Yuba County Municipal Code Art. 1 Purpose and Definitions

The purpose of this article is to:

A. Protect public health and the environment;

2. Establish an administrative framework allowing the adoption of science-based minimum standards for design, construction, installation, operation, maintenance, monitoring, replacement, alteration, enlargement, repair and destruction of on-site treatment, conveyance, and disposal systems;

3. Provide for compliance and enforcement of a comprehensive onsite regulatory program;

4. Ensure compliance with standards, laws, and guidelines as adopted, and/or modified by the State of California, Water Resources Control Board or Regional Water Quality Control Boards.

(Ord. No. 1571)

The State of California Water Resources Control Board, through the Regional Water Quality Control Boards, requires local agencies to adopt waste discharge requirements for all individual disposal systems or community collection and treatment systems that use subsurface disposal. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board provides that these waste discharge requirements for Yuba County may be satisfied by an ordinance in compliance with the provisions of the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.

(Ord. No. 1571)

The following words and terms, when used in this Article, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms expressed in the singular shall be construed to incorporate the plural, and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires.

Advanced/alternative system means any on-site sewage system consisting of a pre-treatment unit and disposal components other than a standard system which meets the requirements of this Article for a renewable operating permit.

Advanced/standard system means any on-site sewage system consisting of a pre-treatment unit and disposal components other than a standard system which the department has determined as standard, and does not require an annual operating permit.

Aerated lagoon (AL) means a basis of a specified depth to which oxygen is supplied and in which wastewater is treated on a flow-through basis.

Aerobic treatment unit (ATU) means a wastewater treatment reactor which mechanically diffuses oxygen into a chamber containing wastewater and treats said wastewater aerobically.

An aerobic treatment unit may operate continuously or intermittently (i.e. batch) depending on design.

Appeal means the administrative process that allows the Department and/or the Appeals Board to consider relief from any provision or requirement of this Chapter or on-site sewage manual.

Appeals board means three members of the On-Site Wastewater Advisory Committee, selected by the Chairman of the Committee in each specific case, to consider relief from strict compliance with standards of this Chapter or on-site sewage manual.

Applicant means a property owner or the property owner's authorized representative.

Authorized representative means person or persons authorized by the property owner to act on the property owner's behalf on matters pertaining to application for permits and services or holder of an easement sufficient to authorize the work on the land on which the system is to be installed, to represent the owner's or easement holder's interests.

Centralized sewage disposal system means the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of any sewage from two or more sources (source shall be defined as a wastewater discharge from any residential, commercial, or recreational building and/or establishment) by any method which meets state and local minimum standards.

Centralized wastewater system means a system of conduits, treatment and disposal facilities in which wastewater is collected and transported to a central area where treatment and/or final disposal is affected:

Types:

A. Cluster wastewater collection, treatment and disposal system (CWCTDS) means a system for the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of any wastewater from at least two but no more than five sources (sources shall be defined as a wastewater discharge from any single family residential, commercial unit, recreational institutional building and/or establishment with a maximum of 2,500 gallons per day wastewater discharge) by any method that meets state and local standards.

B. Small wastewater collection, treatment and disposal system means a system for the collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of any wastewater from at least six, but no more than 99 single family residential sources or the equivalent flow.

C. Large wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal system means a system for the collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of any wastewater from more than 99 single family residential sources or the equivalent flow.

Commercial project means any project other than those defined as residential.

Community Development Services Agency Director means the Director of the Community Development and Services Agency in the County of Yuba (CDSA Director).

Community services district means any district formed in an unincorporated territory to construct and operate works for the collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of sewage in accordance with procedures, rules and regulations of the California Government Code.

Consultant means the same as "qualified professional" in State OWTS Policy. Means one of the following persons (exclusive of Department personnel) retained to provide services under this Article:

For design of systems:

Registered Environmental Health Specialist.

Certified Engineering Geologist.

Registered Civil Engineer.

Registered Geologist.

For soils evaluations:

The above persons as well as Certified Soil Scientist.

Contractor means a person who possesses an active General Engineering A or Specialty C-36 or C-42 license and in some specific cases a B Specialty, per the requirements of the State of California Business and Professions Code.

County sanitation district means a district organized within an incorporated or unincorporated territory empowered to build and operate sewers, and sewage disposal or treatment plants for the collection, transportation and disposal of wastewater within or without the district. Such district shall have been formed in accordance with the procedures, rules and regulations of the California Health and Safety Code.

