DAR File No. 37366

Environmental Quality, Water Quality

Section R317-1-1

Definitions

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 37366
Filed: 02/28/2013 12:20:38 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

Four definitions were added to support the concurrent changes related to biological water quality assessment criteria at Section R317-2-7. The numbering for the individual definitions was deleted to avoid having to change references throughout the water quality rules when a definition is added or deleted.

Summary of the rule or change:

Definitions were added for biological assessment, biological criteria, human-induced stressor, and use attainability analysis. The numbers for each definition in the section were deleted.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 19-5-105
• Federal Clean Water Act Chapter 26 Sec. 1251, 1311
• Section 19-5-110

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

No impact to state budget is anticipated. The proposed amendments add four definitions that do not add any requirements or cause actions that would affect the state budget.

local governments:

No impact to local government is anticipated. The proposed amendments add four definitions that do not add any requirements or cause actions that would affect local governments.

small businesses:

No impacts to small businesses are anticipated. The proposed amendments add four definitions that do not add any requirements or cause actions that would affect small businesses.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

No impacts to other persons are anticipated. The proposed amendments add four definitions that do not add any requirements or cause actions that would affect other persons.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

The proposed amendments add four definitions that do not add any requirements or cause actions that would affect compliance costs for affected persons.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

Four definitions were added to support the concurrent changes related to biological water quality assessment criteria at Section R317-2-7. The proposed amendments do not add any requirements or cause actions that would have a fiscal impact on businesses.

Amanda Smith, Executive Director, DEQ

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Environmental Quality
Water QualityRoom DEQ, Third Floor
195 N 1950 W
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Dave Wham at the above address, by phone at 801-536-4337, by FAX at 801-536-4301, or by Internet E-mail at [email protected]

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

04/15/2013

Interested persons may attend a public hearing regarding this rule:

• 04/03/2013 06:00 PM, Multi-State Office Building, 195 N 1950 W, Room 1015, Salt Lake City, UT

This rule may become effective on:

04/22/2013

Authorized by:

Walter Baker, Director

R317. Environmental Quality, Water Quality.

R317-1. Definitions and General Requirements.

R317-1-1. Definitions.

[1.1] "Assimilative Capacity" means the difference between the numeric criteria and the concentration in the waterbody of interest where the concentration is less than the criterion.

"Biological assessment" means an evaluation of the biological condition of a water body using biological surveys and other direct measurements of composition or condition of the resident living organisms.

"Biological criteria" means numeric values or narrative descriptions that are established to protect the biological condition of the aquatic life inhabiting waters that have been given a certain designated aquatic life use.

[1.2] "Board" means the Utah Water Quality Board.

[1.3] "BOD" means 5-day, 20 degrees C. biochemical oxygen demand.

[1.4] "Body Politic" means the State or its agencies or any political subdivision of the State to include a county, city, town, improvement district, taxing district or any other governmental subdivision or public corporation of the State.

[1.5] "Building sewer" means the pipe which carries wastewater from the building drain to a public sewer, a wastewater disposal system or other point of disposal. It is synonymous with "house sewer".

[1.6] "CBOD" means 5-day, 20 degrees C., carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand.

[1.7] "COD" means chemical oxygen demand.

[1.8] "Deep well" means a drinking water supply source which complies with all the applicable provisions of the State of Utah Public Drinking Water Regulations.

[1.9] "Digested sludge" means sludge in which the volatile solids content has been reduced to about 50% by a suitable biological treatment process.

[1.10] "Division" means the Utah State Division of Water Quality.

[1.11] "Domestic wastewater" means a combination of the liquid or water-carried wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions, and other establishments with installed plumbing facilities, together with those from industrial establishments, and with such ground water, surface water, and storm water as may be present. It is synonymous with the term "sewage".

[1.12] "Effluent" means the liquid discharge from any unit of a wastewater treatment works, including a septic tank.

[1.13] "Existing Uses" means those uses actually attained in a water body on or after November 28, 1975, whether or not they are included in the water quality standards.

"Human-induced stressor" means perturbations directly or indirectly caused by humans that alter the components, patterns, and/or processes of an ecosystem.

[1.14] "Human pathogens" means specific causative agents of disease in humans such as bacteria or viruses.

