Word usage and definitions. Unless the context specifically
indicates otherwise, the following terms and phrases, as used in this
article, shall have the meanings hereinafter designated. Words in
the present tense include the future. The singular number includes
the plural number. The plural number includes the singular number.
"Shall" is mandatory; "may" is permissive.
AUTHORITY
The Valley Forge Sewer Authority or its authorized representatives.
BASELINE MONITORING REPORT
The report required in 40 CFR Part 403.12, to be submitted
by all industrial users or waste generators subject to national categorical
pretreatment standards.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs)
Schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance
procedures, and other management practices to implement the prohibitions
listed in 40 CFR Part 403.5(a)(1) and (b). BMPs also 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.
[Added 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 216-2009]
BIOSOLIDS
The primarily solid organic material recovered from a sewage
treatment process and recycled especially as a fertilizer.
BOD (biochemical oxygen demand)
The quantity of dissolved oxygen consumed in the biochemical
oxidation of the organic matter in waste under standard laboratory
procedure in five days at 20º C., expressed in milligrams per
liter (mg/L). It shall be determined by one of the acceptable methods
described in 40 CFR Part 136 and amendments thereto, or by any other
methods approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
CLEAN WATER ACT (CWA)
Public Law 92-500, October 18, 1972, 33 U.S.C. §
1251 et seq.; as amended by PL 95-2 17, December 28, 1977; PL 97-177,
December 29, 1981; PL 97-440, January 8, 1983, and PL 100-04, February
4, 1987, and any subsequent amendments or reauthorizations thereto.
COLOR
The color of the light transmitted by the waste solution
after removing the suspended material, including the pseudocolloidal
particles.
COMMERCIAL DISCHARGE PERMIT
A permit issued to those industrial users that the Authority
does not classify as significant industrial users, but are considered
to have an impact, either potential or realized, either singly or
in combination with other contributing commercial or industrial establishments,
on the public sanitary sewage system and/or the treatment plant (either
its operational efficiency, effluent quality or quality of the biosolids
produced by such facility).
COMMERCIAL USER or COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT
A property which is intended to be used for the purpose of
carrying on a trade, business or profession, or for social, religious,
educational, charitable or public uses, or a person discharging waste
generated by the trade, business, profession, social, religious, educational,
charitable or public use of the property.
COMPOSITE SAMPLE
A sample consisting of a combination of individual samples
that are either time- or flow-proportioned or both, obtained at regular
intervals over a period of time and shall reasonably reflect the actual
wastewater or waste discharge conditions for that period of time.
CONNECTED USER
A user located in the Authority service area that discharges
into the public sanitary sewage system through a direct connection
point that has been approved by the Authority.
COOLING WATER
The water discharged from any system of condensation, including
but not limited to air conditioning, cooling or refrigeration.
DAILY COMPOSITE SAMPLE
A sample consisting of a combination of individual samples,
regardless of flow, collected at regular intervals over a period of
time; the sampling duration shall be not less than 20 hours, but shall
not exceed 28 hours, or as specified in an industrial waste discharge
permit or commercial discharge permit.
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (DEP)
The Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, or any department or agency of the commonwealth succeeding
to the existing jurisdiction or responsibility of the Department of
Environmental Protection.
DISSOLVED SOLIDS
That concentration of matter in a waste consisting of colloidal
particulate matter, and both organic and inorganic molecules and ions
present in solution that pass through a standard filter according
to the approved procedures outlined in 40 CFR Part 136 or amendments
thereto, or outlined in any other procedure approved by the EPA.
DOMESTIC USER
Any connected user discharging only sanitary sewage. This
discharge shall not exceed an average daily total suspended solids
concentration of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L) and an avenge daily
BOD concentration of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L).
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States,
or any agency or department of the United States succeeding to the
existing jurisdiction or responsibility of the Environmental Protection
Agency.
GARBAGE
Solid wastes from the domestic and commercial preparation,
cooking and dispensing of food, and from the commercial handling,
storage and sale of produce.
GRAB SAMPLE or INSTANTANEOUS GRAB SAMPLE
A sample taken from a wastewater or waste with no regard
to flow in the wastewater or waste and collected over a period of
time not exceeding 15 minutes but shall reasonably reflect actual
discharge conditions for that period.
GROUND GARBAGE
Garbage that has been shredded to such a degree that all
its particles will be carried freely under normal sewer flow conditions,
with no particle greater than 1/2 inch in any dimension.
