For the purpose of this chapter the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. Terms in this chapter not otherwise defined shall have the meaning prescribed within the regulations of EPA/DEM.
"AVERAGE FLOW." The total flow of wastewater in gallons during a normal operating calendar day of 24 hours, as can be measured over a period of time of not less than six months.
"B.O.D.5" or "FIVE-DAY BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND." The total quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at 20°C. expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/l). "B.O.D.5" shall be determined by standard methods currently approved by EPA/DEM.
"BUILDING SEWER." The pipe from the building to the town-owned sewer service line or sewer lateral. The town sewer service lateral shall constitute the publicly provided access point generally located at the property line for residential service. However, the lateral may be located at some other access point as provided by the town.
"BUILDING WATER." The pipe from the building to the town-owned water service line or water lateral. The town water service lateral shall constitute the publicly provided access point generally located at the property line for residential service. However, the lateral may be located at some other access point as provided by the town.
"C.O.D." or "CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND." The total quantity of oxygen required for the chemical oxidation of decomposable matter under standard laboratory conditions. "C.O.D." shall be determined by the standard methods currently approved by EPA/DEM.
"COMBINED SEWER." A sewer receiving both surface runoff and wastewater flows.
"COMMERCIAL NONRESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES." All commercial structures requiring water and sewer service but having no habitational units.
"COMPOSITE SAMPLE." The makeup of individual samples, so taken as to represent the nature of wastewater or industrial wastes.
"CONNECTION" or "TAP." The attachment of the building water or sewer to the town's provided access point to the public sanitary sewer or public water supply.
"CONSTITUENTS." The combination of particles, chemicals, or measurable environmental or chemical conditions (such as temperature, pH, or B.O.D.5) which exist in the subject wastes.
"CONSUMER." Shall have the same meaning as "DOMESTIC USER."
"COOLING WATER." Any physical connection or structural arrangement between a public or a private potable water system and any nonpotable source or system through which an unsafe quality of water could flow or siphon from the nonpotable source to the potable system.
"DEBRIS SCREENS" or "DEBRIS TRAPS." Any device or structure constructed in accordance with pretreatment requirements operated by a user or customer of the town's wastewater system for the purpose of removing particles and undissolved materials from the wastewater to be contributed to the public sanitary sewer.
"DIRECTOR." The Director of Public Works of the town or his duly authorized deputy, agent, or representative.
"DOMESTIC USER." A person who uses the public water supply or who discharges wastewater to the public sanitary sewer: containing a pollutant strength within the defined range for standard strength wastewater; containing no constituents at a quantity or concentration prohibited in this chapter; and at a rate of average flow not to exceed 50,000 gallons per day.
"DOMESTIC WASTEWATER." The wastewater generated from normal human living processes which have constituent strength within the range defined for standard strength wastewater, and which contain no constituents of a quantity or concentration exceeding the limits stated in this chapter. Normal human living processes include wastewater from bathrooms and toilets, non-commercial kitchens, and non-industrial and non-commercial laundries.
"EFFLUENT." The sewage, water, or other liquid flowing out of any basin, pretreatment device, or facility and subsequently entering a public sewer, unless the context specifically refers to the flow from some other facility.
"EPA/DEM." The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Division of Environmental Management, Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, State of North Carolina.
"FEE SCHEDULE." The official privilege license tax; permit, application, and other fee; deposit; and utilities service and rate charge schedule for the town, as created by the fee schedule designated by the Board of Aldermen which may be revised from time to time.
"FLAMMABLE." The nature of material, materials, or substances which provide the capability to burn spontaneously or to burn upon exposure to fire, sparks, or high temperature or to burn under conditions found in the town wastewater collection system. Combustible nature of materials and related combustible conditions shall be determined by standard methods currently approved by the Fire Prevention Code of the American Insurance Association, l976 Edition, as revised.
"GREASE INTERCEPTOR." Any device constructed in conformity to the plumbing code, operated by the customer of the wastewater system for removing oil and grease before contributing liquid wastes to the wastewater system.
"HOLDING TANK." Any device or structure constructed in conformity with the plumbing code, operated by a public sanitary sewer customer for the purpose of moderating and controlling flows of wastewater to be discharged to a public sewer.
"INDUSTRIAL USER." A person who discharges to the public sanitary sewer wastewater which prior to pretreatment has characteristics, or, because of available operations or processes requiring water use, may potentially have characteristics, which conform to any of the following: a pollutant strength greater than standard strength wastewater; constituent quantity or concentration exceeding allowable limits defined in this chapter; or an average flow rate exceeding a quantity of 50,000 gallons per day.
"INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER." The wastewater generated from activities, operations, or processes which require water and which add to the water pollutant constituents at a strength exceeding standard wastewater strength or at a quantity or concentration exceeding allowable limits defined in this chapter.
"INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER SURCHARGE." The additional charge for service provided to any user of the town's wastewater system service area which has effluent characteristics exceeding those of standard strength wastewater.