[1.15] "Industrial wastes" means the liquid wastes from industrial processes as distinct from wastes derived principally from dwellings, business buildings, institutions and the like. It is synonymous with the term "industrial wastewater".

[1.16] "Influent" means the total wastewater flow entering a wastewater treatment works.

[1.17] "Great Salt Lake impounded wetland" means wetland ponds which have been formed by dikes or berms to control and retain the flow of freshwater sources in the immediate proximity of Great Salt Lake.

[1.18] "Large underground wastewater disposal system" means the same type of device as an onsite wastewater system except that it is designed to handle more than 5,000 gallons per day of domestic wastewater, or wastewater that originates in multiple dwellings, commercial establishments, recreational facilities, schools, or any other underground wastewater disposal system not covered under the definition of an onsite wastewater system. The Board controls the installation of such systems.

[1.19] "Onsite wastewater system" means an underground wastewater disposal system for domestic wastewater which is designed for a capacity of 5,000 gallons per day or less and is not designed to serve multiple dwelling units which are owned by separate owners except condominiums and twin homes. It usually consists of a building sewer, a septic tank and an absorption system.

[1.20] "Operating Permit" is a State issued permit issued to any wastewater treatment works covered under Rules R317-3 or R317-5 with the following exceptions:

A. Any wastewater treatment permitted under Ground Water Quality Protection R317-6.

B. Any wastewater treatment permitted under Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program R317-7.

C. Any wastewater treatment permitted under Utah Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (UPDES) R317-8.

D. Any wastewater treatment permitted under Approvals and Permits for a Water Reuse Project R317-13.

E. Any wastewater treatment permitted by a Local Health Department under Onsite Wastewater Systems R317-4.

[1.21] "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, company, or body politic, including any agency or instrumentality of the United States government (Section 19-1-103).

[1.22] "Point source" means any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating craft from which pollutants are or may be discharged. This term does not include return flow from irrigated agriculture.

[1.23] "Pollution" means such contamination, or other alteration of the physical, chemical, or biological properties of any waters of the state, or such discharge of any liquid, gaseous or solid substance into any waters of the state as will create a nuisance or render such waters harmful or detrimental or injurious to public health, safety or welfare, or to domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational, or other legitimate beneficial uses, or to livestock, wild animals, birds, fish or other aquatic life.

[1.24] "Sewage" is synonymous with the term "domestic wastewater".

[1.25] "Shallow well" means a well providing a source of drinking water which does not meet the requirements of a "deep well".

[1.26] "Sludge" means the accumulation of solids which have settled from wastewater. As initially accumulated, and prior to treatment, it is known as "raw sludge".

[1.27] "SS" means suspended solids.

[1.28] Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) means the maximum amount of a particular pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet state water quality standards, and an allocation of that amount to the pollutant's sources.

[1.29] "Treatment works" means any plant, disposal field, lagoon, dam, pumping station, incinerator, or other works used for the purpose of treating, stabilizing or holding wastes. (Section 19-5-102).

[1.30] "TSS" means total suspended solids.

[1.31] "Underground Wastewater Disposal System" means a system for underground disposal of domestic wastewater. It includes onsite wastewater systems and large underground wastewater disposal systems.

"Use Attainability Analysis" means a structured scientific assessment of the factors affecting the attainment of the uses specified in Section 101(a) (2) of the Clean Water Act. The factors to be considered in such an analysis include the physical, chemical, biological, and economic use removal criteria as' described in 40 CFR 131.10(g) (1-6).

[1.32] "Wastes" means dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water. (Section 19-5-102).

[1.33] "Wastewater" means sewage, industrial waste or other liquid substances which might cause pollution of waters of the state. Intercepted ground water which is uncontaminated by wastes is not included.

[1.34] "Waters of the state" means all streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, water-courses, waterways, wells, springs, irrigation systems, drainage systems, and all other bodies or accumulations of water, surface and underground, natural or artificial, public or private, which are contained within, flow through, or border upon this state or any portion thereof, except that bodies of water confined to and retained within the limits of private property, and which do not develop into or constitute a nuisance, or a public health hazard, or a menace to fish and wildlife, shall not be considered to be "waters of the state" under this definition (Section 19-5-102).

 

KEY: water pollution, waste disposal, industrial waste, effluent standards

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [September 26, 2012]2013

Notice of Continuation: October 2, 2012

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 19-5