§ 6511-0. Definitions.  


Latest version.
  • Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the following terms and phrases, as used in this ordinance, shall have the meanings hereinafter designated:

    A.

    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.

    B.

    Airports Administrator. The County of Ventura—Department of Airports Administrator or designee.

    C.

    Approval Authority. California State Water Resources Control Board or Regional Board.

    D.

    Authorized Representative of Industrial User. A responsible corporate officer or a duly authorized representative of that person from which the sewage discharge originates (Federal Pretreatment Regulations 40 CFR 403.12(k)).

    E.

    Biochemical Oxygen Demand. The quantity of oxygen, expressed in milligrams per liter, utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter as determined by the appropriate procedures set forth in "Standard Methods."

    F.

    Building Sewer. A sewer conveying wastewater from the premises of a User to the public sewer.

    G.

    CFR. Code of Federal Regulations.

    H.

    Cesspool. A lined excavation in the ground which receives wastewater and so constructed that the solid matter is retained and the liquid portion is permitted to seep away.

    I.

    Chemical Oxygen Demand. The measurement of wastewater strength in terms of the total quantity of oxygen required for oxidation of organic matter as determined by the appropriate procedure set forth in "Standard Methods."

    J.

    Chlorine Demand. The difference between the amount of chlorine added to sample of wastewater and the amount remaining at the end of a 30 minute period, as determined by the appropriate procedures set forth in "Standard Methods."

    K.

    Collector Sewer. A public sewer, usually eight inches or larger in diameter, used to collect wastewater from house connection sewers and industrial connection sewers to transport it to trunk sewers.

    L.

    Cooling Water. The water discharged from any use such as air conditioning, cooling or refrigeration, or to which the only pollutant added is heat.

    M.

    Compatible Pollutant. Biochemical Oxygen Demand, organic carbon, suspended solids, ammonia-nitrogen, and total coliform bacteria, plus additional pollutants identified in the County's National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit if the County's Wastewater Treatment Plant was designed to treat such pollutants and if such pollutants do not interfere with the operations of the wastewater treatment plant and if in fact the wastewater treatment plant does remove such pollutants to a substantial degree.

    N.

    Compliance Schedule. The time period allowed by the Airports Administrator in which an industry shall comply with permit conditions, or prohibitions, limitations, and/or requirements of this ordinance or any other order issued by the Airports Administrator.

    O.

    Connection. That part of any sewer extending from a sewer main in a public easement or right of way to private property for exclusive use of the property.

    P.

    Contaminated Water. Any water impaired in quality by waste to the degree which creates a hazard to the public health through poisoning or through spread of disease; "contamination" includes any equivalent effect resulting from the disposal of industrial waste.

    Q.

    Control Authority. The County of Ventura—Department of Airports (40 CFR 403.12(a)).

    R.

    County. The County of Ventura—Department of Airports of California.

    S.

    Customer. A person who is, or who has agreed to be, responsible for the payment of sewer service charges as defined or levied by the County.

    T.

    Domestic Wastewater. The liquid and water borne waste derived from the ordinary living processes, free from industrial waste, and susceptible to satisfactory disposal without special treatment into the public sewer or by means of a private wastewater disposal system. The Airports Administrator has on file the parameters and concentration of constituents that, for the purpose of this ordinance, define domestic wastewater.

    U.

    Effluent. The liquid overflow from any treatment plant or facility designated to treat, convey, or store wastewater.

    V.

    Fee. Any charge assessed to a discharger for the use, or continued use, of any portion of the County's sewerage system. "Fee" includes but is not limited to a charge(s) for: connection or tap for new customers; monthly sewer service; industrial wastewater discharge permit; excess capacity connection; industrial wastewater treatment; excessive industrial wastewater treatment capacity; laboratory testing; waste hauler's permit; oversize sewer and non-compliance penalty.

    W.

    Floatable Oil and Grease. The oil and grease floating on the surface of a sample of water as determined by the appropriate procedures set forth in "Standard Methods."

    X.

    Formula Users. Those Users who are regulated under the Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit system and billed according to a formula based on the measured or set strength and volume of their wastewater discharged.

    Y.

    Garbage. The putrescrible animal and vegetable wastes resulting from the handling, preparation and consumption of foods.

    Z.

    Grab Sample. A sample which is taken from a wastestream on a one-time basis with no regard to the flow in the waste stream and without consideration of time.

