Williams Municipal Code Art. 2 Definitions (CA)

13.08.070 - Definitions.¶

A. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms related to water quality shall be as adopted 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 Environment Federation. The testing procedures for waste constituents and characteristics shall be as provided in 40 CFR Part 136, or as specified. Other terms not herein defined are defined as being the same as set forth in the International Conference of Building Officials, Uniform Building Code, Current Edition, or the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, Uniform Plumbing Code, Current Edition.

B. Words used in this chapter in the singular may include the plural and the plural the singular. Use of masculine shall mean feminine and use of feminine shall mean masculine. Shall is mandatory; may is permissive or discretionary.

C. Unless a provision explicitly states otherwise, the following terms and phrases, as used in this chapter, shall have the meanings hereinafter designated:

Applicant shall mean the person or his authorized agent making application for any permit under this chapter.
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) shall mean the measure of decomposable organic material in wastewater as represented by the oxygen utilized over a period of five days at twenty degrees centigrade and as determined by the appropriate procedure in standard methods.
Building shall mean any structure used for human habitation, business or commercial activity, industry, recreation, public use, or other purpose containing sanitary facilities.
Building sewer shall mean that portion of any sewer beginning at the plumbing or drainage outlet of any building and extending to the property line.
Categorical pretreatment standards shall mean those final regulations promulgated and adopted by US EPA (as outlined in 40 CFR 403, and 40 CFR 401—471) for each Standard Industrial Classification (S.I.C.) or subcategory containing pollutant discharge limits.
Categorical user shall mean any industrial user whose process(es) are subject to categorical pretreatment standards.
Cesspool shall mean a lined excavation in the ground which receives the discharge of a sewage drainage system, or part thereof, so designed as to retain the solids and organic matter, but permitting liquids to seep through the bottom and sides. This shall also mean seepage pit.
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) shall mean the measure of chemically decomposable material in wastewater as represented by the oxygen utilized as determined by the appropriate procedure described in standard methods.
Chlorine demand shall mean the difference between the amount of chlorine added to a wastewater sample and the amount remaining at the end of a thirty-minute period as determined by the procedures given standard methods.
City administrator shall mean the city administrator of the city or his or her designee.
City shall mean the City of Williams.
City council shall mean the city council of the city.
City engineer shall mean the city engineer of the city or his or her designee.
Code of federal regulations (CFR) shall mean the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the United States Federal Register by the Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government to include but not limited to the US EPA.
Collection system shall mean the combined pipes, conduits, lift stations, pumps, manholes and other structures, above and below ground, whose purpose is to convey wastewater to the WWTP.
Compatible pollutant shall mean a combination of BOD, total suspended solids, pH, fecal coliform bacteria, plus other pollutants that the city's treatment facilities are designed to accept, treat and/or remove. Some compatible pollutants may be considered incompatible when discharged in quantities that have an adverse effect on the city's collection, treatment, disposal systems, violate the NPDES permit or waste discharge requirements, or cause interference or pass through.
Control mechanism shall mean industrial waste discharge permit, waste discharge authorization, FSE waste discharge permit, or special agreement.
Council shall mean the City Council of the City of Williams.
Discharger shall mean any person, entity or collection agency who discharges or causes a discharge of wastewater directly or indirectly to a public sewer main. Discharger shall mean the same as user.
Domestic wastewater shall mean the water-carried wastes produced from residential, noncommercial or nonindustrial activities, and small commercial operations (excluding restaurants) which only produce waste comparable to residential activity, and which result from normal human living processes.
Dwelling unit shall mean any single-family dwelling of one or more rooms having one or more plumbing fixtures suitable for residential occupancy by any number of persons living together as a single family, including single-family dwelling units, and each group of rooms constituting a dwelling unit for a single family in any multiple dwelling structure.
Effluent shall mean the liquid outflow of any facility designed to treat, convey or retain wastewater.
Garbage shall mean or includes kitchen and table refuse, offal, swill, and every accumulation of animal, vegetable, and other matter that attends the preparation, consumption, decay or dealing in the storage of meats, fish, birds, fruits, or vegetables and all broken or discarded crockery, bottles and tin vessels. Dead animals, swill, offal and other salvageable waste matter having a value shall not be included within the meaning of the word garbage.
Gravity separation interceptor shall mean any facility designed, constructed and operated for the purpose of removing and retaining dangerous, deleterious or prohibited constituents from wastewater by differential gravity separation before discharge to the public sewer.
Incompatible pollutant shall mean any pollutant which is not a compatible pollutant as defined herein.
Industrial user shall mean any discharger of industrial wastewater to the city's or a collection agency's sewer main either directly, or indirectly.
Industrial waste discharge permit shall mean the periodically renewable, revocable permission to discharge industrial wastewater to the public sewer main subject to technically based limits on wastewater constituents and characteristics.
