15A NCAC 02T .0302      DEFINITIONS

(a)  The following definitions shall apply in this Section:

(1)           "Alternative sewer system" means any sewer system or collection system other than a gravity system or standard pump station and force main. These include pressure sewer systems, septic tank with effluent pump (STEP) sewer systems, vacuum sewer system, and small diameter variable grade gravity sewers.

(2)           "Building" means any structure occupied or intended for supporting or sheltering any occupancy.

(3)           "Building drain" means that part of the lowest piping of a drainage system that receives the discharge from soil, waste, and other drainage pipes that extends 10 feet beyond the walls of the building and conveys the drainage to the building sewer.

(4)           "Building sewer" means that part of the drainage system that extends from the end of the building drain and conveys the discharge from a single building to a public gravity sewer, private gravity sewer, individual sewage disposal system, or other point of disposal.

(5)           "Fast-track" means a permitting process whereby a professional engineer certifies that a sewer design and associated construction documents conform to all applicable sewer related rules and design criteria.

(6)           "Pressure sewer system" means an interdependent system of grinder pump stations, typically for residences, serving individual wastewater connections for single buildings that share a pressure pipe with a diameter of 1.5 inches through 6 inches. Duplex or greater pump stations connected to a common pressure pipe that can operate both independently and simultaneously with other pump stations while maintaining operation of the system within the operating constraints shall be excluded from the definition of a pressure sewer system.

(7)           "Private sewer" means any part of a sewer system that collects wastewater from one building and crosses another property or travels along a street right of way or from more than one building and is not a public sewer.

(8)           "Public sewer" means a sewer located in a dedicated public street, roadway, or dedicated public right‑of‑way or easement that is owned or operated by any municipality, county, water or sewer district, or any other political subdivision of the state authorized to construct or operate a sewer system.

(9)           "Sewer system" means pipelines or conduits, pumping stations including lift stations and grinder stations, alternative systems, and appurtenant appliances used for conducting wastewater to a point of ultimate treatment and disposal.

(10)         "Small diameter, variable grade gravity sewer system" means a system of wastewater collection using an interceptor tank to remove solids and grease from the waste stream. Flow is transferred to the central gravity system in the public right-of-way by gravity or effluent pumps. With venting and design, inflected gradients may also be accommodated.

(11)         "Septic tank with effluent pump (STEP) system" means a pressure sewer system in which the individual grinder pump is replaced with a septic tank and an effluent pump either in the second chamber of the septic tank or in a separate pump tank that follows the septic tank.

(12)         "Vacuum sewer system" means a mechanized system of wastewater collection using differential air pressure to move the wastewater. Centralized stations provide the vacuum with valve pits providing the collection point from the source and also the inlet air required to move the wastewater. In conjunction with the vacuum pumps, a standard non-vacuum pump station and force main is used to transport the wastewater from the vacuum tanks to a gravity sewer or ultimate point of treatment and disposal.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143-215.1; 143-215.3(a);

Eff. September 1, 2006;

Readopted Eff. September 1, 2018.