Description

It seems like every area of specialty has its own language, and the world of sewage and sanitation is no different.  To help you better understand this world, we provide the definitions to the most frequently-used terms and acronyms related to sewage and sanitation - especially as it relates to the WCSC's dealings with property owners and contractors.  

This list below is in alphabetical order, and if the term you are looking for is not listed, please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will do our best to answer your question or point you to another source where it can be answered.

Terms and Definitions

   Absorption Area—A component of an individual or community sewage system where liquid from a treatment tank seeps into the soil; it consists of an aggregate-filled area containing piping for the distribution of liquid and the soil or sand/soil combination located beneath the aggregate.

   Act 537—The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (35 P. S. § §  750.1—750.20).  This is the Act that provides for the establishment of local agencies (such as the WCSC) to ensure adherence to DEP sewage and waste water regulations.

   Aggregate—Coarse material manufactured from stone, gravel or slag, having Type B characteristics.

   Alternate Sewage System— A method of on-lot sewage treatment and disposal that is different than the "conventional" (and typically least expensive) method utilizing a septic tank, drainfield, and soil that passes a percolation test.  An alternate sewage system's design must be reviewed and approved before it is used.

   Backhoe—A piece of heavy machinery that has a hydraulically-driven "claw-like" arm for removing top-soil or for digging ditches and holes.  There are many different types and sizes of backhoes, ranging from "backhoe attachments" on a garden-tractor to a "steam shovel-size" backhoe used in mining operations.

   Bonded Disposal System—An individual sewage system located on a single lot serving a single family residence, where soil mottling is within 20 inches of the mineral soil surface, the installation, operation and replacement of which is guaranteed by the property owner.

   Building Sewer—Piping carrying liquid wastes from a building to the treatment tank or holding tank.

   Buried Sand Filter—A system of piping, sand media, aggregate and collection piping in a buried liner used for the intermittent filtration and biochemical treatment of sewage.

   Conventional Sewage System—A system employing the use of demonstrated on-lot sewage treatment and disposal technology such as a septic tank, drainfield, and soil that passes a percolation test.  This term does not include alternate or experimental sewage systems.

   DEP—Department of Environmental Protection—The state agency that is responsible for regulating, among other areas, sewage and waste water treatment in Pennsylvania.  This state agency oversees the creation and operation of local sanitation cooperatives such as the WCSC.

   Dosing Pump—The pump housed in a dosing tank which provides a measured volume of sewage effluent to the pressurized distribution system in an absorption area.

   Dye Test—A test that is conducted to determine if there is a malfunction of an on-lot sewage septic system.

   EPA—Environmental Protection Agency—The Federal agency responsible that is responsible for regulating environmental laws in the United States.

   Experimental Sewage System—A method of on-lot sewage treatment and disposal that is experimental.  An experimental sewage system's design must be specifically reviewed and approved before it is used.

   FAQ—Frequently Asked Question

   Filter Tank—The tank housing the piping and sand of the free access sand filter.

   Forested Areas—Areas where the predominant vegetative cover is comprised of trees with a closed canopy.

   Free Access Sand Filter—An accessible system of tanks, dose piping, sand media, aggregate and collection piping used for the intermittent filtration and biochemical treatment of sewage.

   Geotextile—Material consisting of mesh polypropylene, polyester, nylon or similar material, used to prevent migration of fine aggregate into coarser aggregate.

   Grassed Area—An area where the predominant vegetative cover is comprised of grasses, bushes or trees not forming a closed canopy.

   Individual Residential Spray Irrigation System—An alternate sewage system which serves a single dwelling and which treats and disposes of sewage using a system of piping, treatment tanks and soil renovation through spray irrigation.

   Individual Sewage System—A system of piping, tanks or other facilities serving a single lot and collecting and disposing of sewage in whole or in part into the soil or into waters of this Commonwealth or by means of conveyance to another site for final disposal.

