62-600.200. Definitions

Terms used in this chapter shall have the meanings specified below.

(1) “Ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N)” means the quantity of elemental nitrogen present in water or wastewater as ammonia (NH3), expressed as elemental nitrogen, N, as determined using approved methods.

(2) “Annual average daily flow (AADF)” means the arithmetic mean of the 12 monthly average daily flows calculated during any consecutive 12-month period, expressed in units of mgd.

(3) “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.

(4) “Approved methods” means sampling and laboratory testing methods conducted in accordance with Rule 62-4.246, Part IV of this chapter; Chapter 62-160, and paragraph 62-620.100(3)(j), F.A.C., as appropriate.

(5) “Arithmetic mean” means the value computed by dividing the sum of a set of terms by the number of terms.

(6) “Average daily flow (ADF)” means the total volume of wastewater flowing into a wastewater facility during some defined period of time, divided by the number of days in that period of time, expressed in units of mgd.

(7) “Biosolids” means the solid, semisolid, or liquid residue generated during the treatment of domestic wastewater as defined in Chapter 62-640, F.A.C. Not included is the treated effluent or reclaimed water from a domestic wastewater treatment plant.

(8) “Carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5)” means the quantity of oxygen utilized in the carbonaceous biochemical oxidation of organic matter present in water or wastewater, reported as a five-day value determined using approved methods.

(9) “Chloride” means the negatively charged chloride ion (Cl-) in water or wastewater, as determined using approved methods.

(10) “Coastal recreation waters” means those waters defined in 40 C.F.R. 131.41(b).

(11) “Coastal waters” means all estuarine, gulf, or ocean waters which are not classified as open ocean waters.

(12) “Collection/transmission systems” means sewers, pipelines, conduits, pumping stations, force mains, and all other facilities used for collection and transmission of wastewater from individual service connections to facilities intended for the purpose of providing treatment prior to release to the environment.

(13) “Composite sample” means a single sample that is a combination of individual sub-samples of wastewater, effluent, or reclaimed water taken at selected intervals, usually based on time or flow volumes, to minimize the effect of the variability of the individual sub-samples.

(14) “Department” means the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

(15) “DOH” means the State of Florida Department of Health.

(16) “Design capacity” means the average daily flow projected for the design year which serves as the basis for the sizing and design of the wastewater facilities. The design capacity is established by the permit applicant. The time frame associated with the design capacity (e.g., annual average daily flow, monthly average daily flow, three-month average daily flow) shall be specified by the permit applicant.

(17) “Developed areas” means areas in or adjacent to residential, commercial, or residentially or commercially-zoned areas.

(18) “Disinfection” means the selective destruction of pathogens in wastewater effluents, reclaimed water, and biosolids.

(19) “Disposal system” means injection wells, effluent outfalls, land application systems, and other facilities utilized for the release of effluents into the environment.

(20) “District office” means the regional district offices of the Department.

(21) “Domestic wastewater” means wastewater derived principally from dwellings, business buildings, institutions, and the like, commonly referred to as sanitary wastewater or sewage. Where industrial wastewater is combined with domestic wastewater for treatment, the determination of whether or not the wastewater treatment plant is designated as “domestic” shall be made by the Department considering any or all of the following: biosolids classification; whether wastewaters have been pretreated or contain constituents within 50-150%, by concentration, of typical domestic wastewater; and whether the permittee, when not required to provide more stringent or otherwise specific levels of treatment, can provide assurance of facility compliance with domestic wastewater treatment standards contained in this chapter.

(22) “Effluent,” unless specifically stated otherwise, means water that is not reused after flowing out of any plant or other works used for the purpose of treating, stabilizing, or holding wastes.

(23) “Effluent limitation” means the same as defined in Section 403.031(3), F.S.

(24) “Fecal coliforms” means members of the coliform group capable of producing gas from lactose at 44.5º C, as determined using approved methods.

