SECTION 252:641-1-2. Definitions

  In addition to the definitions contained in the Environmental Quality Code (27A O.S. Section(s) 2-1-101 et seq.), the following words, terms and acronyms, when used in this Chapter, shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Aerobic treatment unit" means a treatment unit that provides digestion of organic matter through oxidation and has been tested and certified by an ANSI accredited certifier as meeting the most current NSF/ANSI Standard 40, whether or not it includes nitrogen reduction.

"Alternative system" means an on-site sewage treatment system that varies from the requirements of on-site sewage treatment systems described in this Chapter.

"ANSI" means the American National Standards Institute.

"ASTM" means the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International).

"Certified installer" means a person in the business of installing or constructing on-site sewage treatment systems who has been certified by the DEQ to inspect and approve his/her own installations.

"Certified soil profiler" means a person who has been certified by the DEQ to perform soil profile descriptions to be used to design on-site sewage treatment systems.

"Chamber" means a molded rigid plastic, hollow structure with an open bottom area and sidewalls that are designed to allow effluent to flow into the surrounding soil while preventing soil from migrating into the chamber.

"Conventional subsurface absorption field" means a gravity-fed subsurface dispersal field, which may be preceded by a lift station, that provides treatment through soil absorption in media-filled (e.g., gravel, polystyrene, chamber, etc.) trenches. This does not include ET/A or shallow extended dispersal fields.

"CSA" means the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group).

"DEQ" means the Department of Environmental Quality.

"Designer" means the person who conducts the soil test and/or completes the DEQ Form 641-581P or 641-581SP for submission to the DEQ.

"Dispersal site" means the ten-thousand-square-foot (10,000 ft) rectangular area that contains the test holes used to design the dispersal field.

"Distribution structure" means a watertight concrete or plastic compartment, box, or solid piping that allows the distribution of sewage at the same elevation throughout the subsurface treatment field.

"Drip irrigation" means the use of pressure to distribute aerobically treated effluent to a subsurface dispersal field using small diameter tubing equipped with pressure compensating emitters.

"Evapotranspiration/absorption (ET/A)" means the subsurface dispersal of sewage for treatment through evaporation, transpiration and absorption.

"Flow equalization tank" means a storage reservoir that contains an automatically controlled pump that is capable of delivering sewage to an on-site sewage treatment system at a specific hourly rate.

"IAPMO" means the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.

"Individual on-site sewage treatment system" means an on-site sewage treatment system that treats sewage from one individual residence or a duplex with one owner.

"Installer" means any person who installs an on-site sewage treatment system or who is in the business of contracting to install or furnishing labor to install on-site sewage treatment systems.

"Level" means within a four-inch range of the same elevation.

"Lift station" means a short-term storage reservoir, containing an automatically controlled pump, that pumps sewage to a higher elevation for treatment.

"Low pressure dosing" means the use of pressure to distribute effluent evenly throughout the dispersal field through small diameter perforated piping.

"Major earth fill area" means any area where soil has been added to change the elevation from the original ground level by more than one (1) foot.

"Modification" means the expansion or relocation of any part of an existing on-site sewage treatment system, which does not fall under the definition of new installation.

"New installation" means the installation of a new on-site sewage treatment system. This includes the replacement of an existing lagoon, aerobic treatment unit and/or dispersal field, even when the existing septic tank is not replaced.

"NSF" means the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF International).

"On-site sewage treatment system" means an individual or small public on-site sewage treatment system as defined in this Chapter.

"Redoximorphic soil features" means soil that, due to wetness, contains features that exhibit a color of less than or equal to two (2) chroma and greater than or equal to four (4) value in concentrations greater than five percent (5%) in two (2) consecutive intervals.

"Repair" means the repair of any part of an existing on-site sewage treatment system or the replacement of any part of an existing on-site sewage treatment system as long as the replacement part is placed in the exact same location that the original part had been located. Repair does not include excavation and replacement of a subsurface absorption trench.

"Retention structure" is a sealed concrete or plastic structure that retains sewage until it reaches a depth of ten inches (10") and then allows it to flow to another trench.

"Rock fragments" means unattached pieces of rock two millimeters (2 mm) in diameter or larger that are resistant to rupture (strongly cemented or extremely hard).

"Scenic river corridor" means the two-mile wide area surrounding each scenic river as designated in 82 O.S. Section(s) 1452, with the center of each scenic river being the center of the corridor.

"Sewage" means wastewater that originates as human waste from activities including but not limited to using toilet facilities, washing, bathing, preparing foods and washing laundry, excluding industrial wastewater.

"Small public on-site sewage treatment system" means an on-site sewage treatment system, except one that serves an individual residence or duplex, that has an average daily flow of five thousand (5,000) gallons or less.

"Soil profile description" means the identification and characterization of soil at a specific site.

"Soil texture" means the percent by weight of sand, silt, and clay for particles smaller than two millimeters (2 mm) in diameter.

"Storage media" means a natural or manufactured material that provides void spaces for storage and dispersal of effluent in the trenches of a subsurface treatment system.

"Water body" means any reservoir or stream listed in either the most current "Lakes of Oklahoma" or "Water Quality in Oklahoma Integrated Report."

"Water body protection area" means the land area around a water body comprised of Zone 1 and Zone 2.

"Water saturated soil" means soil characterized by either the presence of groundwater or redoximorphic soil features.

"Zone 1" means the land within six hundred sixty feet (660') of the highest normal pool elevation established for a reservoir or within six hundred sixty feet (660') of a stream bed.

"Zone 2" means the land within one thousand three hundred twenty feet (1320') of the highest normal pool elevation established for a reservoir or within one thousand three hundred twenty feet (1320') of a stream bed.

[Source: Added at 16 Ok Reg 1895, eff 6-11-99; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 1616, eff 6-1-01; Amended at 19 Ok Reg 45, eff 8-17-01 (emergency); Amended at 19 Ok Reg 1027, eff 6-1-02; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 1618, eff 6-11-04; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 2318, eff 7-11-08; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 1053, eff 7-1-12; Amended at 37 Ok Reg 1296, eff 9-15-20]