    AA.

    Gravity Separation Device. A device designed, constructed, and operated for the purpose of retaining sand, silt, grit, mineral material, and oil and grease by gravity-differential separation from wastewater.

    AB.

    Grease. The definition is set forth in "Standard Methods," and includes waxes, fats, oils and other non-volatile materials tested as determined by appropriate procedures set forth in "Standard Methods."

    AC.

    Grease Interceptor (Interceptor). A device of at least 750 gallon capacity designed, constructed, and operated to separate and retain grease while permitting the wastewater to be discharged into the County's sewerage system.

    AD.

    Ground Garbage. The residue from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food that has been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely in suspension under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers with no particle greater than one-half inch in any dimension.

    AE.

    Industrial Connection Sewer. The sewer connecting a building sewer or building wastewater drainage system to a County sewer for the purpose of conveying industrial wastewater.

    AF.

    Industrial User. Any producing, manufacturing, processing, institutional, commercial, agricultural or similar person (as defined herein) that discharges, directly or indirectly, wastewater into the County's sewerage system of which the solid, liquid or gaseous waste discharge has pollutants different than or stronger than or with constituents other than those defined for domestic wastewater or any categorical industrial user as defined in 40 CFR Chapter 1, Subchapter N, Parts 401-471.

    AG.

    Industrial Waste. Any solid, liquid, gaseous or radioactive substance that is discharged, flowing or permitted to escape from any producing, manufacturing, processing, institutional, commercial, agricultural or similar operation from the development, recovery or processing of any material resource which will enter into the County's sewerage system.

    AH.

    Industrial Wastewater. The liquid and water-carried industrial waste, whether treated or untreated, which is contributed into or permitted to enter the County's sewerage system.

    AI.

    Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit. A conditionally written authorization to allow an Industrial User to utilize the County's sewerage system for the discharge of industrial wastewater.

    AJ.

    Inspector. The person authorized by the Airports Administrator to inspect any raw material, waste or wastewater generation, conveyance, processing, storage and/or disposal facilities within the County's jurisdiction.

    AK.

    Interceptor Main. A sewer main which is ten inches or greater in size and is intended to collect wastewater from a large area.

    AL.

    Interceptor Sewer. A closed conduit whose primary purpose is to transport rather than collect wastewater and shall perform one or more of the following functions as its primary purpose:

    (1)

    Intercepts wastewater from a final point in a collection system and conveys the wastewater directly to the wastewater treatment plant;

    (2)

    Serves in place of a potential treatment plant and transports the collected wastewater to an adjoining collection system or interceptor and thence to treatment;

    (3)

    Transports the wastewater from one or more municipal collection systems to another municipality or to the wastewater treatment plant for treatment; or

    (4)

    Intercepts an existing major discharge of raw or inadequately treated wastewater for transport directly to another interceptor or to the wastewater treatment plant.

    AM.

    Interference. The discharge by an Industrial User which, alone or in conjunction with discharges by other sources, inhibits or disrupts the County's wastewater treatment plant, its treatment processes or operations, or its sludge processes, use or disposal and which is a cause of a violation of any requirement of the County's NPDES permit (including any increase in the magnitude or duration of a violation) or of the prevention of sludge use or disposal by the County's wastewater treatment plant in accordance with the following statutory provisions and regulations or permits issued thereunder (or more stringent State or local regulations): Section 405 of the Clean Water Act, the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) (including Title II, more commonly referred to as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and including State regulations contained in any State's sludge management plan pursuant to Subtitle D or the SWDA), the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substance Control Act, and the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act. (Federal Pretreatment Regulations 40 CFR 403.3(i)).

    AN.

    Mass Emission Rate. Mass emission rate shall mean the weight of material discharged to the County's sewerage system during a given time interval. Unless otherwise specified, the mass emission rate shall mean pounds per day of a particular constituent or combination of constituents.

    AO.

    National Categorical Pretreatment Standard. Any regulation containing pollutant discharge limits applying to a specific category of industrial users which is promulgated by the EPA in accordance with 40 CFR Chapter 1, Subchapter N, Parts 401-471 and, specifically, the accordance with Sections 703(b) and (c) of the Act (33 U.S.C. 1317).

    AP.

