Unless a provision explicitly states otherwise, the following terms and phrases, as used in this chapter, shall have the meanings hereinafter designated:
ACT OR THE ACTThe Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the "Clean Water Act," as amended, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.
APPROVAL AUTHORITYThe Executive Director or Director of the Virginia State Water Control Board in the area served by the POTW.
ASTMThe American Society for Testing and Materials.
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INDUSTRIAL USER(1) If the industrial user is a corporation, authorized representative shall mean:
(a) The president, secretary, treasurer or a vice-president of the corporation in charge of a principal business function or any other person who performs similar policy or decision-making functions for the corporation.
The manager of one or more manufacturing, production or operation facilities employing more than 250 persons or having gross annual sales or expenditures exceeding $25,000,000 (in second-quarter 1980 dollars), if authority to sign documents has been assigned or delegated to the manager in accordance with corporate procedures.
If the industrial user is a partnership or sole proprietorship, an authorized representative shall mean a general partner or proprietor, respectively.
If the industrial user is a federal, state or local governmental facility, an authorized representative shall mean a director or highest official appointed or designated to oversee the operation and performance of the activities of the government facility or his/her designee.
The individuals described in Subsections
(1) through
(3) above may designate another authorized representative if the authorization is in writing, the authorization specifies the individual or position responsible for the overall operation of the facility from which the discharge originates or having overall responsibility for environmental matters for the company and the written authorization is submitted to the PSA.
BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD)The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure, five days at 20° C., expressed in terms of mass and concentration [milligrams per liter (mg/l)].
BUILDING SEWERThe extension from a building wastewater plumbing facility to the treatment works.
CATEGORICAL PRETREATMENT STANDARD OR CATEGORICAL STANDARDAny regulation containing pollutant discharge limits promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in accordance with § 307(b) and (c) of the Act (33 U.S.C. § 1317) which apply to a specific category of industrial users and which appear in Title 4 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter I, Subchapter N, Parts 405 through 471.
COLORThe optical density at the visual wave length of maximum absorption, relative to distilled water. One hundred percent transmittance is equivalent to zero optical density.
COMBINED SEWERAny sewer intended to receive both wastewater and stormwater or surface water.
COMPOSITE SAMPLEThe sample resulting from the combination of individual wastewater samples taken at selected intervals based on an increment of either flow or time.
CONTROL AUTHORITYThe Executive Director or Director of the Virginia State Water Control Board in the area served by the POTW.
DAYThe twenty-four-hour period beginning at 12:01 a.m.
DISCHARGERPerson or persons, firm, company, industry or other similar sources of wastewater who introduce such into the POTW.
EASEMENTAn acquired legal right for the specific use of land owned by others.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY OR EPAThe United States Environmental Protection Agency, or, where appropriate, the term may also be used as a designation for the Regional Water Management Division Director or other duly authorized official of said agency.
ESTABLISHMENTAny industrial establishment, mill, factory, tannery, paper or pulp mill, mine, coal mine, colliery, breaker or coal processing operations, quarry, oil, refinery, boat, vessel and each and every other industry or plant or works, the operation of which produces industrial wastes or other wastes or which may otherwise alter the physical, chemical or biological properties of any state waters.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORThe person designated by the PSA to supervise the operation of the POTW and who is charged with certain duties and responsibilities by this chapter or his duly authorized representative.
EXISTING SOURCEAny source of discharge, the construction or operation of which commenced prior to the publication of proposed categorical pretreatment standards which will be applicable to such source if the standard is thereafter promulgated in accordance with § 307 of the Act.
GARBAGEThe solid animal and vegetable wastes resulting from the domestic or commercial handling, storage, dispensing, preparation, cooking and serving of foods.
GRAB SAMPLEA sample which is taken from a waste stream on a one-time basis without regard to the flow in the waste stream and without consideration of time.
GROUNDWATERAny water beneath the land surface in the zone of saturation.