County service area means an area in an unincorporated territory within the county that has been designated by the Board of Supervisors in accordance with the procedures, rules and regulations of the California Government Code for the collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of sewage within the county service area.

Department means the Yuba County Department of Environmental Health, its Director and designated employees.

Director means the Director of the Yuba County Environmental Health Department, or his/her designated employee.

Effective sidewall area means that portion of the sidewalls of a leaching trench extending upward from the bottom of the trench to a point six inches above the invert of the perforated pipe installed in the leaching trench.

Effective soil means permeable, unsaturated soil providing sufficient aeration and retention for optimal treatment of sewage effluent.

Electro-osmosis system (EOS) means a process whereby dissimilar materials are buried on either side of a soil absorption system drain field and an electric potential is established in the soil water complex.

Environmental Health Department means the Environmental Health Department included in the Community Development and Services Agency (CDSA).

Equivalent flow means an amount equal to that which would be produced by a single family residential source and shall be measured on the basis of gallons per day. Such measurements shall not be averaged out over any other period of time. For purposes of calculating equivalencies refer to the standards in the on-site sewage manual.

Evapotranspiration-absorption (ETA) bed means an on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system which discharges effluent to both the atmosphere and soils. The ETA bed contains: (1) a sand bed usually supporting plants; and (2) wastewater distribution piping.

Failing on-site system means any system which discharges untreated or inadequately treated sewage or septic tank effluent directly or indirectly onto the ground surface, into protected waters or into a dwelling. Also, any system not operated in compliance with permit conditions including, but not limited to, operation, maintenance and monitoring requirements, use of unapproved components, or unapproved modifications to the originally permitted design.

Health Officer means the Health Officer of the County of Yuba.

Industrial waste means any liquid, gaseous, radioactive, or solid waste substance or a combination thereof resulting from any process of industry, manufacturing, trade, or business, or from the development or recovery of any natural resources.

Intermittent Sand Filter (ISF) means a bed of granular material of a specific depth and usually underlain by graded gravel and collecting piping to which wastewater is applied intermittently for final treatment.

Land application (LA) means the disposal of treated wastewater effluents, of a specified quality, by application to land. Land application may be further defined as: (1) slow rate; (2) rapid infiltration; (3) overland flow; (4) spray irrigation, or (5) drip irrigation.

Land use project means any entitlement process, initiated through the Yuba County Planning Department including, but not limited to, tentative maps, parcel maps, use permits, certificates of compliance, and minor boundary adjustments. Requirements in this Article apply only to areas regulated by the Department. Other County departments will have separate processes and requirements.

Leaching trench (lines) means the aggregate filled trenches designed to accept septic tank effluent discharged from perforated pipes laid in trenches.

Local authority means a public entity, as defined in Government Code § 53090 et seq. which is empowered to plan, design, finance, construct, operate, maintain, and abandon, if necessary, any sewage system or expansion of any sewage system. Additionally, the Local Authority is empowered to provide permits and to have supervision over the location, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and abandonment of on-site sewage systems within a land development, and to design, finance, construct, operate, and maintain any facilities necessary for the disposal of wastes pumped from on-site sewage systems and to conduct any monitoring or surveillance programs as required for water quality control purposes.

Minimum useable sewage disposal area (MUSDA) means the amount of ground surface, expressed in square feet, that is required when creating new lots or parcels in the tentative or parcel map process. The amount of land area is based on the percolation rate and the type of leach field distribution method.

Mound means an on-site wastewater treatment system that utilizes a permeable fill material and by dispersion or uniform application of wastewater improves absorption capabilities in areas containing soils of limited permeability. A mound contains the following parts: (1) the mound body fill material; (2) the distribution bed; (3) the distribution manifold and laterals; and (4) the topsoil cover.

On-site sewage manual means the document containing implementing standards and requirements of this Article, including specific detail on acceptable on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems and processes, developed by the Department and the Wastewater Advisory Committee and adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisor.

On-Site Wastewater Advisory Committee means a committee consisting of the Health Officer, Director of Community Development, Director of Environmental Health, Registered Environmental Health Specialist (specializing in land-use).

On-site wastewater treatment system (OWTS) means any system of piping, treatment devices or other facilities that convey, store, treat, or dispose of sewage on the property where it originates where the system is not connected to a public sewer system.

Operation, maintenance and monitoring (OM&M) program means a program developed by the Department, as delineated in the on-site sewage manual to insure the long-term viability of all on-site sewage systems. Depending upon the complexity of the system and/or the environmental sensitivity of the area of system placement, the program may range from educational support to performance review and preventive maintenance by certified maintenance providers.