    National Pollution Discharge Elimination System or NPDES Permit. A permit issued pursuant to Section 402 of the Act (33 U.S.C. 1342).

    AQ.

    National Prohibitive Discharge Standard or Prohibitive Discharge Standard. Any regulation developed under the authority of 307(b) of the Act and 40 CFR, Section 403.5.

    AR.

    New Source. Any building, structure, facility or installation from which there is a discharge of pollutants, the construction of which is commenced after the publication of proposed Pretreatment Standards under Section 307(c) of the Act and as further defined in 40 CFR 403.3(k)(1).

    AS.

    Non-Compatible Pollutant. Any pollutant which is not a compatible pollutant.

    AT.

    Nuisance. Anything which is injurious to health or is indecent or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property.

    AU.

    Pass Through. The discharge of pollutants through the County's wastewater treatment plant into navigable waters in quantities or concentration which, alone or in conjunction with 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). (Federal Pretreatment Regulations 40 CFR 403.3(m)).

    AV.

    Peak Flow Rate. The maximum discharge rate over a 30 minute period between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and determined by averaging a maximum of ten substantiated peak flow rate measurements of the accrual period in gallons per minute; in the absence of actual peak flow rate data, peak flow rate may be computed in the manner set forth in the County's specification.

    AW.

    Person. Any individual, partnership, co-partnership, firm, company, corporation, association, joint stock company, trust, estate, governmental entity or any other legal representatives, agents, or assigns. The masculine gender shall include the feminine, the singular shall include the plural where indicated by the context.

    AX.

    pH. The logarithm (base 10) of the reciprocal of the hydrogen-ion concentration expressed in moles per liter as determined by the appropriate procedures set forth in "Standard Methods."

    AY.

    Pollutant. Any dredged soil, solid waste, incinerator residue, garbage, sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discharged equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt and industrial, municipal and agricultural waste discharged into water.

    AZ.

    Polluted Water. Any water altered in quality by waste to a degree which unreasonably affects: (1) the water for beneficial use; or (2) the facilities which serve the beneficial use. The term "pollution" may include "contamination."

    BA.

    Pollution. The man-made or man-induced alteration of the chemical, physical, biological and radiological integrity of water.

    BB.

    Pretreatment. The reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties in wastewater to a less harmful state prior to or in lieu of discharging or otherwise introducing such pollutants into the County's wastewater treatment plant. The reduction or alteration can be obtained by physical, chemical or biological processes, or by process changes, except as prohibited by 40 CFR 403.6(d).

    BC.

    Pretreatment Facility. Any works or device for the treatment of flow limitation of sewage, liquid waste or industrial waste prior to discharge into a public sewer.

    BD.

    Pretreatment Requirements. Any substantive or procedural requirement related to pretreatment, other than a National Pretreatment Standard, imposed on a industrial discharger.

    BE.

    Pretreatment Standard. Any regulation containing pollutant discharge limits promulgated by the EPA in accordance with Section 307(b) and (c) et seq. of the Clean Water Act which applies to industrial users. These include "categorical standards" which establish specific concentration limits for certain pollutants and total prohibitions of other pollutants as specified in Title 40 CFR.

    BF.

    Private Sewer. A sewer, other than a connection, laid by a private party to serve one or more buildings which are not immediately adjacent to a public sewer, so as to connect a building to a public sewer and irrespective of whether the sewer is constructed on public or private property.

    BG.

    Public Sewer. Any sewer dedicated to public use and which is controlled by a public authority.

    BH.

    Radioactive Material. Material containing chemical elements that spontaneously change their atomic structure by emitting any particles, rays or energy forms in excess of normal background radiation.

    BI.

    Regional Users. Those users of the County's sewerage system with a written agreement with the County, other than an industrial wastewater discharge permit, wherein the County guarantees treatment and disposal of their wastewater at an agreed upon reimbursement.

    BJ.

    Sampling Well. An approved opening to a building sewer for the purpose of inspection, sampling and/or flow measurement.

    BK.

    Sanitary Sewer. A conduit that conveys wastewater or industrial wastes, or a combination of both, and into which storm waters, surface and groundwaters and unpolluted waters are not admitted.

    BL.

    Seepage Pit. A lined excavation in the ground which receives the discharge of a septic tank and designed to permit the effluent from the septic tank to seep through its bottom and side.

    BM.

