Section 250-RICR-150-05-4.5 - DefinitionsA. For the purposes of these rules, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings: 1. "Abandoned" means a groundwater discharge system for which its use has been permanently discontinued or which is in a state of disrepair such that it cannot be used for its intended purpose. Temporary or intermittent cessation of operation does not constitute abandonment.2. "Aquifer" means a geologic formation, group of formations or part of a formation that contains sufficient saturated, permeable material to yield significant quantities of water to drinking water wells and springs.3. "Department" means the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.4. "Director" means the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management or any authorized designee to whom the Director has delegated the vested powers and duties pursuant to the R.I. Gen. Laws.5. "Drywell" means a well, completed above the groundwater table so that its bottom and sides are typically dry except when receiving fluids.6. "Facility" means any parcel of real estate or a contiguous series of parcels of real estate together with any and all structures, facility components, improvements, fixtures and other appurtenances located therein or thereon which constitutes a distinct geographic unit.7. "Floor drain" means an opening or intended drainage point in a floor that serves as a point of entry into a groundwater discharge system.8. "Fluid" means any material or substance that flows or moves whether liquid, gas, semi-solid or any other form or state. Fluids may include, for example, water for beneficial use projects such as aquifer storage or recharge, or wastewater.9. "Formation" means a body of rock characterized by a degree of lithologic homogeneity which is prevailingly tabular and is mappable on the earth's surface or traceable in the subsurface.10. "Geologic sequestration" means the process of injecting carbon dioxide (CO2), which has been compressed into a liquid state, into the deep subsurface through an injection well. Geologic sequestration refers to a suite of technologies that may be deployed to reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere to help mitigate climate change.11. "Groundwater" means the water located beneath the ground surface which completely fills the open spaces between particles of sediment and within rock formations.12. "Groundwater discharge" means the disposal, deposit or placement of non-sanitary wastewater or other fluid below the ground surface or the disposal, deposit or placement of non-sanitary wastewater or other fluid to the ground surface in a manner and location where it may adversely impact the groundwater resources of the State.13. "Groundwater discharge system" means a discharge system that is piped or otherwise designed, located, constructed, installed and operated so as to infiltrate or inject a groundwater discharge of non-sanitary wastewater or other fluid to or below the ground surface, including a drywell, drainfield, galley, injection well, stormwater discharge system, subsurface fluid distribution system, open-end pipe or other conveyance onto the surface of the ground.14. "Groundwater table" means the upper surface of the zone of saturation in an unconfined aquifer; includes a perched groundwater table.15. "Hazardous waste" means any waste or material, either a characteristic waste or a specific listed waste, as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), 40 C.F.R. § 261.3, Protection of Environment Rule or the Rhode Island Hazardous Waste Management Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-19.1.16. "Injection well" means a well or subsurface fluid distribution system regulated under the federal Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program and these rules that is used or intended to be used to discharge wastewater or other fluid below the ground surface. Injection wells are groundwater discharge systems.17. "Motor vehicle waste disposal well" means a well that receives or has received wastewater or other fluid from an area where the repair, maintenance or servicing of motor vehicles occurs or has occurred, including, without limitation, fluid from a motor vehicle engine or body repair shop, a specialty or recreational vehicle repair shop, a new or used car or truck dealership or any other facility that repairs or maintains motor vehicles whether services are offered to the public or not. Motor vehicle waste disposal wells also drain motor vehicle washing areas where the wash bay is not physically separated from a motor vehicle maintenance area or where engine or undercarriage cleaning is performed. Motor vehicles include automobiles, buses, trucks, trains, powerboats, motorcycles, farm machinery, aircraft, lawn care and landscaping equipment, heavy equipment, recreational vehicles such as snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles and jet skis, and any other motorized vehicle.18. "Operator" means any person or persons having control or legal responsibility for operating or maintaining any facility or site subject to regulation under these rules.19. "Owner" means the owner and/or operator of any facility subject to regulation under these rules or any person who holds legal title to or has possession or control of any facility subject to regulation under these rules through any agent, executor, executrix, administrator, trustee or guardian of the estate of the holder of legal title. Each such person is bound to comply with the provisions of these rules.20. "Person" means an individual, trust, estate or firm, a public, quasi-public or private corporation, a partnership, association, non-profit, federal, state or municipal government or any of their agencies or any other legal entity whatsoever.21. "Pollutant" means a liquid, gaseous, solid, radioactive or other substance in any water of the State which may, either by itself or in connection with any other substance, create a public nuisance or which may render such water harmful, detrimental or injurious to public health or the environment or to domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational or other legitimate beneficial uses.22. "RIDEM" means the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.23. "Sanitary wastewater" means any liquid or solid waste originating from human or animal activities, putrescible animal or vegetable matter or garbage and filth, including but not limited to, wastes collected from toilets, showers, wash basins, sinks used for cleaning domestic areas and/or food preparation, clothes washing or floor cleaning operations and sinks or washing machines where food and beverage serving dishes, glasses and utensils are cleaned.24. "Sink" means a structure such as a basin or washbowl that receives wastewater from hand washing and other uses and serves as a point of entry into a groundwater discharge system.25. "Site" means the land or water area where any facility or activity is physically located or conducted, including adjacent land used in connection with the facility or activity.26. "Stormwater" means water from precipitation runoff or snow melt.27. "Stormwater discharge system" means a groundwater discharge system used to infiltrate stormwater.28. "Subsurface fluid distribution system" means a federal term synonymous with groundwater discharge system.29. "UIC" means the federal Underground Injection Control Program.30. "Wastewater" means non-sanitary wastewater.31. "Well" means a bored, drilled or driven shaft or a dug hole that is deeper than the widest surface dimension and designed to discharge or inject wastewater or other fluid below the ground surface. This includes a subsurface fluid distribution system, holes drilled and cased with pipe, and infiltration systems consisting of one or more vertical pipes leading to an array of horizontal, perforated pipes laid below the ground surface.250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-150-05-4.5