   Industrial Saste—A liquid, gaseous, radioactive, solid or other substance, which is not sewage, resulting from manufacturing or industry or other plant or works and mine drainage, silt, coal mine solids, rock, debris, dirt and clay from coal mines, coal collieries, breakers or other coal processing operations. The term includes substances whether or not generally characterized as waste.

   WCSC—Washington County Sewage Council—The local cooperative organization (with 34 participating municipalities) that is responsible for adherence to DEP regulations in Washington County, PA.

   Lift Pump—A submersible pump used to convey effluent to the sand filter and from the sand filter to the chlorine/retention tank.

   Local Agency—A municipality (or any combination of municipalities acting cooperatively under the laws of the Commonwealth), county, county department of health or joint county department of health.

   Lot—A part of a subdivision or a parcel of land used as a building site or intended to be used for building purposes, whether immediate or future, which would not be further subdivided. Whenever a lot is used for a multiple family dwelling or for commercial, institutional or industrial purposes, the lot shall be deemed to have been subdivided into an equivalent number of single family residential lots as determined by estimated sewage flows.

   Malfunction—Any problem with an on-lot sewage septic system that prevents sewage and waste water from being properly processed and broken down so as to present a health hazard to the surrounding human and wildlife population.

   Municipality—A city, incorporated town, township, borough or home rule municipality other than a county.

   NSF—National Sanitation Foundation.

   Official Plan—A comprehensive plan for the provision of adequate sewage systems adopted by a municipality possessing authority over the provision of the systems and submitted to and approved by the DEP as provided by the act and Chapter 71 (relating to administration of sewage facilities program).

   Perc Test—Percolation Test—A soil test that is administered to determine the ability your soil has to absorb and retain liquid.  This is an important test that is conducted to determine the overall suitability of your property for an on-lot sewage septic system.

   Planning Module—Official sewage facilities planning documentation that is required for new land development and subdivisions.

   Planning Module Component—The forms used to request planning approval from the municipality and approving agency are called Sewage Facilities Planning Module Components. Each component is designed to correspond to a specific type of new land development planning. The types of components available and their uses are summarized below.

     (a)   Component 1 -- Minor subdivision (defined below) - supplied by the municipal government.

     (b)   Component 2 -- Site Evaluation for On-Lot Disposal of Sewage (for on-lot sewage disposal systems).

     (c)   Component 3 -- Sewage Collection and Treatment Facilities (for public sewer service) and Component 3s -- Small Flow Treatment Facilities (for construction of sewage treatment plants with design flow of 2000 gpd or less)

     (d)   Component 4 -- Planning Agency and/or Health Department Review (a 3-part form consisting of: Component 4a -- Municipal Planning Agency Review; Component 4b -- County Planning Agency Review; and Component 4c -- County or Joint Health Department Review.  These forms are used to obtain the comments of any existing planning agencies and/or health departments on the proposed project. The three parts are used as needed in conjunction with the other components listed above).

   Qualified Registered Professional Engineer—A person registered to practice engineering in Pennsylvania who has experience in the characterization, classification, mapping and interpretation of soils as they relate to the function of on-lot sewage disposal systems.

   Qualified Registered Professional Geologist—A person registered to practice geology in Pennsylvania who has experience in the characterization, classification, mapping and interpretation of soils as they relate to the function of on-lot sewage disposal systems.

   Qualified Soil Scientist—A person certified as an SEO (Sewage Enforcement Officer) and who has documented 2 years’ experience in the characterization, classification, mapping and interpretation of soils as they relate to the function of on-lot sewage disposal systems and either has a Bachelor of Science Degree in soils science from an accredited college or university or certification by the American Registry of Certified Professionals in Agronomy, Crops and Soils.

   Retaining Tank—A watertight receptacle which receives and retains sewage and is designed and constructed to facilitate ultimate disposal of the sewage at another site. The term includes the following:

     (a)   Chemical toilet. A permanent or portable non-flushing toilet using chemical treatment in the retaining tank for odor control.

     (b)   Holding tank. A tank, whether permanent or temporary, to which sewage is conveyed by a water-carrying system.

     (c)   Privy. A tank designed to receive sewage where water under pressure is not available.