(25) “Flow” shall mean the following:

(a) For wastewater facilities having a permitted capacity of 100,000 gallons per day or greater, flow values obtained from recording flow meters and totalizers, calibrated at least once every 12 months; and,

(b) For wastewater facilities having a permitted capacity of less than 100,000 gallons per day, flow values obtained by one of the following methods:

1. Elapsed time measurements on pumps where pumps are responsible for the flow and where the pumping rate is calibrated at least once every 12 months,

2. Consumptive water use measurements based upon written approval by the Department where elapsed time measurement on pumps cannot be made,

3. Flow meters and weirs, calibrated at least once every 12 months, or

4. Other means using established engineering techniques.

(26) “Geometric mean” means that nth root of the product of n numbers.

(27) “Grab sample” means a single sample of wastewater, effluent, or reclaimed water.

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

(29) “Holding pond” means a storage tank or artificial impoundment or pond constructed above, on, below, or partly below the ground surface that is designed and maintained to store a specific volume of fluid and minimize fluid losses other than those primarily occurring by evaporation; generally, holding ponds are not intended to provide a mechanism for pollutant reduction. When used in conjunction with rapid-rate land application systems or other systems described in Chapter 62-610, F.A.C., holding ponds can also provide a mechanism to accomplish nitrogen reduction.

(30) “Industrial wastewater” means the same as defined in Rule 62-620.200, F.A.C.

(31) “Infiltration” means groundwater that enters a collection/transmission system, including service connections, through defective pipes, pipe joints, connections, service connections, manholes, or pump stations. Infiltration does not include, and is distinguished from inflow. Infiltration is generally observed during seasonally high ground water conditions.

(32) “Inflow” means surface water and stormwater that enters a collection/transmission system, including service connections, from sources such as roof leaders, cellar drains, yard drains, area drains, drains from wet areas, foundation drains, cross connections between storm sewers and sanitary sewers, catch basins, stormwater, surface rounoff, manhole covers, or drainage. Inflow does not include permitted industrial discharges into the collection system or the intentional introduction of water into a collection system to supplement reclaimed water supplies. Inflow does not include, and is distinguished from, infiltration. Inflow is generally observed during wet weather as well as in coastal communities during some high tide flooding events.

(33) “Land application” means the reuse of reclaimed water or the disposal of effluent on, above, or into the surface of the ground through spray irrigation, other irrigation techniques, rapid-rate systems, absorption fields, overland flow systems, or other methods.

(34) “Leakage” or “exfiltration” means wastewater that leaks into surrounding soil from deteriorated, poorly designed, poorly constructed, or otherwise defective collection/transmission systems including from service connections, pipes, manholes, and pump stations.

(35) “Membrane filter (MF) method” means a method for the direct enumeration of specific microorganisms resulting from the passage of an appropriate volume of water or wastewater through a membrane filter that retains the microorganisms present in the sample, using approved methods.

(36) “Modification” means any alteration, expansion, upgrade, extension, replacement of, or addition to an existing wastewater facility or activity. “Modification” does not include, and no permit revision is required for structural changes to an existing wastewater facility or activity, site or plant, that do not change the quality, nature, or quantity of the discharge of wastes or that do not cause water pollution.

(37) “Monitoring well” means a strategically located well from which ground water levels are measured or samples are withdrawn for water quality analysis.

(38) “Monthly average daily flow” means the total volume of wastewater flowing into a wastewater facility during a calendar month, divided by the number of days in that month, expressed in units of mgd.

(39) “Most probable number (MPN) method” means a method for the detection and estimation of specific microorganisms in water or wastewater samples by the multiple fermentation tube technique, as determined using approved methods.

(40) “Nitrate (NO3)” means the nitrogen content present in water or wastewater attributable to the nitrate (NO3) ion, expressed as elemental nitrogen, N, as determined using approved methods.

(41) “Nitrite (NO2)” means the nitrogen content present in water or wastewater attributable to the nitrite (NO2) ion and expressed as elemental nitrogen, N, as determined using approved methods.

