§ 82-235. Definitions.
Unless a provision explicitly states otherwise, the following words, terms and phrases, as used in this article, shall have the meanings hereinafter designated.
Act or "the Act." The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.
Alternative system. Any approved pretreatment system used in lieu of, including modifications to a standard subsurface system outside the building or an interior type system that is installed other than the Fulton County standard.
Approval authority. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environment Protection Division.
Authorized representative of the user.
(1)
If the user is a corporation:
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; or
b.
The manager of one or more manufacturing, production, or operation facilities employing more than 250 persons or having gross annual sales or expenditures exceeding $25,000,000.00 (in second-quarter 1980 dollars), if authority to sign documents has been assigned or delegated to the manager in accordance with corporate procedures.
(2)
If the user is a partnership or sole proprietorship: a general partner or proprietor, respectively.
(3)
If the user is a federal or local governmental facility: a director or highest official appointed or designated to oversee the operation and performance of the activities of the government facility, or their designee.
(4)
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 county.
Automatic grease recovery unit. Electronic grease removal system used on the interior to collect liquid wastewater from kitchen equipment.
Biochemical oxygen demand or BOD. The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedures for five (5) calendar days at 20° centigrade, usually expressed as milligrams per liter (mg/L).
Categorical pretreatment standard or categorical standard. Any regulation containing pollutant discharge limits promulgated by EPA in accordance with sections 307(b) and (c) of the Act (33 U.S.C. § 1317) which apply to a specific category of users and which appear in 40 CFR Chapter I, subchapter N, parts 405-471.
Chemical oxygen demand. The quantity of oxygen utilized in the chemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedures, usually expressed as a concentration (e.g. mg/L).
Composite sample. A sample composed of no less than eight grab samples taken over the compositing period. A flow proportional composite is a composite sample in which each portion of the sample is proportionate to the flow and combined to form a representative sample.
Commercial waste. Nontoxic, non hazardous liquid wastewater from commercial facilities. Fats, oil, grease, food scraps and other grease trap contents generated by a food operation or institutional food preparation facility. Any oil waste residue produced from vehicle maintenance or washing that discharges to an oil water separator and/or sand trap.
Commercial waste FOG permit. A permit issued to a transporter for the collection of commercial waste by pumping out, cleaning, or otherwise servicing a grease trap, oil water separator and sand trap.
Corbel. To build out one or more courses of brick or stone from the face of a wall in order to form a support.
County. Fulton County acting under the authority of the Board of Commissioners and by and through its duly authorized, appointed and/or elected officers or employees.
Director. The director of the Fulton County Public Works Department or a duly authorized representative.
Disposer. A licensed person or company that receives commercial waste from a transporter for disposal.
Division. Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division.
Environmental Protection Agency or EPA. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or, where appropriate, the Regional Water Management Division Director, or other duly authorized official of said agency.
Existing source. Any source of discharge, the construction or operation of which commenced prior to the publication by EPA of proposed categorical pretreatment standards, which will be applicable to such source if the standard is thereafter promulgated in accordance with section 307 of the Act.
Failure. A condition existing within a pretreatment system which results in the discharge of untreated or partially treated wastewater to the sanitary sewerage system or POTW.
Generator. A person or company that produces commercial waste.
GPM. Gallons per minute.
Grab sample. A sample which is taken from a waste stream without regard to the flow in the waste stream and over a period of time not to exceed 15 minutes.
Grease trap. A structure or device found in commercial food facilities that separates and retains fats, oil, grease waste prior to discharge to the sanitary sewer system.
Gray water. Liquid wastewater located in a pretreatment system. Also know as brown water.
Indirect discharge or discharge. The introduction of pollutants into the POTW from any non domestic source regulated under section 307(b), (c), or (d) of the Act.
Innovative system. A pretreatment system that, in whole or in part, employs, materials devices, or techniques that are novel or unique that are not specifically described and have not been successfully field tested under sound scientific and engineering principles.
Installer. A person or company responsible for a contracted project who, for compensation, undertakes to submit a bid to, or does himself or by others construct, install, alter, repair, or modify a pretreatment system. An installer must be a licensed contractor or master plumber in the State of Georgia possessing the experience, knowledge, skill and ability to provide services pertaining to the installation, construction, alteration, repair and design of a pretreatment system.
Instantaneous maximum allowable discharge limit. The maximum concentration 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.
Interference. A discharge, which alone or in conjunction with a discharge or discharges from other sources, 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 County's NPDES permit or of the prevention of sewage sludge use or disposal in compliance with any of the following statutory/regulatory provisions or permits issued there under, or any more stringent or local regulations: Section 405 of the Act; the Solid Waste Disposal Act, including Title II commonly referred to as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); any regulations contained in any sludge management plan prepared pursuant to Subtitle D of the Solid Waste Disposal Act; the Clean Air Act; the Toxic Substances Control Act; and the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act.
Medical waste. Isolation wastes, infectious agents, human blood and blood products, pathological wastes, sharps, body parts, contaminated bedding, surgical wastes, potentially contaminated laboratory wastes, and dialysis wastes.
New source.
(1)
Any building, structure, facility, or installation from which there is, or may be, the discharge of pollutants. The construction of such is commenced after the publication of proposed regulations prescribing a standard of performance under section 306 of the Clean Water Act which will be applicable to such source if such standard is thereafter promulgated in accordance with section 306 of the Act, provided that:
a.
