62-520.200. Definitions for Ground Water

(1) “Acute Toxicity” shall have the same meaning as provided in subsection 62-302.200(1), F.A.C.

(2) “Aquifer” means a geologic formation, group of formations, or part of a formation capable of yielding a significant amount of ground water to wells, springs or surface water.

(3) “Background” means the condition of waters in the absence of the activity or discharge under consideration, based on the best scientific information available to the Department.

(4) “Commission” means the Environmental Regulation Commission.

(5) “Confined Aquifer” means an aquifer bounded above and below by impermeable beds or by beds of distinctly lower permeability than that of the aquifer itself.

(6) “Department” means the Department of Environmental Protection.

(7) “Designated Use” means the present and future most beneficial use of a body of water as designated by the Environmental Regulation Commission by means of the classification system contained in this chapter.

(8) “Effluent” means either domestic effluent or industrial effluent and has the same definition as effluent in Rule 62-600.200 or 62-660.200, F.A.C.

(9) “Effluent Limitation” means any restriction established by the Department on quantities, rates or concentrations of chemical, physical, biological or other constituents that are discharged from sources into waters of the State.

(10) “Existing Installation” means, for the purposes of this chapter, any installation which had filed a complete application for a  water discharge permit on or before January 1, 1983, or which submitted a ground water monitoring plan no later than six months after the date required for that type of installation as listed in former Rule 17-4.245, F.A.C. (1983), and a plan was subsequently approved by the Department; or which was in fact an installation reasonably expected to release contaminants into the ground water on or before July 1, 1982, and operated consistently with statutes and rules relating to ground water discharge in effect at the time of the operation.

(a) The chart in paragraph (b) below contains the types of discharge and the dates in former Rule 17-4.245, F.A.C. (1983), by which a written ground water monitoring plan was required to be submitted to the Department.

(b) Monitoring Plan Deadlines:

Organic Waste January 1983

Inorganic WasteApril 1983

Landfills (domestic and industrial) May 1983

Industrial Septic TanksAugust 1983

Pulp and PaperAugust 1983

Phosphogypsum Stacks and PondsSeptember 1983

LaundriesOctober 1983

Oil and Gas ProducersDecember 1983

CitrusDecember 1983

Food and BeveragesJanuary 1984

Domestic WasteFebruary 1984

Power PlantsFebruary 1984

Mining and MaterialsMarch 1984

OthersMarch 1984

(11) “Extractable Semivolatile Organics” means any number of synthetic organic compounds that are isolated using an organic solvent and analyzed by chromatographic techniques (gas or liquid).

(12) “Ground Water” means water beneath the surface of the ground within a zone of saturation, whether or not flowing through known and definite channels.

(13) “Installation” means any structure, equipment, facility, or appurtenances thereto, operation or activity that may be a source of pollution.

(14) “Natural Background” means the condition of waters in the absence of man-induced alterations based on the best scientific information available to the Department. The establishment of natural background may be based on historical pre-alteration data.

(15) “Pollution” means the presence in the outdoor atmosphere or waters of the state of any substances, contaminants, noise, or man-made or man-induced alteration of the chemical, physical, biological or radiological integrity of air or water in quantities or levels which are or may be potentially harmful or injurious to human health or welfare, animal or plant life, or property, including outdoor recreation.

(16) “Reclaimed water” means the same as defined in Rule 62-600.200, F.A.C.

(17) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department.

(18) “Single Source Aquifer” means an aquifer or a portion of an aquifer which, pursuant to subsections 62-520.410(5) and (6), F.A.C., is determined by the Commission to be the only reasonably available source of potable water to a significant segment of the population.

(19) “Site” means the area within an installation’s property boundary where wastes or reclaimed water are released or applied to the ground water.

(20) “Spring” means a point where ground water emerges onto the earth’s surface, including under any surface water of the state, excluding seeps. The term “spring” shall include karst windows, a depression opening that reveals portions of a subterranean flow or the unroofed portion of a cave.

(21) “Surface Water” means water upon the surface of the earth, whether contained in bounds created naturally or artificially or diffused. Water from natural springs shall be classified as surface water when it exits from the spring onto the earth’s surface.

(22) “Unconfined Aquifer” means an aquifer that has a water table.

(23) “Volatile Organics” means any number of compounds listed in analytical methods that use a purge and trap technique for sample introduction.

(24) “Wastes” means sewage, industrial wastes, and all other liquid, gaseous, solid, radioactive, or other substances that may pollute or tend to pollute any waters of the State.

(25) “Waters” include, but are not limited to, rivers, lakes, streams, springs, impoundments, and all other waters or bodies of water, including fresh, brackish, saline, tidal, surface or underground waters. Waters owned entirely by one person other than the state are included only in regard to possible discharge on other property or water. Underground waters include, but are not limited to, all underground waters passing through pores of rock or soils or flowing through in channels, whether manmade or natural.

(26) “Water Table” means the upper surface of a zone of saturation, where the body of ground water is not confined by an overlying impermeable zone.

(27) “Zone of Discharge” means a volume underlying or surrounding the site and extending to the base of a specifically designated aquifer or aquifers, within which an opportunity for the treatment, mixture or dispersion of wastes into receiving ground water is afforded.

(28) “Zone of Saturation” means a subsurface zone in which all of the interstices are filled with water.

Rulemaking Authority 403.061 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.031, 403.061 FS. History–New 9-8-92, Amended 4-14-94, Formerly 17-520.200, Amended 7-12-09.