N.J. Admin. Code § 7:10-12.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024
Section 7:10-12.3 - Additional definitions

In addition to the words and terms defined at N.J.A.C. 7:10-1.3, the following words and terms are defined for the purposes of this subchapter:

"Adequate protection" means construction methods which ensure that the water that reaches consumers complies continuously with the physical, chemical, and bacteriological requirements of the State Primary Drinking Water Regulations at N.J.A.C. 7:10-5. The term "adequately protected" shall be construed accordingly.

"Alter" means to replace any portion of an existing water system. The terms "alteration" and "altered" shall be construed accordingly.

"Annular space" means the space between the well casing and/or well screen and the wall of the borehole or, in the case of a multiple cased well, all of the spaces between casings and all of the space between the outer casing and the wall of the borehole.

"Approval" means written authorization from the Department or the administrative authority to an applicant for the construction of a proposed new, altered, or replacement water system pursuant to the requirements of this subchapter.

"Artesian well" means a well in which water is derived from below a confining layer and in which the static water level rises above the aquifer.

"Aquifer" means any subsurface water-saturated zone which is significantly permeable so that it may yield sufficient quantities of water from wells or springs in order to serve as a practical source of potable water supply.

"Building sewer line" means the pipe extending from the outer wall of a building to a septic tank or approved place of disposal including a public sewer, and the lines to all parts of the subsurface sewage disposal system, except those classified as distribution lines.

"Certification" means the written statement issued by the administrative authority or the Department pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:10-12.39 through 12.42 that a new, altered, or replacement water system complies with the requirements of the Realty Improvement Sewerage and Facilities Act (N.J.S.A. 58:11-23 et seq.), the State Act and this subchapter.

"Cesspool" means a covered pit with open-jointed lining into which untreated sewage is discharged, the liquid portion of which is disposed of by leaching into the surrounding soil, the solids or sludge being retained within the pit.

"Cistern" means a tank for the collection of rain water draining from a roof or roofs, which water is intended to be used for potable purposes.

"Confining layer" means a geologic formation which separates aquifers and which consists of material, such as clay or unfractured rock, that does not permit perceptible vertical transmission of water to other aquifers.

"Consolidated formation" means a geologic formation in which the sands, gravels, clays or other similar materials have been lithified. Such a formation will commonly remain stable around an open borehole without caving.

"Construct" means to build, assemble or install a new or replacement water system or to enlarge or alter an existing water system. The term "construction" shall be construed accordingly.

"Contamination" means sewage, industrial wastes, organisms of the coliform group, water-borne pathogens, or harmful or objectionable material in potable water. The term "contaminated" shall be construed accordingly.

"Decommissioning" means the permanent closure or sealing of a well in accordance with the procedures set forth in N.J.A.C. 7:9.

"Disposal bed" means an individual subsurface sewage disposal system component consisting of a closed excavation made within soil or fill material to contain filter material in which two or more distribution laterals have been placed for the disposal of septic tank effluent.

"Disposal field" means a disposal bed or a group of one or more disposal trenches. The perimeter of the disposal field corresponds to the perimeter of the disposal bed, or a line circumscribing the outermost edges of the outermost disposal trenches and including the area between the disposal trenches.

"Disposal trench" means an individual subsurface sewage disposal system component of a covered excavation made within soil or fill material to contain filter material in which a single distribution lateral has been placed for the disposal of septic tank effluent.

"Distribution box" means a watertight structure which receives sanitary sewage effluent from a septic tank and distributes such sewage effluent in equal portions to two or more pipelines leading to the disposal field.

"Distribution lateral" means a perforated pipe or one of several perforated pipes used to carry and distribute septic tank effluent throughout the disposal field. A distribution lateral is also known as a distribution line.

"Distribution main" means a pipe for the transmission or conveyance of potable water to more than one realty improvement.

"Dry well" means a covered pit with open-jointed lining through which drainage from roofs, basement floors or area-ways may seep or leach into the surrounding soil.

"Dug well" means a water table well that is excavated by means of picks, shovels, or similar hand-tools.

"Finished water" means potable water which does not require treatment in order to meet the requirements of the State primary and secondary drinking water regulations at N.J.A.C. 7:10-5 and 7.

"Immediate on-site supervision" means the presence of a person possessing a New Jersey well driller's license of the proper class to provide direct and constant oversight of the work and performance of any person(s) engaging in or assisting with the operation of a well drilling machine during the construction of a well.

"Individual subsurface sewage disposal system" means a system for the disposal of sanitary sewage into the ground which is designed and constructed to treat sanitary sewage in a manner that will retain most of the settleable solids in a septic tank and discharge the liquid effluent to a disposal field.

"Industrial waste" means solid or liquid wastes resulting from processes employed in industrial establishments or in any commercial establishment engaged in processes which use or generate any of the pollutants or any substance containing any of the pollutants regulated under section 307(a), (b), or (c) of the Federal Clean Water Act of 1977, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq., and any amendments thereto, and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

"Locate" means to designate the site or place of the sources or other appurtenances of a water supply system. The term "location" shall be construed accordingly.

"Major pollutant source" means any wastewater treatment plant discharge, any documented ground water contamination, any chemical or fuel storage facility with capacity greater than 2000 gallons, any military facility, any industrial treatment lagoon, any automotive service station, any landfill (open, closed, or inactive), any industrial facility (including dry cleaning facilities), any septic system, any cemetery, any salt storage facility, any highway maintenance yard, any truck and/or bus maintenance yard, any underground fuel and chemical storage tank with a capacity of 2000 gallons or more, any livestock operation, any body of surface water containing salt or brackish water, any quarrying and/or mining facility, any asphalt and concrete manufacturing facility, and any open dump or junkyard.