GROUNDWATER
Water which is standing in or passing through the ground.
HOLDING TANK
A watertight receptacle designed to receive and retain wastes
and is constructed to facilitate the ultimate disposal of the wastes
at another site.
HOLDING TANK WASTE
The wastes originating from normal household activities containing
human and customary household wastes, or such wastes from commercial
or industrial establishments, but excluding industrial wastes. The
waste must be certified by a waste hauler licensed by the Authority
as sanitary sewage, and must be stored in such a way as not to concentrate
said waste to a level of total suspended solids exceeding 1,000 milligrams
per liter (mg/L).
HOUSEHOLD WASTE
The water-carried waste originating from normal household
functions such as waste from kitchens, toilets, lavatories and laundries,
or such waste from industrial or commercial establishments, but excluding
industrial waste.
INDIRECT DISCHARGE or DISCHARGE
The introduction of pollutants into the Authority’s
public sanitary sewage system from any nondomestic source regulated
under Section 307(b), (c) or (d) of the Clean Water Act.
[Added 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 216-2009]
INDUSTRIAL WASTE
Any liquid, solid or gaseous substance, whether or not solids are contained therein, discharged from any user during the course of any industrial, manufacturing, trade, or business process or in the course of development, recovery or processing of natural resources, or any wastes having any of the characteristics described under §
154-87A of this article (General discharge prohibitions), as distinct from sanitary sewage.
INFILTRATION
The groundwater unintentionally entering the public sanitary
sewage system, including building foundation drains and sewers, from
the ground through such means as, but not limited to, defective pipes,
pipe joints, connection or manhole walls. Infiltration does not include,
and is distinguishable from, inflow.
INFILTRATION/INFLOW
The total quantity of water from both infiltration and inflow
without distinguishing the source.
INFLOW
The water discharged into a public sanitary sewage system,
including building drains and sewers, from such sources as, but not
limited to: roof leaders, cellar, yard and area drains; foundation
drains; unpolluted cooling water discharges; drains from springs and
swampy areas; manhole covers; cross connection from storm sewer and/or
combined sewers; catch basins; stormwater; surface runoff; street
wash water; or drainage. Inflow does not include, and is distinguishable
from, infiltration.
INTERCEPTOR
A device designed and installed so as to separate and retain
for removal by automatic or manual means, deleterious, hazardous or
objectionable waste, including but not limited to grease, oil or sand,
while permitting sanitary sewage or industrial waste to discharge
by gravity into a public sanitary sewage or on-site drainage system.
INTERFERENCE
A discharge which, alone or in conjunction with a discharge
or discharges from other sources, inhibits or disrupts the POTW, it's
treatment processes or operations and results in a violation of any
requirement of the treatment plant's NPDES permit or prevents biosolids
use or disposal in compliance with applicable federal or state statutes
or regulations. The term includes those discharges that cause a prevention
of biosolids use or disposal by the treatment plant in accordance
with 405 of the Act (33 U.S.C. § 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, 40
CFR Part 503, or more stringent state criteria, including those contained
in any state biosolids management plan prepared pursuant to Title
IV of SWDA or any more stringent DEP criteria, guidelines or regulations
pursuant to the Solid Waste Management Act (SWMA), the Clean Streams Law (CSL), or the Air Pollution Control Act (APCA) applicable to the method of disposal or use employed by
the treatment plant, and those discharges that cause a pass through
or disrupt operations at the treatment plant or in the public sanitary
sewage system.
MANHOLE
A shaft or chamber leading from the surface of the ground
to a sewer, large enough to enable a man to gain access to the latter.
NATIONAL CATEGORICAL PRETREATMENT STANDARD
Any regulation containing pollutant discharge limits promulgated
by the EPA in accordance with 40 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter N, Parts
405-471 and Section 307 (b) and (c) of the Act (33 U.S.C. § 1317)
which applies to a specific category of industrial user or waste generator.
NEW SOURCE
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 Clean Water Act which will be applicable
to such source if such standards are thereafter promulgated in accordance
with that section, provided that the building, structure, facility
or installation is constructed at a site at which no other source
is located; or 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
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 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. Determination of "new source" status shall be consistent
with the provisions of 40 CFR Part 403.3 (k)(1), (2) and (3).
NONCONNECTED USER
Any user who contributes waste (including trucked industrial
waste, domestic holding tank waste or septage) to the treatment plant
by transporting or allowing the transport of such waste by vehicle
and allows or causes the discharge of said trucked waste into the
treatment plant at such a discharge point and under such conditions
as may be approved by the Authority.