    Septic Tank. A watertight receptacle which receives the domestic wastewater discharge of a building and is designed and constructed to separate solids from the liquid, digest organic matter through a period of detention and allow the liquid to discharge into the soil outside of the tank through a system of open joint or perforated piping or a seepage pit.

    BN.

    Settleable Solids. Any solids that will settle out of a liquid in a specified interval of time as determined by appropriate procedures set forth in "Standard Methods."

    BO.

    Sewage. The wastewater of the community derived from domestic, agricultural, commercial, institutional or industrial sources, together with such surface water, groundwater and storm water as may be present.

    BP.

    Sewerage System. All the facilities used for collection, pumping, transportation, treatment and final disposal of wastewater. For the purposes of this ordinance, this shall also include any sewers that convey wastewater from persons outside the County who are, by contract or agreement with the County, users of the County's sewerage system.

    BQ.

    Sewer. A pipe or conduit together with appurtenances for carrying wastewater.

    BR.

    Sewer Main. The same as "interceptor main."

    BS.

    Significant Change. Plus or minus 25 percent in a user's typical discharge pattern: flow rate, peak flow rate, constituents, concentration of constituents or characteristics.

    BT.

    Significant Industrial Wastewater User. Any Industrial User of the County's sewerage system who: (1) has a discharge flow of 10,000 gallons or more per average work day; (2) has in its wastewater toxic pollutants as defined pursuant to Section 307 of the Act or State statutes and rules; or (3) is found by the County (Control Agency) or the U.S. EPA to have significant impact, either singly or in combination with other contributing industries, on the sewerage system, the quality of sludge, the system's effluent quality or air emissions generated by the system.

    BU.

    Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). A classification pursuant to the Standard Industrial Classification Manual (latest edition) issued by the Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget.

    BV.

    Standard Methods. The current edition of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater" published by the American Public Health Association. All tests shall be conducted in accordance with these procedures except where the Airports Administrator approves other procedures necessary for unusual wastes.

    BW.

    State. State of California.

    BX.

    Storm Water. Any flow occurring during or following any form of natural precipitation and resulting therefrom.

    BY.

    Suspended Solids. The solid matter suspended in wastewater as determined by appropriate procedures set forth in "Standard Methods."

    BZ.

    Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). The solid matter in solution in wastewater, as determined by evaporation of a wastewater sample from which all suspended matter has been removed by filtration as determined by the appropriate procedures set forth in "Standard Methods."

    CA.

    Total Toxic Organics. The summation of all quantifiable values greater than 0.01 milligrams per liter for those toxic organics listed in 40 CFR 403, Appendix B.

    CB.

    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 or designated toxic by either the State or County.

    CC.

    Trunk Sewer. A sewer constructed, maintained and operated by the County that conveys wastewater to County's wastewater treatment plant and into which the interceptor, lateral and collecting sewers discharge.

    DD.

    Uncontaminated Water. Any wastewater not contaminated or polluted with sewage and which is suitable for discharge into the storm water drainage system, excluding unlined natural water courses.

    DE.

    United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA, or where appropriate, the term may also be used as a designation for the administrator or other duly authorized official of said agency.

    DF.

    User. Any person who contributes, causes or permits the contribution of industrial and/or domestic wastewater to the County's sewerage system.

    DG.

    Waste. All materials, liquid, solid gaseous, or radioactive, associated with human habitation, or of human or animal origin, or from or related to any producing, manufacturing, or processing operation of whatever nature, including such materials placed within containers of whatever nature prior to, and for purposes of, disposal.

    DH.

    Wastewater. The liquid and water-carried waste, whether treated or untreated which is contributed into or permitted to enter the County's sewerage system.

    DI.

    Wastewater Treatment Plant. An assemblage of devices, structures and equipment for treatment of wastewater.

    If the application of any definition to a specific situation is without utility or creates ambiguity, reference may be made to the definitions of Uniform Plumbing Code to resolve the issue created.

    Abbreviations

    BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand, 5 Day
    CFR Code of Federal Regulations
    COD Chemical Oxygen Demand
    EPA Environmental Protection Agency
    L Liter
    mg Milligrams
    mg/L Milligrams per Liter
    Lb/d Pounds per Day
    KLb Thousands of Pounds
    KLb/day Thousands of Pounds per Day
    SS Suspended Solids
    O &G Oil and Grease