(42) “Nutrients” shall mean the separately reported values of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total ammonia, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen, organic nitrogen, and ortho-phosphate.

(43) “Ocean outfall” means the outlet or structure through which effluent is finally discharged to the marine environment which includes the territorial sea, contiguous zone, and the ocean.

(44) “Onsite sewage treatment and disposal system” means an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system as defined in section 381.0065, F.S.

(45) “Open ocean waters” means all surface waters extending seaward from the most seaward natural 90-foot (15-fathom) isobath. Contour lines may be determined from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Charts.

(46) “Operator” means any person who is in onsite charge of the actual operation, supervision, and maintenance of a domestic wastewater treatment plant and includes the person in onsite charge of a shift or period of operation during any part of the day. Operator also means any person operating an electronic control system. Such persons shall be licensed in accordance with Chapter 62-602, F.A.C.

(47) “Organic nitrogen” means nitrogen chemically bound in organic molecules such as proteins, amines, and amino acids; total Kjeldahl nitrogen minus ammonia nitrogen.

(48) “Ortho-phosphate” means the inorganic phosphorus present as phosphate ions or a salt of the phosphate ion in water or wastewater as determined using approved methods.

(49) “Outfall” means the outlet, structure, or designated location through which effluent is discharged to surface water.

(50) “Pathogens” means disease-producing organisms.

(51) “Peak hourly flow (PHF)” means the average flow rate during the one-hour period of the day when wastewater flows are at a maximum, expressed in units of mgd.

(52) “Permitted capacity” means the treatment, reuse, or disposal capacity for which a facility is approved by Department permit expressed in units of mgd. The permit shall specify the time frame associated with the permitted capacity (e.g., annual average daily flow, monthly average daily flow, three-month average daily flow).

(53) “Permittee” means the owner, operator or other entity to which a permit for a wastewater facility or activity is issued by the Department. The term “permittee” shall be functionally synonymous with the terms “owner,” “contractor,” and “licensee,” but shall not include licensed individuals, such as State certified operators, unless they are the persons to whom a facility permit is issued by the Department. The term shall extend to a permit “applicant” for purposes of this chapter.

(54) “pH” means the negative common logarithm of the hydrogen-ion activity in moles per liter, as determined using approved methods.

(55) “Pollution” means the same as defined in Section 403.031(7), F.S.

(56) “Preapplication treatment” means that level of treatment provided prior to application of reclaimed water or effluent to a land application system.

(57) “Reclaimed water,” except as specifically provided in Chapter 62-610, F.A.C., means water that has received at least secondary treatment and basic disinfection and is reused after flowing out of a domestic wastewater treatment facility.

(58) “Reuse” means the deliberate application of reclaimed water, in compliance with Department and Water Management District rules, for a beneficial purpose. Criteria used to classify projects as “reuse” or “effluent disposal” are contained in Rule 62-610.810, F.A.C.

(59) “Sanitary sewer lateral” means a privately-owned pipeline connecting a property to the main sewer line which is maintained and repaired by the property owner.

(60) “Sanitary sewer overflow” means any overflow, spill, release, discharge, or diversion of wastewater from a domestic wastewater collection/transmission system.

(61) “Satellite collection system” means a collection/transmission system owned or operated by an entity other than the entity that owns the wastewater treatment facility.

(62) “Secondary treatment” means wastewater treatment to a level that will achieve the effluent limitations specified in Rule 62-600.420, F.A.C.

(63) “Secretary” means the same as defined in Section 403.803(12), F.S.

(64) “Septic system” means a system that contains a standard subsurface, filled, or mound drainfield system; a septic tank; a pump tank; or a solids or effluent pump that is installed or proposed to be installed beyond the building sewer on land of the owner or on other land to which the owner has the legal right to install a system. The term includes any item placed within, or intended to be used as part of or in conjunction with, the system.

(65) “Surface water” means surface water as defined in Section 373.019(21), F.S.

