§ 4.28.020. Terminology.

(a)

General. Words, phrases, or terms not specifically defined herein, and having a technical or specialized meaning shall be defined as set forth in the latest edition of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater" published by the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association, and the Water Pollution Control Federation.

References to waste constituents and characteristics shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the aforesaid "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater", and measurements thereof shall be as set forth in said publication, or as established by federal or state regulatory agencies.

(b)

Specific Definitions. The following words or phrases wherever used in this chapter shall have the meanings respectively ascribed thereto as follows:

1.

Authority. The authority or public entity which owns, operates and/or maintains a sewerage treatment facility to which a user discharges wastewater.

2.

Building Sewer. A sewer conveying wastewater from the premises of a user to the sewerage facilities.

3.

Beneficial Uses. Uses of the waters of the County or State which may, or do require protection against quality degradation thereof, including, but not necessarily limited to, waters used for domestic, municipal, agricultural, industrial, power generation, recreation, aesthetic enjoyment, or navigation purposes, or for the preservation and enhancement of fish, wildlife or other aquatic resources or reserves, and such other uses, both tangible or intangible, as are or may be specified by federal or state law as beneficial uses.

4.

Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors of the County.

5.

Charge. A rental or other charge established pursuant to this chapter for services and facilities furnished by a District to any premises in connection with the operation of the sewerage facilities.

6.

County. The County of San Mateo, a political subdivision of the State of California.

7.

Compatible Pollutant. Biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, pH and fecal coliform bacteria, additional pollutants identified in a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, (NPDES) permit, and such other pollutants as may be designated by the County Engineer upon a finding by him that such pollutants are substantially treated and removed by the sewerage facilities.

8.

Contamination. An impairment of the quality of the waters of the County or State by waste to a degree which creates a hazard to the public health. Contamination shall include any equivalent effect resulting from the disposal of wastewater whether or not waters of the County or State are affected thereby.

9.

Director of Public Works. The Director of Public Works of the County, his duly authorized representative, or any other person or persons designated by written agreement by and between said person or persons and the County and/or Director of Public Works.

10.

Holding Tank Waste. Any waste from sewage or waste disposal holding tanks such as are associated with vessels, chemical toilets, campers, trailers, septic tanks, and vacuum pump tank trucks.

11.

Incompatible Pollutant. Any pollutant which is not a compatible pollutant.

12.

Major Contributing Industry. Any wastewater contributor identified in the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual, prepared and published by the Executive Office of Management and Budget of the United States, classified within divisions, A, B, D, E, and I therein, the wastewater of which has any one or more of the following characteristics:

(1)

a discharge flow of 50,000 gallons or more per average work day (if seasonal, the average shall be based upon the seasonal discharge); (2) a flow or pollutant loading greater than five percent of the design capacity of the sewerage treatment facilities; (3) toxic pollutants in amounts defined in standards issued pursuant to section 307(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (Public Law 92-500; 33 U.S.C. section 1151, et seq.); or (4) a significant impact (determined by the County Engineer), either individually or in combination with other contributing industries, on the sewerage facilities, or upon the quality of effluent from the sewerage facilities.

13.

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

14.

Person. Any individual, firm, company, partnership, association, private corporation, public corporation, or governmental entity, authority, or agency, and the officers, agents, or employees of such organizations.

15.

Pollution. An alteration of the quality of the waters of the County or State by waste to a degree which unreasonably affects such waters for any beneficial use or affects facilities serving such beneficial use. The term pollution may also include contamination.

16.

Premises. A parcel of land, or portion thereof, including any improvements thereon, which is directly or indirectly connected to the sewerage facilities for purposes of receiving, using, and paying for service, or other purposes of relating to the sewerage facilities, by an individual user. Each dwelling unit of a duplex, apartment, or any other multi-family residence shall be deemed a separate premise. Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b)(15), the Director of Public Works shall determine what constitutes a premise.

17.

Reclaimed Water. Water which, as a result of treatment of waste, is suitable for direct beneficial use, or a restricted beneficial use, which would not otherwise occur but for such treatment.

18.

Requirement of Law or, "other requirements of law", means any pertinent provision of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as amended by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (Public Law 92-500, 33 U.S.C. section 1151 et seq.), or of any statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, directive, or of the County or Authority's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, or any amendments thereto.

19.

Sewerage Facilities. Any or all devices, facilities, equipment, improvements or systems owned or used by the County or the Authority in the collection, storage, treatment, recycling, reclamation, or disposal of wastes or wastewater, including interceptor sewers, outfall sewers, or lines, sewage collection systems, pumps, power plants, treatment plants, recycling or reclamation plants, and other equipment and appurtenances thereto; extensions, improvements, remodeling, modifications, additions or alterations thereof; chemicals, materials, or supplies used in connection therewith; or any other facilities, including land and improvements thereof, which are an integral part of the treatment process of the County or the Authority, or which are used for ultimate disposal of residues, effluent, or discharges, resulting from such treatment, or any other method or system for preventing, abating, reducing, storing, treating, separating or disposing of wastes or wastewater, including storm water runoff, industrial wastes, domestic wastes, or any combination thereof.

20.

Unpolluted Water. Water to which no constituent has been added, either intentionally or accidentally, which would render such water unacceptable to the County or Authority for disposal to storm or natural drainages, or directly to surface waters.

21.

User. Any person who discharges, causes or permits the discharge of wastewater into the sewerage facilities.

22.

User Classification. A classification of users based upon classifications set forth in the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual, 1972 edition, prepared and published by the Executive Office of Management and Budget of the United States.

23.

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

24.

Wastewater. Waste and water, whether treated or untreated, discharged into, or permitted to enter into the sewerage facilities.

25.

Wastewater Constituents and Characteristics. The individual chemical, physical, bacteriological and radiological parameters, including volume and flow rate, and such other parameters that serve to define, classify or measure the contents, quality, quantity, or strength of wastewater.

26.

Waters of the County or State. Any water, whether surface, underground, and whether saline or non-saline, within the boundaries of the County, or within the boundaries of the County and flowing into, touching, or otherwise combined with waters outside the limits of the County but within the boundaries of the State.

27.

Pass Through. The discharge of pollutants through the sewage facilities into navigable waters in quantities or concentrations which cause or significantly contribute to violation of Authority's NPDES permit.

28.

Interference. An inhibition or disruption of the sewerage facilities, their treatment processes or operations, or their sludge processes, use or disposal which causes or significantly contributes to either a violation of the Authority's NPDES permit or to the prevention of sewage sludge or disposed by the Authority in accordance with applicable state and federal statutory provisions and regulations or permits issued thereunder.

(Prior code § 4151.1; Ord. 2415, 02/25/77; Ord. 2897, 06/12/84; Ord. 3308, 03/12/91)