§ 82-107. Definitions.

For the purposes of this article, the following words and terms are defined:

Building drain means that part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from drainage pipes located inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer or sewer service lateral, beginning five feet (1.5 meters) outside the inner face of the building wall.

Building sewer or sewer service lateral means the extension from the building drain to the public (county) sewer.

Capacity is a measure of the sewage carrying ability of given components of the sewerage system and is the maximum flow of sewage, measured in gallons per day, that can be safely and efficiently transported.

Line capacity means the maximum quantity of sewage in a given segment of sewer line for a given time period at a minimum slope and maximum depth of flow.

System capacity means the capacity of a given sewerage system of pumps, pipelines and appurtenances.

Development generating sewage flow means any additional flow of sewage into the sewerage system resulting from construction, expansion, change in use of a building or structure, or any change in the use of land.

Direct improvements are always project improvements, not system improvements. Direct improvements include, but are not limited to, any sewers and lines, or any portion thereof, exclusively destined for a development generating sewage flow.

Excess capacity means that proportion of the capacity of a given sewer line segment or sewerage system which is beyond that necessary to provide a specified level of service insofar as such excess is not a result of engineering design factors such as prudent safety margins or functions of standard material sizes.

Impact means the effect of additional sewage flow on a sewer system in a given basin or service area.

Level of service is a measure of the relationship between capacity and service demand expressed in terms of demand to capacity ratios or the comfort and convenience of use or both. More specifically for sewers, level of service is a qualitative measure describing the collective factors of sewer line segment or sewerage system capacity, service demand, depth of flow, overflow conditions and operating costs for specified service conditions.

Project improvements means site improvements and facilities that are planned and designed to provide service for a particular development project and that are necessary for the use and convenience of the occupants or users of the project and that are not system improvements. The character of the improvement shall determine whether an improvement is a project improvement or a system improvement and the physical location of the improvement onsite or offsite shall not be considered determinative of whether an improvement is a project improvement or a system improvement. If an improvement or facility provides or will provide more than incidental service or capacity to persons other than users or occupants of a particular project, the improvement or facility is a system improvement and shall not be considered a project improvement. No improvement or facility included in a plan for public facilities approved by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners shall be considered a project improvement.

Proportionate share means that portion of the cost of improvements which is reasonably related to the service demands and needs of the project.

Sanitary sewer means a sewer which carries sewage and to which storm water, surface water and groundwater are not intentionally admitted.

Sewage means a combination of the water-carried wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, together with such groundwater, surface water and storm water as may be present.

Sewage works means all facilities for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing of sewage.

Sewerage system means a combination of methods for collecting and transporting untreated wastewater, from its source of generation to a sewage treatment plant. This includes street sewers (which collect sewage from building sewers or sewer service laterals), outfalls which collect sewage from the street sewers and interceptors or main collector sewers which collect sewage from outfalls and lead directly to the treatment plant.

Sewerage improvements means the improvements to system of pipes, pumps, and facilities necessary to provide collection, treatment and disposal of sanitary sewage. The improvements include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1)

Rights-of-way and easements;

(2)

Collection sewer mains;

(3)

Outfall, interceptor, and relief sewers;

(4)

Pumping and discharge stations;

(5)

Wastewater treatment facilities; and

(6)

Sludge handling systems.

System expansion means those capital improvements which expand the capacity of a system to carry and/or treat additional sewage flows.

System extension means those capital improvements which extend a system to new geographic areas, but do not necessarily expand capacity to carry and/or treat additional sewage flows. Any sewerage system extension or portion thereof which provides capacity only for the development to which it is being extended is considered a project improvement not a system improvement; only that proportion of a sewerage system extension which provides excess capacity beyond that required by the development to which the extension is made is not a project improvement.

System improvements means capital improvements that are public facilities designed to provide service to the community at large, in contrast to project improvements.

System improvement costs mean costs incurred to provide additional sewerage system capacity needed to serve new growth and development associated with planning, design, engineering, construction, land acquisition and land improvement. Specifically, costs include, but are not limited to, the construction contract price, surveying, engineering fees, related land acquisition costs including land purchases, court awards and costs, attorneys' fees, expert witness fees, expenses incurred for qualified staff or any qualified engineer, planner, architect, landscape architect, or financial consultant for preparing or updating the capital improvement element, and administrative costs, provided that such administrative costs shall not exceed three percent of the total amount of the costs. Projected interest charges and other finance costs may be included if the fees are to be used for the payment of principal and interest on bonds, notes, or other financial obligations issued by or on behalf of Fulton County to finance the capital improvements element, but such costs do not include routine and periodic maintenance expenditures, personnel training, and other operating costs.

(92-RC-527, art. IV, § 1, 11-18-92; Res. No. 06-1167, 11-15-06)

Cross reference

Definitions generally, § 1-2.