     (d)   Incinerating toilet. A device capable of reducing waste materials to ashes.

     (e)   Composting toilet. A device for holding and processing human and organic kitchen waste employing the process of biological degradation through the action of microorganisms to produce a stable, humus-like material.

     (f)   Recycling toilet. A device in which the flushing medium is restored to a condition suitable for reuse in flushing.

   Sand Mound—Literally, a large mound of sand that functions as a drainfield for effluent waste water that is discharged (typically) from a septic tank.  The process of biodegradation is enhanced by having the effluent pass through the sand before it reaches the natural soil. 

   Septic Tank—See Retaining Tank.

   Sewage—A substance that contains the waste products or excrement or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals; a substance harmful to the public health, to animal or aquatic life or to the use of water for domestic water supply or for recreation.

   SEO—Sewage Enforcement Officer—An official of the local agency who reviews permit applications and sewage facilities planning modules and issues permits as authorized by Act 537 and conducts the investigations and inspections that are necessary to implement the act and its regulations.

   Sewage Facilities—A system of sewage collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal which will prevent the discharge of untreated or inadequately treated sewage or other waste into waters of this Commonwealth or otherwise provide for the safe and sanitary treatment and disposal of sewage or other waste. The term includes:

     (a)   Individual Sewage System—A system of piping, tanks or other facilities serving a single lot and collecting and disposing of sewage in whole or in part into the soil or into waters of Pennsylvania or by means of conveyance to another site for final disposal.

       (i)   Individual On-lot Sewage System—An individual sewage system which uses a system of piping, tanks or other facilities for collecting, treating or disposing of sewage into a soil absorption area or spray field or by retention in a retaining tank.

       (ii)   Individual Sewerage System—An individual sewage system which uses a method of sewage collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal other than renovation in a soil absorption area, or retention in a retaining tank.

     (b)   Community Sewage System—A sewage facility, whether publicly or privately owned, for the collection of sewage from two or more lots, or two or more equivalent dwelling units and the treatment or disposal, or both, of the sewage on one or more of the lots or at another site.

       (i)   Community On-lot Sewage System—A community sewage system which uses a system of piping, tanks or other facilities for collecting, treating and disposing of sewage into a soil absorption area or retaining tank.

       (ii)   Community Sewerage System—A publicly or privately owned community sewage system which uses a method of sewage collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal other than renovation in a soil absorption area, or retention in a retaining tank.

   Small Flow Treatment Facility—An individual or community sewerage system designed to adequately treat sewage flows not greater than 2,000 gallons/day for final disposal using a stream discharge or other methods approved by the DEP.

   Soil Horizon—A layer of soil approximately parallel to the soil surface with characteristics produced by soil-forming processes.

   Soil Mottling (redoximorphic features)—A soil color pattern consisting of patches of different colors or shades of color interspersed with the dominant soil color which results from prolonged saturation of the soil.

   Soil Profile—The collection of soil horizons, including the natural organic layers on the surface.

   Solids Retainer—A deflection device at the outlet tee or baffle of a septic tank designed to deflect buoyed solids from escaping the tank.

   Spray Field—Piping, spray heads and ground surface to the outside edges of the wetted perimeter, used for the application and treatment of the sewage effluent in an individual residential spray irrigation system.

   Subdivision—The division or redivision of a lot, tract or other parcel of land into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions of land including changes in existing lot lines.

   Treatment Tank—A water-tight tank designed to retain sewage long enough for satisfactory bacterial decomposition of the solids to take place. The term includes the following:

      (i)   Septic Tank—A treatment tank that provides for anaerobic decomposition of sewage prior to its discharge to an absorption area.

      (ii)   Aerobic Sewage Treatment Tank—A mechanically aerated treatment tank that provides aerobic biochemical stabilization of sewage prior to its discharge to an absorption area.

   Undisturbed Soil—Soil or soil profile, unaltered by removal or other man-induced changes, except for agricultural activities, that would adversely affect the siting or operation of on-lot systems.