Pennsylvania Code › Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Part I - Department of Environmental Protection › Subpart C - Protection of Natural Resources › Article I - Land Resources › Chapter 73 - STANDARDS FOR ONLOT SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITIES › GENERAL › Section 73.1 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
The following words and terms, when used in this
						  chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
						  otherwise:
Absorption area
-A component of an
						  individual or community sewage system where liquid from a treatment tank seeps
						  into the soil; it consists of an aggregate-filled area containing piping for
						  the distribution of liquid and the soil or sand/soil combination located
						  beneath the aggregate.
Act
-The Pennsylvania Sewage
						  Facilities Act (35 P. S. §§
													750.1-750.20).
Aggregate
-Coarse material
						  manufactured from stone, gravel or slag, having Type B characteristics as
						  described in Department of Transportation specifications, Form 408, section
						  703.3, Table B and uniform size
						  and grading equivalent to American Association of State Highway and
						  Transportation Officials No. 57, as described in Form 408, section 703.3, 2
						  Table C.
Agricultural areas
-Areas used
						  primarily for the production of crops and where the soil is without vegetative
						  cover during certain periods of the year.
Alternate sewage system
-A method of
						  demonstrated onlot sewage treatment and disposal not described in this
						  part.
Bonded disposal system
-An individual
						  sewage system located on a single lot serving a single family residence, where
						  soil mottling is within 20 inches of the mineral soil surface, the
						  installation, operation and replacement of which is guaranteed by the property
						  owner.
Building sewer
-Piping carrying liquid
						  wastes from a building to the treatment tank or holding tank.
Buried sand filter
-A system of piping,
						  sand media, aggregate and collection piping in a buried liner used for the
						  intermittent filtration and biochemical treatment of sewage.
Clean Streams Law
-The Clean Streams
						  Law (35 P. S. §§
													691.1-691.1001).
Conventional sewage system
-A system
						  employing the use of demonstrated onlot sewage treatment and disposal
						  technology in a manner specifically recognized by this chapter. The term does
						  not include alternate or experimental sewage systems.
Dosing pump
-The pump housed in a
						  dosing tank which provides a measured volume of sewage effluent to the
						  pressurized distribution system in an absorption area.
Experimental sewage system
-A method
						  of onlot sewage treatment and disposal not described in this title which is
						  proposed for the purpose of testing and observation.
Filter tank
-The tank housing the
						  piping and sand of the free access sand filter.
Forested areas
-Areas where the
						  predominant vegetative cover is comprised of trees with a closed canopy.
Free access sand filter
-An accessible
						  system of tanks, dose piping, sand media, aggregate and collection piping used
						  for the intermittent filtration and biochemical treatment of sewage.
Geotextile
-Material consisting of mesh
						  polypropylene, polyester, nylon or similar material, used to prevent migration
						  of fine aggregate into coarser aggregate.
Grassed area
-An area where the
						  predominant vegetative cover is comprised of grasses, bushes or trees not
						  forming a closed canopy.
Individual residential spray irrigation
						  system
-An individual sewage system which serves a single dwelling and
						  which treats and disposes of sewage using a system of piping, treatment tanks
						  and soil renovation through spray irrigation.
Individual sewage system
-A system of
						  piping, tanks or other facilities serving a single lot and collecting and
						  disposing of sewage in whole or in part into the soil or into waters of this
						  Commonwealth or by means of conveyance to another site for final
						  disposal.
Industrial waste
-A liquid, gaseous,
						  radioactive, solid or other substance, which is not sewage, resulting from
						  manufacturing or industry or other plant or works and mine drainage, silt, coal
						  mine solids, rock, debris, dirt and clay from coal mines, coal collieries,
						  breakers or other coal processing operations. The term includes substances
						  whether or not generally characterized as waste.
Lift pump
-A submersible pump used to
						  convey effluent to the sand filter and from the sand filter to the
						  chlorine/retention tank.
