constitutes a hazard to humans or animals, creates a public nuisance, or creates any hazard in the receiving waters of the wastewater treatment works.
INDUSTRIAL USER or INDUSTRY.
(1) Any user that discharges liquid wastes resulting from industrial, or manufacturing, processes, or from the development of any natural resources, into a publicly-owned wastewater treatment works. These are 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, Communications, Electric, Gas, and Sanitary Sewers; and
(e) Division I: Services.
(2) Any user of a publicly-owned treatment works which discharges wastewater to the treatment works 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 any municipal systems, or to injure, or to interfere with, any wastewater treatment process, or which constitutes a hazard to humans or animals, creates a public nuisance, or creates any hazard in, or has an adverse effect on, the waters receiving any discharge from the treatment works.
INDUSTRIAL WASTE. The gaseous, liquid, and solid wastes resulting from industrial, or manufacturing, processes, trade of business, or from the development, recovery, and processing of natural resources, including, but not limited to, all Standard Industrial Classification Manual divisions A, B, D, E, and I manufacturers, as distinct from normal domestic strength wastewater.
INFILTRATION. Water entering the sewer system (including building drains and pipes) from the ground through such means as defective pipes, pipe joints, connections, and manhole walls.
INFILTRATION/INFLOW (I/I). The total quantity of water from both infiltration and inflow.
INFLOW. Water, other than wastewater, that enters a sewer system (including building drains) from sources such as, but not limited to, roof leaders, cellar drains, yard and area drains, foundation drains, drains from springs and swampy areas, manhole covers, cross-connections from storm sewers, catch basins, surface runoff, street wash waters, or drainage.
INSTITUTIONAL USER. Users other than commercial, governmental, industrial, or residential users, discharging primarily normal domestic strength wastewater (for example, nonprofit organizations).
INTERFERENCE. The inhibition, or disruption, of the city’s wastewater treatment works processes, or operations, which causes, or significantly contributes to, a violation of any requirement of the city’s NPDES and/or SDS permit. The term includes the inhibition, or disruption, of sewage sludge use, or disposal, by the city in accordance with published regulations providing guidelines under § 405 of the Act, being 33 U.S.C. § 1345 or any regulations developed pursuant to the Solid Waste Disposal Act, 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 applicable to the method of disposal, or use, employed by the city.
MPCA. The State Pollution Control Agency.
NATIONAL CATEGORICAL PRETREATMENT STANDARDS. Federal regulations establishing pretreatment standards for introduction of pollutants in publicly-owned wastewater treatment works, which are determined to be not susceptible to treatment by such facilities, or would interfere with the operation of such facilities, pursuant to § 307(b) of the Act, being 33 U.S.C. § 1317.
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT. A permit issued by the MPCA, setting limits on pollutants that a permittee may legally discharge into waters of the United States, pursuant to §§ 402 and 405 of the Act, being 33 U.S.C. §§ 1342 et seq.
NATURAL OUTLET. Any outlet, including storm sewers and combined sewers, which overflow into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake, or other body of surface water, or groundwater.
NITRIFICATION. The biochemical oxidation of unoxidized nitrogen (NH3-N and organic nitrogen) to oxidized nitrogen (usually nitrate).
NITROGEN OR N. A nutrient that is often present in wastewater as ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and organic nitrogen. The concentrations of each form, and the sum total nitrogen, are expressed as milligrams per liter (mg/l) elemental nitrogen.
(1) AMMONIA-NITROGEN or NH3-N. The quantity of elemental nitrogen present in the form of ammonia (NH3); inorganic nitrogen.
(2) AVAILABLE NITROGEN. The nitrogen that is present in the inorganic forms (NH3-N; nitrate) that are available for plant growth.
(3) ORGANIC NITROGEN. The nitrogen present in a sample that is combined in organic matter, and is released by decay of the organics.
(4) TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN OR TKN. A measure of the total nitrogen present in a sample. Organic nitrogen plus ammonia-nitrogen equals TKN.
NON-CONTACT COOLING WATER. The water discharged from any use, such as air conditioning, cooling, refrigeration, or during which the only pollutant added is heat.
NORMAL DOMESTIC STRENGTH WASTEWATER (NDSW). Wastewater that is primarily introduced by residential users with a BOD5 concentration not greater than 257 mg/l, a suspended solids (TSS) concentration not greater than 311 mg/l, a total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) concentration not greater than 25 mg/l, and a phosphorus concentration no greater than eight mg/l.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE. Activities required to provide for the dependable and economical functioning of the treatment works throughout the design, or useful life, of the treatment works, whichever is longer, and at the level of performance for which the treatment works were constructed. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE includes REPLACEMENT.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COST. Expenditures for operation and maintenance, including replacement.
PERSON. Any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation, or group.
pH. The logarithm of the reciprocal of the concentration of hydrogen ions in terms of grams per liter of solution.
PHOSPHORUS or P. A nutrient that is often present in wastewater as organic phosphorus compounds, polyphosphates, and orthophosphates. The concentrations of each form, and the sum total phosphorus, are expressed as milligrams per liter (mg/l) elemental phosphorus.
(1) ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS. The phosphorus present in a sample that is combined in organic matter, and is released by decay of the organics.
(2) ORTHOPHOSPHATE. A salt that contains phosphorus as PO4. The product of hydrolysis of polyphosphates. The product of the biochemical oxidation of organic phosphorus.
(3) PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL. The precipitation of soluble, and insoluble, phosphorus by chemical coagulation, and subsequent flocculation and sedimentation.
PRETREATMENT. The treatment of wastewater from industrial sources prior to the introduction of the waste effluent into a publicly-owned treatment works.
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 (1.27 cm) in any dimension.