Industrial wastewater shall mean all liquid carried wastes including, but not limited to, all wastewater from any producing, manufacturing, processing, institutional, commercial, agriculture, or other operation where the wastewater discharged contains quantities of wastes of non-human origin and excluding domestic wastewater, rainwater, groundwater, storm water, and drainage of uncontaminated water.
Inspector shall mean a person authorized by the public works director to inspect any establishment directly or indirectly discharging or anticipating discharge to a public sewer main or the WWTP.
Interceptor shall mean a device designed to provide a quiescent environment for the separation of deleterious or undesirable matter from normal wastes and permit normal sewage or liquid wastes to discharge into the public sewer main. This pretreatment is often called a trap.
Interference shall mean a discharge by a user which, alone or in conjunction with discharges by other sources, inhibits or disrupts the WWTP, its treatment processes or operations, or its sludge processes, use or disposal; and which is a cause of a violation the NPDES permit or waste discharge requirements (including an increase in the magnitude or duration of a violation), or of the prevention of sewage sludge use or disposal in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations (per 40 CFR 403.3(k)).
Local limits shall mean a set of technically based discharge limits that are developed by the city to protect the public sewer main and to prevent sludge contamination or violation of discharge requirements.
Mass emission rate shall mean the weight of material discharged to the sewer system during a given time interval. Unless otherwise specified, the mass emission rate shall mean pounds per day of particular constituent or combination of constituents.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit (NPDES permit) shall mean the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued by the State Water Resources Control Board Order No. [insert order number], as it currently exists and may hereafter be amended or reissued, and any other permit issued to the city under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
New source shall mean those sources that are new as defined by 40 CFR 403.
Notice shall mean, unless otherwise provided herein, written notice and served in person or by registered or certified mail. If served by mail, the notice shall be sent to the last address known to the public works director. Where the address is unknown, service may be made upon the owner of record of the property involved. Notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time of deposit, portage paid, in a facility serviced by the United States Postal Service.
Pass through shall mean the discharge of pollutants through the WWTP in quantities or concentrations which are a cause in whole or in part of a violation of any requirement of the NPDES permit or waste discharge requirements.
Peak flow rate shall mean the average rate at which wastewater is discharged to a public sewer during the highest thirty-minute flow period in the preceding twelve months.
Permittee shall mean a person who has applied for and received permission to discharge into the city's collection system subject to the requirements and conditions established by the city.
Person shall mean any individual, partnership, firm, association, corporation or public agency, including the State of California and the United States of America.
Pollutant shall mean any constituent or characteristic of wastewater on which a discharge limitation or prohibition may be imposed either by the city or the regulatory agencies empowered to regulate the city.
Premises shall mean any lot or parcel, or any parcel of land comprising two or more lots of record in one ownership, or any building or other structure or any part of any building or structure used or useful for human habitation or gathering or for carrying on a business or occupation or any commercial or industrial activity.
Pretreatment shall mean the reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties in wastewater to a less harmful state prior to discharge of the wastewater into a collection agency's system. The reduction or alteration may be accomplished by physical, chemical or biological process or process changes, or by other means.
Pretreatment facility shall mean any works or devices for the treatment or flow control of wastewater prior to discharge.
Pretreatment requirements shall mean any substantive or procedural requirement related to pretreatment imposed on a user, other than a pretreatment standard.
Pretreatment standard or standards shall mean prohibited discharge standards, categorical pretreatment standards, and local limits.
Private sewage disposal system shall mean a privy, septic system, cesspool, sink, drain, or similar contrivance for the purpose of wastewater disposal.
Public nuisance shall mean anything which: (1) is injurious to health, or is indecent or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property, and (2) affects at the same time an entire community or neighborhood, or any considerable number of persons, although the extent of the annoyance or damage inflicted upon individuals may be unequal, and (3) occurs during or as a result of the treatment or disposal of wastes.
Public sewer shall mean a sewer lying within a street and which is under the ownership and control of the city.
Public works director shall mean the Public Works Director for the City of Williams, or his designee.
Radioactive material shall mean material containing chemical elements that spontaneously change their atomic structure by emitting any particles, rays or energy forms.
RCRA shall mean Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 Public Law (P1) 94-580 and amendments thereto.
Regenerating ion-exchange water conditioner or water softening equipment shall mean any ion-exchange water conditioning or softening equipment which is regenerated by the processor thereof at the place where such equipment is installed and operated. Such phrase shall also include any silicate or resinous ion-exchange softeners or de-mineralizers or similar devices for softening all or part of a water supply to a property which has a connection to the public sewer system or which is intended to drain into the storm drain or onto land. Such phrase shall not include any water conditioner or water softening equipment which is serviced by the replacement of a tank or cylinder by a water conditioning and/or softening service.
Regulatory agencies shall mean those agencies having oversight of the operation of the city, including but not limited to the following:

a. United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA);

b. California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal-EPA);

c. California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB);

d. California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region (CVWQCB).

Responsible party shall mean:

a. If the user is a corporation, a responsible corporate officer, that is:

i. A president, secretary, treasurer, or vice-president of the corporation in charge of a principal business function, or any other person who performs similar policy or decision making functions for the corporation; or

ii. The manager of one or more manufacturing, production, or operating facilities, provided, the manager is authorized to make management decisions which govern the operation of the regulated facility including having the explicit or implicit duty of making major capital investment recommendations, and initiate and direct other comprehensive measures to assure long-term environmental compliance with environmental laws and regulations; can ensure that the necessary systems are established or actions taken to gather complete and accurate information for permit requirements; and where authority to sign documents has been assigned or delegated to the manager in accordance with corporate procedures.

b. If the user is a partnership or sole proprietorship, a general partner or proprietor, respectively.

c. If the user is a federal, state, or local governmental entity, or their agents, the principal executive officer or director having responsibility for the overall operation of the discharging facility, or their designee.

d. The individuals described subsections 13.08.070(C)(55)(a)—(c), above, may designate a duly authorized representative if the authorization is in writing, the authorization specifies the individual or position responsible for the overall operation of the facility from which the discharge originates or having overall responsibility for environmental matters for the company, and the written authorization is submitted to the city.

i. If an authorization is no longer accurate because a different individual or position has responsibility for the overall operation of the facility, or overall responsibility for environmental matters for the company, a new authorization shall be submitted to the city.