(66) “Technology -based effluent limitation (TBEL)” means a minimum treatment requirement, established by the Department, based on treatment technology. The minimum treatment requirements may be set at levels more stringent than that which is necessary to meet water quality standards of the receiving water body as set out specifically in other sections of this chapter.

(67) “Three-month average daily flow” means the arithmetic mean of the three monthly average daily flows calculated during any consecutive three-month period, expressed in units of mgd.

(68) “Total ammonia” means the sum of nitrogen content present as un-ionized ammonia (NH3) and the nitrogen content present as ammonium (NH4+), expressed as elemental nitrogen, N, as determined using approved methods.

(69) “Total chlorine residual” means the chlorine remaining in water or wastewater at the end of a specific contact period as combined and free chlorine, measured analytically by approved methods as combined chlorine residual.

(70) “Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN)” means the sum of ammonia nitrogen and organic nitrogen compounds in water or wastewater, expressed as elemental nitrogen, N, as determined using approved methods.

(71) “Total nitrogen (TN)” means the total content of the nitrogen species of organic nitrogen, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite present in water or wastewater expressed as elemental nitrogen, N, as determined using approved methods.

(72) “Total phosphorus (TP)” means the total phosphate content of water or wastewater including all of the orthophosphates and condensed phosphates, both soluble and insoluble, and organic and inorganic species and expressed as elemental phosphorus, P, as determined using approved methods.

(73) “Total suspended solids (TSS)” means solids that either float on the surface of, or are suspended in, water or wastewater; the quantity of material removed from a sample in a laboratory test referred to as nonfiltrable residue, as determined using approved methods.

(74) “Treatment” means any method, technique, or process which changes the physical, chemical, or biological character or composition of wastewater and thereby reduces its potential for polluting waters of the state.

(75) “Treatment plant” means the same as domestic wastewater treatment plant as defined in Section 403.866(2), F.S.

(76) “Type I facility” means a wastewater facility having a permitted capacity of 500,000 gallons per day or greater.

(77) “Type II facility” means a wastewater facility having a permitted capacity of 100,000 up to but not including 500,000 gallons per day.

(78) “Type III facility” means a wastewater facility having a permitted capacity of over 2,000 up to but not including 100,000 gallons per day.

(79) “Underground injection” means effluent disposal or reuse by well injection into underground geologic formations.

(80) “Wastes” means the same as defined in Section 403.031(12), F.S.

(81) “Wastewater” means the combination of liquid and water-carried pollutants from residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions together with any ground water, surface runoff or leachate that may be present.

(82) “Wastewater facility” or “facility” means any facility which discharges wastes into waters of the State or which can reasonably be expected to be a source of water pollution and includes any or all of the following: the collection and transmission system, the wastewater treatment works, the reuse or disposal system, and the biosolids management facility.

(83) “Waters” means the same as defined in Section 403.031(13), F.S.

(84) “Water hammer” means a dynamic pressure caused by the sudden transformation of kinetic energy to pressure energy when a liquid flowing full in a pipeline is abruptly stopped.

(85) “Water quality -based effluent limitation (WQBEL)” means an effluent limitation, which may be more stringent than a technology -based effluent limitation, that has been determined necessary by the Department to ensure that water quality standards in a receiving body of water will not be violated.

(86) “Water quality standards” means standards composed of designated present and future most beneficial uses (classification of waters), the numerical and narrative criteria applied to the specific water uses or classification, the Florida anti-degradation policy, and the moderating provisions contained in Chapters 62-4 and 62-302, F.A.C., adopted pursuant to Chapter 403, F.S.

(87) “Zone of mixing” or “mixing zone” means a volume of surface water containing the point or area of discharge and within which an opportunity for the mixture of wastes with receiving surface waters has been afforded.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. History–New 11-27-89, Amended 1-30-91, 6-8-93, Formerly 17-600.200, Amended 12-24-96, 2-8-16, 9-27-21, 1-16-22.