"Minor pollutant source" means any liquid chemical or fuel storage tank with capacity less than 2000 gallons, any stormwater detention or retention basin, any sanitary sewer line, any sanitary sewer manhole, any sanitary sewer pump station, any septic tank or leaching field, any sewage treatment facility, any active farm, and any facility to which the Department has issued a discharge permit pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:14A.

"Oversized borehole" means a borehole with a diameter at least four inches greater than the inside diameter of the well casing to be installed for the emplacement of a well.

"Point of entry treatment device" means a device by which drinking water is treated at the point of entry into a building for the purpose of reducing contaminants in the drinking water prior to its entering the distribution system throughout the building.

"Primary contaminant" means any drinking water contaminant regulated pursuant to the State primary drinking water regulations, N.J.A.C. 7:10-5.

"Realty improvement" means any proposed new residence, commercial or other building (including, but not limited to, condominiums, garden apartments, town houses, mobile homes, stores, office buildings, restaurants, hotels, and so forth), the useful occupancy of which requires the installation or construction of a water system. Each family unit in a proposed multiple family dwelling or each commercial unit in a commercial building shall be construed to be a separate realty improvement.

"Sanitary sewage" means any liquid waste containing animal or vegetable matter in suspension or solution, or the water-carried wastes resulting from the discharge of water closets, laundry tubs, washing machines, sinks, dishwashers or any other source of water-carried waste of human origin or containing putrescible material. This term specifically excludes industrial, hazardous or toxic wastes and materials.

"Sanitary sewer" means a pipe which carries sewage and to which storm, surface and ground water are not intentionally admitted.

"Secondary contaminant" means any drinking water contaminant regulated pursuant to the State secondary drinking water rules, N.J.A.C. 7:10-7.

"Seepage pit" means a covered pit with open-jointed lining material through which septic tank effluent may seep or leach into the surrounding soil.

"Septic tank" means a watertight receptacle which receives the discharge of sanitary sewage from a building sewer or part thereof, and is designed and constructed so as to permit settling of settleable solids from the liquid, partial digestion of the organic matter, and discharge of the liquid portion into a disposal field or seepage pit.

"Service line" means a pipe for the transmission or conveyance of potable water under pressure either from an individual well or from a distribution main to a single realty improvement.

"Single dwelling nonpublic water system" means any nonpublic water system which provides piped potable water to a single or multifamily residential building of four or fewer dwelling units.

"Spring" means a natural surface feature where ground water issues from the rock or soil onto the land or into a body of water.

"Stable water pumping level," when used in this subchapter in reference to a well, means the water level in a well under pumping conditions such that the rate of change in the water level is less than 0.5 feet per hour.

"Subsurface sewage disposal system" means that part of an individual sewage disposal system comprising the disposal field.

"Suction line" means a pipe which conveys water at less than atmospheric pressure from a well to a pump.

"Unconfined or semi-confined aquifer" means an aquifer that is either exposed to atmospheric pressure or bounded by layers of material which do not serve as an effective barrier to water migration.

"Unconsolidated formation" means a geologic formation in which the sands, gravels, clays or other similar materials are loosely arranged. Such a formation will not remain stable around an open borehole.

"Water bearing formation" means an aquifer as defined in this section.

"Water supply allocation permit" means the document issued by the Department, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 58:1A-1 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 7:19, for the diversion of 100,000 or more gallons per day of ground or surface water for more than 30 days in a consecutive 365 day period for any purpose other than agricultural or horticultural purposes.

"Water table well" means a well in which water is derived from an unconfined or semi-confined aquifer.

"Well" means a hole or excavation that is drilled, bored, core driven, jetted, dug, driven, or otherwise constructed for the purpose of removal of water from the subsurface for potable water supply.

"Well development" means the removal of sands and drilling materials from the water bearing zones of any well to produce water which is free of visible sand and/or silt and to verify well pumping capacity.

"Well driller" means a person possessing a New Jersey well driller's license of the proper class who engages in drilling, digging, driving, boring, coring, jetting, or other construction or repair of any well, and in the installation, removal, alteration, and repair of well pumping equipment and appurtenances thereto in connection with any well, including connecting lines between a well and a storage tank or appurtenances thereto.

"Well stimulation" means the stimulation of a well to increase its productivity by techniques including, but not limited to, blasting, hydro-fracturing, chemical treatment, surging and dry-icing.

"Yield," when used in this subchapter in reference to a well, means the capacity of a well to produce water at a constant pumping rate at which a stable water pumping level is maintained.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:10-12.3

Amended by R.2001 d.313, effective 9/4/2001 (operative October 4, 2001).
See: 32 New Jersey Register 2832(a), 33 New Jersey Register 3194(a).
In "Well", deleted "deeper than it is wide," following "excavation" and inserted "for potable water supply" following "subsurface"; deleted "Borehole", "Casing", "Driving", "Grout", "Journeyman well driller", "License of the proper class", "Maintenance casing", "Master well driller", "Pitless well adapter", "Pitless well unit", "Pitless well cap", "Pump installer", "Sanitary well seal", "Undersized borehole" and "Well pit".