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(a) Abandoned Onsite Wastewater Treatment System. “Abandoned onsite wastewater treatment system” means an onsite wastewater treatment system of which use has been discontinued with the intent of never resuming such use. Nonuse of such a system for a period of one (1) year shall be prima facie proof of such intent. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(b) Building and Place. “Building” or “place” means any residence, place of business, or other building or place where persons reside, congregate, or are employed. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(c) Cesspool. “Cesspool” means an excavation in the ground receiving domestic wastewater, designed to retain the organic matter and solids, while allowing the liquids to seep into the soil. Cesspools do not have septic tanks. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(d) Dispersal System. “Dispersal system” means a leachfield, mound, at-grade, subsurface drip field or other type of system for final wastewater treatment and subsurface discharge. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(e) Graywater. “Graywater” means untreated wastewater that has not been contaminated by any toilet discharge; has not been affected by infectious, contaminated, or unhealthy bodily wastes; and does not present a threat from contamination by unhealthful processing, manufacturing, or operating wastes. “Graywater” includes wastewater from bathtubs, showers, bathroom washbasins, clothes washing machines, and laundry tubs, but does not include wastewater from kitchen sinks or dishwashers. Graywater as defined above has the same meaning as “gray water,” “grey water,” and/or “greywater.” (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(f) Grease Interceptor. “Grease interceptor” means a plumbing appurtenance or appliance that is installed in a sanitary drainage system to intercept non-petroleum fats, oils, and greases (FOG) from a wastewater discharge. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(g) Health Officer. “Health Officer” means the Humboldt County Health Officer or his/her authorized representative or designee. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(h) Onsite Wastewater Treatment System or OWTS. “Onsite wastewater treatment system(s)” or “OWTS” means a water-carried system for the sanitary, safe, and nuisance-free receipt and treatment of sewage and wastewater. OWTS may also be referred to or known as a septic system, sewage treatment system, or sewage disposal system. The short form of the term may be singular or plural. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(i) Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Failure or OWTS Failure. “Onsite wastewater treatment system failure” or “OWTS failure” includes, but is not limited to, the following: (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/07/2017)

(1) Surfacing of effluent with the bacteriological or chemical characteristics of sewage. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(2) Sluggish or inoperative plumbing fixtures. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(3) The flow or seepage of effluent from an onsite wastewater treatment system into surface or subsurface waters. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(j) Pit Privy. “Pit privy” means a self-contained waterless toilet used for disposal of non-water carried human waste; consists of a shelter built above a pit in the ground into which human waste falls. Also known as an outhouse or pit-toilet. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(k) Public Nuisance. “Public nuisance” means anything which:

(1) Is injurious to health or well-being, or is indecent or offensive to the senses, or is an obstruction to the free use of the land space, or interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or environment; or (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(2) Affects at the same time the occupants of one (1) or more habitable units of a community or neighborhood, or any considerable number of persons, although the extent of the annoyance, damage, injury, offense, obstruction or interference inflicted upon individuals may be unequal; or (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(3) Any condition, action, or use defined in § 351-3. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(l) Public Sewer. “Public sewer” means a common sewer system operated by a public entity. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(m) Public Water System. “Public water system” means a water system regulated by the State Water Resources Control Board or a Local Primacy Agency pursuant to the California Safe Drinking Water Act, Chapter 12, Part 4, Section 116275(h) of the California Health and Safety Code. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(n) Qualified Professional. “Qualified Professional” means a Registered Civil Engineer, Registered Environmental Health Specialist, Professional Geologist, or Certified Soil Scientist who has experience designing standard or non-standard onsite wastewater treatment systems. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(o) Repair. “Repair” means any alteration and/or replacement of any dispersal system component or tank of an onsite wastewater treatment system as a result of system failure. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(p) Seepage Pit. “Seepage pit” means a drilled or dug excavation, three to six feet in diameter, which receives the effluent discharge from a septic tank or other OWTS treatment unit for dispersal. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(q) Septic Tank. “Septic tank” means a watertight, covered receptacle designed for primary treatment of wastewater and constructed to: (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/07/2017)

(1) Receive wastewater discharged from a building; and

(2) Separate settleable and floating solids from the liquid; and

(3) Digest organic matter by anaerobic bacterial action; and

(4) Store digested solids; and

(5) Clarify wastewater for further treatment with final subsurface discharge.

(r) Sewage. “Sewage” means any substance, liquid or solid, which is classified as a waste product of human occupation and may be injurious or dangerous to health, and which contains or may be contaminated with human or animal excrement, offal, or feculent matter. Sewage may be synonymous with “wastewater” and/or “liquid waste”. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(s) Sewage Treatment System. “Sewage treatment system” means a system for the sanitary, safe, and nuisance-free receipt and treatment of sewage or waste other than a public sewer. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(t) Vault. “Vault” means an enclosed receptacle for the receipt and temporary storage of wastewater, such as, but not limited to, grease interceptors, grease traps, chemical toilets, vault toilets, and holding tanks. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(u) Waste. “Waste” means any and all waste substances, liquid, solid or gaseous, associated with any producing, manufacturing, processing or commercial operation, of whatever nature, which substances are not further used by the entity producing, manufacturing, processing or commercial operation. (Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)

(v) Waste Well. “Waste well” means any hole in the ground used or intended to be used for the disposal of sewage, liquid waste, or wastewater. (Ord. 945, § 2, 10/2/1973; Ord. 2584, § 1, 11/7/2017)