NORMAL DOMESTIC STRENGTH SEWAGE
Wastewater or sewage having an average daily total suspended
solids concentration of not more than 250 milligrams per liter (mg/l)
and an avenge daily BOD of not more than 250 milligrams per liter
(mg/L) and excluding toxic and/or flammable wastes.
OBJECTIONABLE WASTE
Any wastes that can, in the Authority's judgment, harm either
the sewer system or treatment plant process or equipment, have an
adverse effect on the receiving stream; endanger life, health or property;
or which constitutes a public nuisance.
OWNER
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole
or partial, of any property, or his authorized representative.
PASS THROUGH
A discharge which exits the treatment plant into waters of
the United States in quantities or concentrations which, alone or
in conjunction with other discharges, is a cause of a violation of
the treatment plant's NPDES permit or of any applicable local, state
or federal water quality criteria (including an increase in the magnitude
or duration of a violation).
PERSON
Includes an individual, a partnership, an association, a
corporation, a joint-stock company, a trust, an unincorporated association,
a governmental body, a political subdivision, a municipality, a municipality
authority or any other group or legally recognized entity. The masculine
gender shall include the feminine, and the singular shall include
the plural where indicated by the context.
pH
The logarithm of the reciprocal of the concentration of hydrogen
ions in grams per liter of solution indicating the degree of acidity
or alkalinity of a substance. pH shall be determined by one of the
accepted methods described in 40 CFR Part 136 and amendments thereto,
or by any other method approved by the EPA.
POLLUTANTS
Any material that, when added to water, shall render that
water (either because of the nature or quantity of the material) unacceptable
for its original intended use, including, but not limited to dredged
spoil; solid waste; incinerator residue; sewage; garbage; biosolids;
chemical wastes; biological materials; radioactive materials; heat;
sand; cellar dirt; and/or industrial, municipal, and agricultural
wastes.
POLLUTION
The man-made or man-induced alteration of the chemical, physical,
biological, and/or radiological integrity of water.
PRETREATMENT
The reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination
of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties
in a waste to a less harmful state prior to or in lieu of discharging
(either by a connected user or nonconnected user through a licensed
waste hauler) or otherwise introducing such pollutants into the public
sanitary sewage system. The reduction or alteration can be obtained
by physical, chemical or biological processes, or by process changes
by other means.
PRETREATMENT REQUIREMENT
Any substantive or procedural requirement related to pretreatment,
other than a pretreatment standard, imposed on an industrial user
or waste generator.
PRETREATMENT STANDARD
Any regulation containing pollutant discharge limits promulgated
by the EPA in accordance with Section 307 (b) and (c) of the Act (33
U.S.C. § 1317), which applies to industrial users and including
prohibitive discharge limits established pursuant to 40 CFR 403.5.
PROCESS STREAM OF THE TREATMENT PLANT
The forward flow of waste through various treatment units
of the treatment plant, including primary clarifiers, aeration tanks,
secondary (final) clarifiers and chlorine contact tanks, and including
holding tank waste or trucked industrial waste discharged directly
into one of those treatment units.
PROCESS WASTE
Any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes
into direct contact with, or results from the production or use of
any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, by-product
or waste product, excluding noncontact cooling water and boiler blowdown.
PUBLIC SANITARY SEWAGE SYSTEM (sometimes called the sewer system)
All sanitary sewers, all pumping stations, all force mains,
all sewage treatment works, and all other sewage facilities owned
or leased and operated by the Authority for the collection, transportation
and treatment of sanitary sewage and industrial wastes and septage,
together with their appurtenances, and any additions, extensions or
improvements thereto. It shall also include sewers within the Authority's
service area which serve one or more persons and discharge into the
public sanitary sewage system, even though those sewers may not have
been constructed by the Authority and are not owned or maintained
by the Authority. It does not include separate storm sewers or culverts
which have been constructed for the sole purpose of carrying stormwater
or surface runoff, the discharge from which is not and does not become
tributary to the treatment plant.
RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS
(1)
A president, secretary, treasurer, or 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.
(2)
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.
(3)
A general partner or proprietor if the industrial
user submitting the reports required by paragraphs (b), (d) and (e)
of 40 CFR Part 403.12 is a partnership or sole proprietorship respectively.