The building, structure, facility, or installation is constructed at a site at which no other source is located; or
b.
The building, structure, facility, or installation totally replaces the process or production equipment that causes the discharge of pollutants at an existing source; or
c.
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.
(2)
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 section (1)b. or c. above but otherwise alters, replaces, or adds to existing process or production equipment.
(3)
Construction of a new source as defined under this article has commenced if the owner or operator has:
a.
Begun, or caused to begin, as part of a continuous onsite construction program:
1.
Any placement, assembly, or installation of facilities or equipment; or
2.
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
b.
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 paragraph.
Non-contact cooling water. Water used for cooling which does not come into direct contact with any raw material, intermediate product, waste product, or finished product.
Oil water separator. A structure or device installed in commercial facilities to retain and separate oil waste prior to discharge to sanitary sewer.
Pass through. A 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 County's NPDES permit, including an increase in the magnitude or duration of a violation.
PDI certification. Plumbing certification given to plumbing equipment, by the Plumbing and Drainage Institute that has passed the institute's testing standards.
Permit. Written authorization granted to a person or company to perform services or discharge commercial waste to the sanitary sewer in the County.
Person. Any individual, partnership, co-partnership, firm, company, corporation, association, joint stock company, trust, estate, governmental entity, or any other legal entity; or their legal representatives, agents, or assigns.
pH. A pH measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, expressed in standard units.
Phosphorus. An essential chemical element and nutrient for all life forms. Occurs in ortho, pyro, tripoly and organic forms. Each of these forms and their sum (total P) is expressed as mg/L elemental phosphorus.
Pollutant. Dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter backwash, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, medical wastes, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, municipal, agricultural and industrial wastes, and certain characteristics of wastewater (e.g., pH, temperature, TSS, turbidity, color, BOD, COD, toxicity, or odor).
Pretreatment. The 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 requirements. Any substantive or procedural requirement related to pretreatment imposed on a user, other than a pretreatment standard.
Pretreatment standards or standards. Prohibited discharge standards, categorical pretreatment standards, and local limits.
Pretreatment system. A grease trap, oil water separator, and sand trap installed to the exterior of the building subsurface or interior at a sink, dishwasher, floor drain, and utility sink to collect and treat commercial wastewater prior to discharge to the sanitary sewer or POTW.
Prohibited discharge standards or prohibited discharges. Absolute prohibitions against the discharge of certain substances; these prohibitions appear in Section 2.1 of this article.
Publicly owned treatment works or POTW. A "treatment works," as defined by Section 212 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. §1292) which is owned by the county. This definition includes any devices or systems used in the collection, storage, treatment, recycling, and reclamation of sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature and any conveyances which convey wastewater to a treatment plant.
Repair. Replacement of, modification, or addition to a failing pretreatment system which is necessary to allow the system to function to eliminate a public health hazard or pollution hazard. Servicing or replacing mechanical and electrical parts, replacing with a system comparable to that which is currently inoperable, or making minor structural corrections to a tank.
Septic tank waste. Any sewage from holding tanks such as vessels, chemical toilets, campers, trailers, and septic tanks.
Sewage. A combination of water carried wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, together with such groundwaters, surface waters, and storm waters as may be present but unintentionally admitted.
Significant industrial user.
(1)
A user subject to categorical pretreatment standards; or
(2)
A user that:
a.
Discharges an average of 25,000 gpd or more of process wastewater to the POTW (excluding sanitary, non-contact cooling, and boiler blow down wastewater);
b.
Contributes a process wastestream which makes up five (5) percent or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the POTW treatment plant; or
c.
Is designated as such by the county on the basis that it has a reasonable potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement.
(3)
Upon a finding that a user meeting the criteria in (2) has no reasonable potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement, the County may at any time, on its own initiative or in response to a petition received from a user, and in accordance with procedures in 40 CFR 403.8(f)(6), determine that such user should not be considered a significant industrial user.
Slug load or slug. Any discharge at a flow rate or concentration which could cause a violation of the prohibited discharge standards in section 82-237(1.)(B) of this article.
Standard industrial classification (SIC) code. A classification pursuant to the Standard Industrial Classification Manual issued by the United States Office of Management and Budget.
Storm water. Any flow occurring during or following any form of natural precipitation, and resulting from such precipitation, including snowmelt.
Subsurface. Placement of a pretreatment system below ground or recessed in building floor.
Suspended solids. The 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.
Tank capacity. The gallons or volume of commercial waste a transporter's vehicle has the ability to collect at any given time.
Test manhole. The last discharge point of the pretreatment system and the sampling point for the pretreatment system waste stream.
Total Kjeldahl nitrogen. The combined amount of organic and ammonia nitrogen, usually expressed in mg/L.
Total pump out. The complete removal of any waste generated by a waste generator stored in a pretreatment system on site.
Transporter. A licensed person or company that collects commercial waste from commercial waste generators.
Transporter station. A licensed business in the state used as a holding point for commercial waste before transferring to a final disposal site.
Strip retail shopping center. A shopping center with mix use tenants and no defined food court area. Separate owners of individual businesses responsible for their own waste generated.
User or industrial user. A source of indirect discharge.
Wastewater. Liquid 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.
Wastewater treatment plant or treatment plant. That portion of the POTW which is designed to provide treatment of municipal sewage and industrial waste.
(Res. No. 06-1167, 11-15-06)