PUBLIC WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM. A system of sanitary sewers owned, maintained, operated, and controlled by the city.
REPLACEMENT. Obtaining, and installing, of equipment, accessories, or appurtenances which are necessary during the design, or useful life, of the treatment works, whichever is longer, to maintain the capacity, and performance, for which the works were designed and constructed.
REPLACEMENT COSTS. Expenditures for replacement.
RESIDENTIAL USER. A user of the wastewater treatment works whose premises, or building, is used primarily as a residence for one, or more, persons, including dwelling units such as detached, and semi-detached, housing, apartments, and mobile homes; and which discharges primarily normal domestic strength wastewater.
SANITARY SEWER. A sewer intended to carry only liquid and water carried wastes from residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions, together with minor quantities of ground, storm, and surface waters, which are not admitted intentionally.
SEWAGE. The spent water of a community. The preferred term is WASTEWATER.
SEWER. A pipe, or conduit, that carries wastewater, or drainage water.
(1) COLLECTION SEWER. A sewer whose primary purpose is to collect wastewaters from individual point source discharges and connections.
(2) COMBINED SEWER. A sewer intended to serve as a sanitary sewer, and a storm sewer.
(3) FORCE MAIN. A pipe in which wastewater is carried under pressure.
(4) INTERCEPTOR SEWER. A sewer whose primary purpose is to transport wastewater from collection sewers to a treatment facility.
(5) PRIVATE SEWER. A sewer which is not owned, and maintained, by a public authority.
(6) PUBLIC SEWER. A sewer owned, maintained, and controlled by a public authority.
(7) SANITARY SEWER. A sewer intended to carry only liquid and water-carried wastes from residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions, together with minor quantities of ground, storm, and surface waters, which are not admitted intentionally.
(8) STORM SEWER or STORM DRAIN. A drain or sewer intended to carry stormwaters, surface runoff, groundwater, sub-surface water, street wash water, drainage, and unpolluted water from any source.
SEWER SERVICE. The use of, and benefit from, the wastewater treatment works.
SEWER SERVICE CHARGE. The aggregate of all charges, including charges for operation, maintenance, replacement, debt service, administrative costs, and other sewer related charges that are billed periodically to users of the city’s wastewater treatment works.
SEWER SERVICE FUND. A fund into which income from sewer service charges is deposited along with other income. Expenditures of the SEWER SERVICE FUND will be for operation, maintenance, and replacement costs, and to retire debt incurred through capital expenditure for the wastewater treatment works.
SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL USER. Any industrial user of the wastewater treatment works which has a discharge flow in excess of 25,000 gallons per average work day; has exceeded 5% of the total flow received at the treatment facility; whose waste contains a pollutant in toxic amounts pursuant to § 307(a) of the Act, being 33 U.S.C. § 1317(a); or whose discharge has a significant effect, either singly or in combination with other contributing industries, on the wastewater disposal system, the quality of sludge, the system’s effluent quality, or emissions generated by the treatment system.
SLUG. Any discharge of water, or wastewater, 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-hour concentration, or quantity of flow, during normal operation, and shall adversely affect the performance of the wastewater treatment works.
STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION MANUAL. Office of Management and Budget, 1972.
STATE DISPOSAL SYSTEM (SDS) PERMIT. Any permit (including any terms, conditions, and requirements thereof) issued by the MPCA, pursuant to M.S. Chapter 115, as it may be amended from time to time, for the wastewater treatment works.
SUPERINTENDENT. The Superintendent of the Wastewater Treatment Facility, or a deputy, agent, or representative thereof.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS (SS) or TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS. The total suspended matter that either floats on the surface of, or is in suspension in, water, wastewater, or other liquids, and is removable by laboratory filtering, as prescribed in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, latest edition, and referred to as non-filterable residue.
TOXIC POLLUTANT. The concentration of any pollutant, or combination of pollutants, which, upon exposure to, or assimilation into, any organism, will cause adverse effects, as defined in standards issued pursuant to § 307(a) of the Act, being 33 U.S.C. § 1317(a).
UNPOLLUTED WATER. Water of quality equal to, or better than, the effluent criteria in effect, or water that would not cause violation of receiving water quality standards, and would not be benefitted by discharge to the wastewater treatment works. (See NON-CONTACT COOLING WATER.)
USER. Any person who discharges, or causes, or permits, the discharge of, wastewater into the city’s wastewater treatment works.
USER CHARGE. A charge levied on users of the wastewater treatment works for the user’s proportionate share of the cost of operation and maintenance, including replacement.
WASTEWATER. The spent water of the city, sometimes referred to as SEWAGE. From the standpoint of source, it may be a combination of the liquid and water-carried wastes from residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions, together with any groundwater, surface water, and stormwater that may be present.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT WORKS or TREATMENT WORKS. An arrangement of any devices, facilities, structures, equipment, or processes owned, or used, by the city for the purpose of the transmission, storage, treatment, recycling, and reclamation of municipal sewage, domestic sewage, or industrial wastewater, or structures necessary to recycle, or reuse, water, including interceptor sewers, outfall sewers, collection sewers, pumping, power, and other equipment, and their appurtenances; extensions, improvements, remodeling, additions, and alterations thereof; elements essential to provide a reliable recycled water supply, such as standby treatment units and clear well facilities; and any works including land which is an integral part of the treatment process, or is used for ultimate disposal of residues resulting from the treatment.
WATERCOURSE. A natural, or artificial, channel for the passage of water, either continuously or intermittently.
WATERS OF THE STATE. All streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, 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.
WPCF. The Water Pollution Control Federation.
(Prior Code, § 3.40) (Ord. 105, second series, passed 5-15-1990; Ord. 177, second series, passed 1-7-2003)