(4)
A duly authorized representative of the individual designated in Subsection
(1) or
(2) if:
(a)
The authorization is made in writing by the individual described in Subsection
(1) or
(2);
(b)
The authorization specifies either an individual
or a position having responsibility for the overall operation of the
facility from which the industrial discharge originates, such as the
position of plant manager, operator of a well, or well field superintendent,
or a position of equivalent responsibility, or having overall responsibility
for environmental matters for the company; and
(c)
The written authorization is submitted to the
control authority.
(5)
If an authorization under Subsection
(3) is no longer accurate because a different individual or position has responsibility for the overall operation of the facility, or overall responsibility for environmental matters for the company, a new authorization satisfying the requirements of Subsection
(3) must be submitted to the control authority prior to or together with any reports to be signed by an authorized representative.
SANITARY SEWAGE
Wastes originating from domestic users containing human and
customary household wastes, or such wastes from commercial or industrial
establishments, but excluding industrial wastes.
SANITARY SEWER
Any pipe or conduit constituting a part of the sewer system,
or usable for sewage collection purposes, which carries wastewater
and to which stormwater, surface and groundwater are not admitted
and which discharges to the treatment plant owned by the Valley Forge
Sewer Authority.
SEPTAGE
Household waste from normal household functions, or such
waste from commercial or industrial establishments, concentrated or
treated in such a manner so as to concentrate the total suspended
solids in such waste to a level at which it is treatable through the
septage discharge station at the treatment plant.
SEPTAGE DISCHARGE STATION
One of the locations at the treatment plant designated by
the Authority to receive septage, holding tank waste or trucked industrial
waste which is not discharged directly into the process stream of
the treatment plant.
SEWAGE (also referred to as wastewater)
Any sanitary sewage or industrial waste, carried either separately
or in combination, that are discharged into the public sanitary sewage
system by a connected user, or any trucked industrial waste or holding
tank waste generated by a waste generator and transported to the treatment
plant by a licensed waste hauler and discharged into the process stream
of the treatment plant as a Tier I Waste.
SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL USER
(1)
Except as provided in Subsection
(2) of this definition, shall mean:
(a)
All industrial users subject to categorical
pretreatment standards under 40 CFR 403.6 and 40 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter
N; and
(b)
Any other industrial user that: discharges an
average of 25,000 gallons per day or more of process waste to the
POTW (excluding sanitary, noncontact cooling and boiler blowdown wastewater);
contributes a process wastestream which makes up 5% or more of the
average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the POTW treatment
plant; or is designated as such by the Authority 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 [in accordance with 40 CFR 403.8 (f) (6)].
(2)
Upon a finding that an industrial user meeting the criteria in Subsection
(1)(b) of this definition has no reasonable potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement, the Authority may at any time, on its own initiative or in response to a petition received from an industrial user or POTW, and in accordance with 40 CFR 403.8 (f) (6), determine that such industrial user is not a significant industrial user.
SIGNIFICANT NONCOMPLIANCE (SNC)
A violation by an industrial user meeting one or more of
the following criteria [40 CFR 403.8 (f) (2)(vii)]:
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 216-2009]
(1)
Chronic violations of waste discharge limits,
defined here as those in which 66% or more of all of the measurements
taken during a six-month period exceed, by any magnitude, the daily
maximum, average or instantaneous limit for the same pollutant parameter;
(2)
Technical review criteria (TRC) violations,
defined here as those in which 33% or more of all of the measurements
for each pollutant parameter taken during a six-month period equal
or exceed the product of the daily maximum, average or instantaneous
limit multiplied by the applicable TRC (TRC = 1.4 for BOD, TSS, fats,
oil, and grease, and 1.2 for all other pollutants except pH).
(3)
Any other violation of a pretreatment effluent
limit (daily maximum, instantaneous limit or longer-term average)
that the control authority determines has caused, alone or in combination
with other discharges, interference or pass through (including endangering
the health of POTW personnel or the general public);
(4)
Any discharge of a pollutant that has caused
imminent endangerment to human health, welfare or to the environment
or has resulted in the POTW's exercise of its emergency authority
[40 CFR 403.8 (f) (1) (vi) (B)] to halt or prevent such a discharge;
(5)
Failure to meet, within 90 days after the schedule
date, a compliance schedule milestone contained in a local control
mechanism or enforcement order for starting construction, completing
construction or attaining final compliance;
(6)
Failure to provide, within 45 days after the
due date, required reports such as baseline monitoring reports, ninety-day
compliance reports, periodic self monitoring reports, and reports
on compliance with compliance schedules;
(7)
Failure to accurately report noncompliance;
(8)
Any other violation or group of violations,
including a violation of best management practices, which the control
authority determines will adversely affect the operation or implementation
of the local pretreatment program.