Sanitary sewer shall mean a sewer which carries wastewater and to which storm, surface, and groundwater are not intentionally admitted.
Septic tank shall mean a watertight receptacle which receives the discharge from a sewer system and is designed and constructed to retain solids, digest organic matter through a period of detention, and allow the liquids to discharge for disposal.
Sewer shall mean a pipe or conduit for carrying wastewater.
Sewer lateral shall mean the sewer from the sewer main to the property line.
Sewer main shall mean a public sewer designed to accommodate more than one sewer lateral.
Sewer service shall mean the service and facilities for collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater furnished or available to premises by the sewer system.
Sewer system shall mean any and all systems used for collecting, conveying, pumping, reclamation, recycling, reuse, storage, transportation, treatment or disposal of sewage, industrial waste of a liquid nature, wastewater, sludge or biosolids that is owned and/or operated by the city. This definition includes, but is not limited to, the WWTP, public sewers, trunk lines, mains, wet wells, treatment plants and outfalls which are owned by the city.
Significant industrial user shall mean:

a. A user subject to categorical pretreatment standards; or

b. A user that:

i. Discharges an average of twenty-five thousand gallons per day (GPD) or more of process wastewater to the city's collection system (excluding domestic, noncontact cooling, and boiler blow down wastewater);

ii. Contributes a process waste stream which makes up five percent or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the WWTP; or

iii. Is designated as such by the city on the basis that it has reasonable potential for adversely affecting the WWTP's operation or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement.

c. Upon a finding that a user meeting the criteria in subsection 13.08.070(C)(72)(b) has no reasonable potential for adversely affecting the WWTP's operation or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement, the city may at any time, on its own initiative or in response to a petition received from a user, and in accordance with procedures in 40 CFR 403.8(f)(6), determine that such user should not be considered a significant industrial user.

Slug or slug load shall mean any discharge of water or wastewater which, in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow, exceeds five times the average twenty-four-hour concentration of flows during normal operation for a period of fifteen minutes or more and/or has a significant adverse impact, either singly or in combination with other discharges, on the city's.
Spill containment shall mean a protection system installed by the user to prohibit the accidental discharge to the sewer of incompatible pollutants.
Standard industrial classification (S.I.C.) shall mean the system of classifying industries identified in the S.I.C. Manual, issued by the office of management and budget.
Standard methods shall mean the current edition of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater" as published by the American Public Health Association.
Standard specifications shall mean the latest version of the City of Williams standard plans for sewer and other public works construction in the City of Williams adopted and amended from time to time by the city council and on file in the office of the city clerk.
Storm drain shall mean a conduit which carries storm and surface or groundwater and drainage but is intended to exclude wastewater.
Street shall mean any public highway, road, street, avenue, alley, way, easement, or right-of-way in the city.
Toxic pollutants shall mean those substances which, individually or when combined with other substances normally found in domestic sewage, result in wastes in a collection agency sewer system in concentrations or quantities which could have an adverse or harmful effect on such sewer system facilities, sewer treatment plant operations and maintenance personnel or equipment, treated sewage effluent quality, water reclamation procedures, public or private property, or which may endanger the public, local environment, or create a public nuisance.
Uncontaminated water shall mean any wasted water of the community not contaminated or polluted with wastewater and which is suitable or could readily be made suitable for discharge to the municipal storm water drainage system.
User shall mean any person who discharges or causes a discharge of wastewater directly or indirectly to a public sewer. User shall mean the same as discharger.
Violation shall mean an event or condition at a user's facility that is prohibited by this chapter, control mechanism, or order.
Wastewater shall mean the water-carried wastes of the community derived from human, commercial or industrial sources including domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater. Rainwater, groundwater or drainage or uncontaminated water is not wastewater.
Waste discharge authorization shall mean the revocable permission to discharge wastewater to the public sewer main subject to technically based limits on wastewater constituents and characteristics.
Waste discharge requirements shall mean the permit issued to the city by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board that prescribes requirements for the the WWTP, Order [insert order number], as it currently exists, may hereafter be amended, or as it may be reissued or replaced in the future.
Waste hauler shall mean any commercial pumper that is permitted by Colusa County Department of Health as a Non-Hazardous Liquid Waste Hauler, discharging domestic wastewater only. This shall also mean septic tank pumper.
Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) shall mean the city sewage treatment plant.
Water softener or water conditioner shall mean regenerating ion-exchange water conditioning or water softening equipment as defined in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 270-25, § 1(Exh. A), 5-21-2025)

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