Other districts means any other lawful entity formed under California Law for the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of sewage either as of the date of this Chapter or in the future.

Owner means any person who alone, or jointly, or severally with others:

1. Has legal title to any single lot, dwelling, dwelling unit, or commercial facility.

2. Has care, charge, or control of any real property as applicant, executor, executrix, administrator, trustee or guardian of the estate of the holder of legal title.

Person means any individual (owner or authorized representative), corporation, association, firm, organization, partnership, or company.

Pressure distribution system means a system for the dispersion of wastewater after treatment into a soil absorption or filter reactor system by pressure so as to evenly distribute the flow.

Primary treatment means initial treatment of wastewater by settling of solids in a tank type structure.

Protected waters means lakes, bays, ponds, impounding reservoirs, springs, wells, rivers, streams, creeks, marshes, inlets, canals, and all other bodies of surface or underground waters, natural or artificial, public or private, which are within the jurisdiction of Yuba County or other state or federal agencies.

Public sewer system means any sewer system constructed, installed, maintained, operated and owned by or for a municipality or public entity established for sewage disposal purposes.

Public utility district means a district organized in an unincorporated territory, to acquire, construct, own or operate revenue producing utilities for the disposition of sewage in accordance with the procedures, rules and regulations of the California Public Utilities Code.

Public water system means a system, regardless of type of ownership, for the provision of piped water to the public for domestic use if such system has at least five service connections or regularly serves an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days of the year.

Regional Board means officials and personnel of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB or Regional Board).

Registered Environmental Health Specialist means a Registered Environmental Health Specialist or an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee as allowed by the Health and Safety Code § 541 working by authorization of the Health Officer.

Renewable operating permit (ROP) means the administrative document issued by the Department authorizing the initial and/or continued use of advanced alternative systems, as specified in the on-site sewage manual.

Sanitary district means a district organized within any territory empowered to acquire, construct and operate works for the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of wastewater. Such district shall have been formed in accordance with the procedures, rules and regulations of the California Health and Safety Code.

Secondary treatment means a secondary treatment of wastewater endeavoring to reduce solids, oxygen demand, chemical constituents and pathogenic micro-organisms.

Secondary treatment—Pressure distribution—Soil absorption system (ST-PD-SAS) means a wastewater treatment system where a conventional septic tank or other method is used for primary settling and treatment followed by distribution of effluent into filter by pressure to maintain even distribution through said media. Such systems may be further defined as shallow (less than 30 inches below surface) relying on lateral or horizontal renovation or standard deep (more than 30 inches below surface) relying on vertical renovation through the media.

Serial distribution means a method of wastewater disposal which distributes all effluent flow into a series of leaching trenches which are connected one after another in such a manner that the first trench must fill before overflowing into the second and subsequent trenches.

Sewage means wastewater that is designated as either "blackwater" or "graywater."

1. "Blackwater" means wastewater contaminated with human or kitchen wastes, generally originating from toilets and kitchen sinks. It includes, but is not limited to, wastewater discharges from kitchen sinks, garbage grinders, water closets, toilets, urinals or similar fixtures alone or in combination with other wastewater.

2. "Graywater" means wastewater, exclusive of blackwater or industrial waste, deposited into plumbing drain systems or exiting directly from wastewater generating appliances. It includes, but is not limited to, wastewater discharges from washing machines, bathtubs, showers, bathroom washbasins, and laundry tubs.

Sewage entity means a public district or private organization responsible for the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of sewage, under one administrative authority.

Sewer means a pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.

Site evaluation means the first step in obtaining an on-site sewage system construction permit or feasibility approval in the entitlement process. The evaluation consists of specific soils testing, such as soil pit profiling and percolation rate.

Standard system means an on-site sewage system comprised of a two compartment septic tank for primary treatment and gravel or chamber treatment and disposal trenches. Effluent will flow to the trenches by gravity, or may be pumped to the first distribution box of the trenches.

Tertiary treatment means a third phase of wastewater treatment in which dissolved material suspended, organic constituents and inorganic constituents are separated from the wastewater.

Vertical separation means the depth of effective soil that exists beneath the bottom of a subsurface soil absorption system and some restrictive or limiting layer or feature such as a water table, bedrock, hardpan, unacceptable fine textured soils, or excessively permeable material.

(Ord. No. 1571)