INDIRECT DISCHARGE OR DISCHARGEThe introduction of (nondomestic) pollutants into the POTW from any nondomestic source regulated under § 307(b), (c) or (d) of the Act.
INDUSTRIAL WASTESLiquid or other wastes resulting from any process of industry, manufacture, trade or business or from the development of any natural resources.
INSTANTANEOUS MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE DISCHARGE LIMITThe maximum concentration (or loading) of a pollutant allowed to be discharged at any time, determined from the analysis of any discrete or composite sample collected, independent of the industrial flow rate and the duration of the sampling event.
INTERFERENCEA discharge which, alone or in conjunction with a discharge or discharges from other sources:
(1) Inhibits or disrupts the POTW, its treatment processes or operations or its sludge processes use or disposal; and
Therefore is a cause of a violation of the PSA's NPDES and/or VPDES permit or of the prevention of sewage sludge use or disposal in compliance with any of the following statutory/regulatory provisions or permits issued thereunder (or more stringent state or local regulations): § 405 of the Clean Water Act; the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA), including Title II, commonly referred to as the "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act" (RCRA); any state regulations contained in any state sludge management plan prepared pursuant to Subtitle D of the SWDA; the Clean Air Act; the Toxic Substances Control Act; and the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act.
MEDICAL WASTEIsolation wastes, infectious agents, human blood and blood by-products, pathological wastes, sharps, body parts, fomites, etiologic agents, contaminated bedding, surgical wastes, potentially contaminated laboratory wastes and dialysis wastes.
MUNICIPALITYA city, county, town, district association, authority or other public body created under the law and having jurisdiction over disposal sewage, industrial or other wastes.
NATURAL OUTLETAny outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or any other body or 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 § 307(c) of the Act, which 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.
The building, structure, facility or installation totally replaces the process or production equipment that causes the discharge of pollutants at an existing source; or
The production or wastewater generating processes of the building, structure, facility or installation is substantially independent of an existing source at the same site. In determining whether there are substantially independent factors, such as the extent to which the new facility is integrated with the existing plant and the extent to which the new facility is engaged in the same general type of activity as the existing source, should be considered.
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 Subsection
(1)(b) or
(c) above but otherwise alters, replaces or adds to existing process or production equipment.
Construction of a new source as defined under this definition has commenced if the owner or operator has:
(a) Begun or caused to begin, as part of a continuous on-site construction program, any placement, assembly or installation of facilities or equipment; or 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
Entered into a binding contractual obligation for the purchase of facilities or equipment which is 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 subsection.
NONCONTACT COOLING WATERWater used for cooling which does not come into direct contact with any raw material intermediate product, waste product or finished product.
OWNERThe Commonwealth of Virginia or any of its political subdivisions, including but not limited to sanitation district commissions and authorities, sanitary boards and public or private institutions, corporations, associations, firms or companies organized or existing under the laws of this or any other state or country or any person or group of persons acting individually or as a group.
PASS-THROUGHA 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 the PSA's VPDES permit (including an increase in the magnitude or duration of a violation).
PERSONAny individual, partnership, copartnership, firm, company, corporation, association, joint-stock company, trust, estate, governmental entity or any other legal entity or their legal representatives, agents or assigns. This definition includes all federal, state or local governmental entities.
PHA measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance, expressed in standard units.
POLLUTANTAny dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, medical wastes, chemical wastes, industrial wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discharged equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, agricultural and industrial wastes and the characteristics of the wastewater [i.e., pH, temperature, total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, color, BOD, chemical oxygen demand (COD), toxicity and odor].
PRETREATMENTThe 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 REQUIREMENTSAny substantive or procedural requirement related to pretreatment imposed on an industrial user, other than a pretreatment standard.
PROPERLY SHREDDED GARBAGEGarbage that has been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under flow conditions normally prevailing in the treatment works, with no particle greater than 1/2 inch in any dimension.
PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS OR POTWA treatment works, as defined by § 212 of the Act (33 U.S.C. § 1292), which is owned by the commonwealth or municipality. This definition includes any devices or systems used in the collection, storage, treatment, recycling and reclamation of sewage or industrial wastes and any conveyances which convey wastewater to a treatment plant. The term also means the municipal entity having jurisdiction over the industrial users and responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the treatment works.
SANITARY WASTEWATERWastewater discharged from the sanitary conveniences of dwellings, office buildings, industrial plants or institutions.
SEPTIC TANK WASTEAny sewage from holding tanks, such as vessels, chemical toilets, campers, trailers and septic tanks.
SEWAGEHuman excrement and gray water (household showers, dishwashing operations, etc.).
SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL USER(1) Industrial users subject to categorical pretreatment standards; and
Any other industrial user that:
(a) Discharges an average of 25,000 gallons per day or more of process wastewater;
Contributes a process waste stream which makes up 5% or more of the average dry-weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the treatment plant; or
Is designated as significant by the PSA on the basis that the industrial user has a reasonable potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement.
SLUG LOADAny discharge at a flow rate or concentration which could cause a violation of the prohibited discharge standards in §
73-12 of this chapter or any discharge of a nonroutine, episodic nature, including but not limited to an accidental spill or a noncustomary batch discharge.
The latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, published by the American Public Health Association, the Water Pollution Control Federation and the American Water Works Association.
STATEThe Commonwealth of Virginia.
STORM SEWERA sewer for conveying storm-, surface and other waters, which are not intended to be transported to a treatment works.
STORMWATERAny flow occurring during or following any form of natural precipitation and resulting therefrom, including snowmelt.
SURFACE WATER(1) All waters which are currently used, were used in the past or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce.
All interstate waters, including interstate wetlands.
All other waters, such as inter/intrastate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, wet meadow or natural ponds, the use, degradation or destruction of which would affect or could affect interstate or foreign commerce, including any such waters:
(a) Which are or could be used by interstate or foreign travelers for recreational or other purposes;
From which fish or shellfish are or could be taken and sold in interstate or foreign commerce; or
Which are used or could be used for industrial purposes by industries in interstate commerce.
All impoundments of waters otherwise defined as surface waters under this definition.
Tributaries of water identified in Subsections
(1) through
(4) of this definition.
Wetlands adjacent to waters, other than waters that are themselves wetlands, identified in Subsection
(1) through
(5) of this definition.
SUSPENDED SOLIDSThe total suspended matter that floats on the surface of or is suspended in water, wastewater or other liquid and which is removable by laboratory filtering.
TOXIC POLLUTANTOne of 126 pollutants or a combination of those pollutants listed as toxic in regulations promulgated by the EPA under the provision of § 307 of the Act (33 U.S.C. § 1317).
TREATMENT FACILITYOnly those mechanical-power-driven devices necessary for the transmission and treatment of pollutants (e.g., pump stations and unit treatment processes).
TREATMENT PLANTThat portion of the POTW designed to provide treatment of sewage and industrial waste.
TREATMENT WORKSAny devices and systems used for the storage, treatment, recycling and/or reclamation of sewage or liquid industrial waste or other waste necessary to recycle or reuse water, including intercepting sewers, outfall sewers, sewage collection systems, individual systems, pumping, power and other equipment and their appurtenances, extensions, improvements, remodeling, additions or alterations; and any works, including land that will be an integral part of the treatment process or is used for ultimate disposal of residues resulting from such treatment or any other method or system used for preventing, abating, reducing, storing, treating, separating or disposing of municipal waste or industrial waste, including waste in combined sewer, water and sanitary sewer systems.
VPDESVirginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program, as administered by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
WASTEWATERLiquid and water-carried industrial wastes and sewage from residential dwellings, commercial buildings, industrial and manufacturing facilities and institutions, whether treated or untreated, which are contributed to the POTW.