SIGNIFICANT WASTE GENERATOR
(1)
Any categorical waste generator;
(2)
Any other waste generator which:
(a)
Discharges a flow of 10,000 gallons or more
process waste per day to the treatment plant;
(b)
Contributes a process waste which makes up 5%
or more of the average dry weather hydraulic flow or 5% or more of
the organic (BOD) capacity of the treatment plant; or
(c)
Is designated by the Authority, EPA or DEP to
have a reasonable potential, either singly or in combination with
other users, for adversely affecting the operation of the public sanitary
sewer system and/or the treatment plant (either its operational efficiency,
effluent quality or quality of the biosolids produced by said facility),
or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement.
SLUDGE
Any solid material containing large amounts of entrained
water collected during water or wastewater treatment which may be
recycled.
SLUG
Any discharge of a nonroutine, episodic nature, or at a flow rate or concentration which would cause a violation of the prohibited discharge standards in §
154-87 of the article.
STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION (SIC)
A classification pursuant to the latest Standard Industrial
Classification Manual issued by the Executive Office of the President,
Office of Management and Budget.
STORMWATER
That portion of the precipitation that runs off over the
surface during a storm and for a short period following a storm and
enters the sewer system, and causes the flow at the treatment plant
to exceed the normal or ordinary flow.
TIER I WASTE
A waste generated by any user that is required, by the Authority,
to be discharged directly into the process stream of the treatment
plant. The Authority's determination is based on waste characteristics
including, but not limited to total suspended solids and BOD concentration.
This category of waste may include, but is not limited to most holding
tank wastes, industrial wastes and sanitary landfill leachates.
TIER II WASTE
A waste generated by any user that is transported to the
treatment plant by a licensed waste hauler and is required, by the
Authority, to be discharged into the septage discharge station at
the treatment plant. The Authority's determination is based on waste
characteristics including, but not limited to total suspended solids
and BOD concentration. This category of waste may include, but is
not limited to most septages, biosolids and sludges.
TOTAL SOLIDS
The sum of the total suspended solids in milligrams per liter
(mg/l) and dissolved solids in milligrams per liter (mg/L), as determined
by one of the acceptable methods described in 40 CFR Part 136 and
amendments thereto, or by any other method approved by the EPA.
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS
Solids that either float to the surface or are in suspension
in water, sewage, industrial waste or other liquids, and which are
removable by laboratory filtration. The quantity of total suspended
solids shall be determined by one of the acceptable methods described
in 40 CFR Part 136 and amendments thereto, or by any other method
approved by the EPA.
TOXIC POLLUTANT
Any pollutant or combination of pollutants listed as toxic
in regulations promulgated by the administrator of the EPA under the
provision of CWA 307 (a) or other acts.
TREATMENT PLANT
The structures, equipment and processes owned by the Valley
Forge Sewer Authority and required to collect, transport and treat
domestic and industrial waste and to treat trucked industrial waste,
holding tank waste and septage and to dispose of the effluent and
accumulated residual solids.
TRUCKED INDUSTRIAL WASTE
Any liquid, solid or gaseous substance, whether or not solids are contained therein, produced by any user during the course of any industrial, manufacturing, trade, or business process or in the course of development, recovery or processing of natural resources, as distinct from sanitary sewage, that is permitted in accordance with §
154-89B of this article and. that is transported by vehicle and discharged to the treatment plant by a waste hauler licensed in accordance with §
154-89 of this article. Leachates from sanitary landfills shall be considered trucked industrial waste.
USER
Any person who contributes, causes or permits the contribution
of wastewater or waste into the Authority's treatment plant.
WASTE
Any sewage (or wastewater), trucked industrial waste, holding
tank waste or septage.
WASTE HAULER
A person licensed by the Authority under §
154-89B of this article to transport and discharge trucked industrial waste (generated by a permitted waste generator), or holding tank waste or septage at the treatment plant.
WASTE HAULER LICENSE
The license issued by the Authority pursuant to §
154-89B of this article which allows the discharge of domestic holding tank waste, septage or trucked industrial waste transported to the treatment plant in an over-the-road vehicle.
WASTE PERMIT
The permit issued by the Authority to a significant waste generator for a particular trucked industrial waste pursuant to §
154-89B of this article.