"INFLOW." Water other than wastewater that enters a sanitary sewer system, including water entering through a building sewer, from sources such as roof leaders, collar drains, yard drains, area drains, foundation drains, drains from springs and swampy areas, manhole covers, cross connections between storm sewers and sanitary sewers, catch basins, cooling towers, storm waters, surface runoff, street wash waters, or drainage.
"INFLUENT." The wastewaters arriving at the public wastewater treatment facility for treatment.
"INTERFERENCE." Inhibition or disruption of public sanitary sewers or public wastewater treatment facilities which contributes to a violation of any requirement of the NPDES permit.
"METERED WATER." The amounts of water used by the water and wastewater system during the town's utility service billing periods, as measured by water meters required and approved by the town.
"MG/L" or "MILLIGRAM PER LITER." Ratio of weight to volume, and, for purposes of this chapter, is interchangeable with "ppm"(parts per million).
"NATURAL OUTLET." Any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake, or other body or surface or groundwater.
"OWNER" or "USER." Any property owner, or occupant or tenant who is a customer of the public water or sanitary sewer services.
"PPM" or "PARTS PER MILLION." Ratio of weight to volume, and, for purposes of this chapter, is interchangeable with "mg/l"(milligrams per liter).
"PERMIT." The document allowing attachment to the water and sewer system of the town.
"pH." The logarithm of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution. "pH" shall be determined by standard methods currently approved by EPA/DEM.
"PLUMBING CODE." The North Carolina State Building Code, Volume II, Plumbing, l980 Edition, as revised.
"POTABLE WATER." That supplied by the public water system of the town as approved by all public water supply monitoring agencies.
"PRETREATMENT." Physical, biological, or chemical treatment applied to wastewater, or the processes utilized for the purposes of pretreatment of wastewater to reduce its B.O.D.5 requirements, suspended solids, oil and grease, and other constituents, prior to discharge of wastewater to the public sewer.
"PUBLIC SANITARY SEWER." A wastewater collection pipe or sewer conduit which services all abutting private and public properties and is owned, controlled, operated, and maintained by the town. It shall include all appurtenances connected and used in the wastewater collection system.
"RECEIVING WATERS." Those waters into which wastes are discharged.
"RESIDENTIAL" or "COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES." All single-family and multi-family units, motels, hotels, or places used or to be used for human habitation requiring water and sewer service and regardless of whether the unit is owner- or tenant-occupied, and whether the user or occupant is a lessee for a term or transient. In rooming houses or similar establishments where bath facilities are shared, a living unit is defined as two habitable rooms.
"SAMPLING STRUCTURE" or "CONTROL STRUCTURE." An appropriately located structure with easy access by a pickup truck with trailer from which the effluent discharged by a wastewater system customer can be effectively measured for flow and strength by the town, using standard sampling methods.
"SANITARY SEWER" or "SEWER." A pipe or conduit for carrying wastewater and from which storm, surface, and groundwaters are excluded.
"SEPTIC TANK WASTE" or "SEPTAGE." The liquid and semi-solid domestic waste that results from the emptying of septic tanks. The discharge of septic tank waste into the public sanitary sewer system by any means shall be prohibited.
"SEWER CONNECTION FEE." The initial charge levied against a waterwater system user or customer for connection to the publicly provided access point to the public sewer.
"STANDARD METHODS FOR TESTING AND MEASURING." Those procedures or methods established or currently approved by EPA/DEM.
"STANDARD SAMPLING METHOD." The method of collecting and storing individual samples or composite samples of wastewater for the purpose of laboratory analysis to determine its nature. The methods employed will be those established and currently approved by EPA/DEM.
"STANDARD STRENGTH WASTES." Wastes of any origin having strengths of 250 mg/l or less of B.O.D.5, 750 mg/l or less of C.O.D, or containing 200 mg/l or less of suspended solids.
"SUSPENDED SOLIDS." Solids that either float on the surface of, or are in suspension in water, wastewater, or other liquid, and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
"TOTAL SOLIDS." Total weight measured in mg/l of all solids, dissolved, undissolved, organic, or inorganic.
"TOXIC CONSTITUENTS." Any constituent of wastes, whether gaseous, liquid, or solid, which when discharged into the sanitary sewer in sufficient quantities may tend to interfere with any wastewater treatment process, to constitute a hazard to human beings or animals, or to inhibit aquatic life or create a hazard to recreation in the receiving waters of the effluent from the sewage treatment plant.
"WASTE DISCHARGE PERMIT." A permit to be issued by the Director of Public Works as a necessary condition to being granted, or retaining, a publicly provided access point for connection to a public sewer for any industrial user.
"WASTEWATER" or "WASTES." A combination of the water-carried wastes from residences, commercial establishments, institutions, and industrial establishments. These wastes shall be treatable.
"WATERCOURSE." A channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.
(Ord., passed 7-28-83)