Municipality
-A city, incorporated
						  town, township, borough or home rule municipality other than a county.
NSF
-National Sanitation
						  Foundation.
Official plan
-A comprehensive plan
						  for the provision of adequate sewage systems adopted by a municipality
						  possessing authority over the provision of the systems and submitted to and
						  approved by the Department as provided by the act and Chapter 71 (relating to
						  administration of sewage facilities program).
Person
-The term includes an
						  individual; association; public or private corporation for-profit or
						  not-for-profit; partnership; firm; trust; estate; department; board; bureau or
						  agency of the United States or the Commonwealth; political subdivision;
						  municipality; district; authority; or other legal entity which is recognized by
						  law as the subject of rights and duties. The term includes the members of an
						  association, partnership or firm and the officers of a local agency or
						  municipal, public or private corporation for-profit or not-for-profit.
Qualified registered professional
						  engineer
-A person registered to practice engineering in this
						  Commonwealth who has experience in the characterization, classification,
						  mapping and interpretation of soils as they relate to the function of onlot
						  sewage disposal systems.
Qualified registered professional
						  geologist
-A person registered to practice geology in this Commonwealth
						  who has experience in the characterization, classification, mapping and
						  interpretation of soils as they relate to the function of onlot sewage disposal
						  systems.
Qualified soil scientist
-A person
						  certified as a sewage enforcement officer and who has documented 2 years'
						  experience in the characterization, classification, mapping and interpretation
						  of soils as they relate to the function of onlot sewage disposal systems and
						  either a Bachelor of Science Degree in soils science from an accredited college
						  or university or certification by the American Registry of Certified
						  Professionals in Agronomy, Crops and Soils.
Retaining tank
-A watertight receptacle
						  which receives and retains sewage and is designed and constructed to facilitate
						  ultimate disposal of the sewage at another site. The term includes the
						  following:
(i)
Chemical
						toilet.
A permanent or portable nonflushing toilet using chemical
						treatment in the retaining tank for odor control.
(ii)
Holding tank.
A tank,
						whether permanent or temporary, to which sewage is conveyed by a water-carrying
						system.
(iii)
Privy.
A tank designed to receive sewage where water under
						pressure is not available.
(iv)
Incinerating toilet.
A device capable of reducing waste
						materials to ashes.
(v)
Composting toilet.
A device for holding and processing human
						and organic kitchen waste employing the process of biological degradation
						through the action of microorganisms to produce a stable, humus-like
						material.
(vi)
Recycling
						toilet.
A device in which the flushing medium is restored to a
						condition suitable for reuse in flushing.
Sewage
-A substance that contains the
						  waste products or excrement or other discharge from the bodies of human beings
						  or animals; a substance harmful to the public health, to animal or aquatic life
						  or to the use of water for domestic water supply or for recreation; or a
						  substance which constitutes pollution under The Clean Streams Law.
Sewage enforcement officer
-An official
						  of the local agency who reviews permit applications and sewage facilities
						  planning modules and issues permits as authorized by the act and conducts the
						  investigations and inspections that are necessary to implement the act and
						  regulations thereunder.
Sewage facilities
-A system of sewage
						  collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal which will prevent the discharge
						  of untreated or inadequately treated sewage or other waste into waters of this
						  Commonwealth or otherwise provide for the safe and sanitary treatment and
						  disposal of sewage or other waste. The term includes:
(i)
Individual sewage
						system
-A system of piping, tanks or other facilities serving a single
						lot and collecting and disposing of sewage in whole or in part into the soil or
						into waters of this Commonwealth or by means of conveyance to another site for
						final disposal.
(A)
Individual onlot
						sewage system
-An individual sewage system which uses a system of
						piping, tanks or other facilities for collecting, treating or disposing of
						sewage into a soil absorption area or spray field or by retention in a
						retaining tank.
(B)
Individual sewerage system
-An individual sewage system which
						uses a method of sewage collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal other
						than renovation in a soil absorption area, or retention in a retaining
						tank.