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Save The River! Thousand Islands – Clayton NY on the St. Lawrence River

Save The River! Thousand Islands - Clayton NY on the St. Lawrence River

Save The River! is a non-profit, member-based environmental organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the ecological integrity of the Upper St. Lawrence River through advocacy, education and research.

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Glossary

You are here: Home / Get Involved / Sewage Handbook / Glossary

Aerobic: Any chemical process requiring high amounts of oxygen (ex.: composting toilets and aerobic tanks).

Anaerobic: In the absence of oxygen (ex. septic).

Bedrock: Solid rock exposed or close to the surface of the ground

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): Amount of oxygen microorganisms removed from water during decomposition of organic matter

Blackwater: Wastewater containing only toilet wastes

Carbon Dioxide (CO2): A gaseous end product of the aerobic process

Compost: Organic material that is the end product of complete decomposition of animal and vegetable waste by microorganisms

Composting: The process of turning wastes into compost

Decomposition: To break down wastes into compost

Distribution Box: Separates effluent into separate trenches or leach fields

Dosing: Periodic discharge of effluent to a distribution system

Effluent: Here “effluent” is regularly used to refer to the outflow from sewage treatment devices such as septic or aerobic tanks

Flush Toilet: A device that uses water and gravity to remove human waste

Greywater: Water containing household wastes from tubs, sinks, washing machines, etc. (everything except blackwater).

Groundwater: Water contained in the ground below the water table

Humus: See COMPOST

Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S): A gaseous by-produce of anaerobic processes; it smells like rotten eggs

Impervious: Any material which will not allow water to pass through (impermeable)

Methane (CH4): A gaseous combustible by-product of anaerobic processes

Microorganism: Here it is used to describe microscopic organisms (either plant or animal) present in the air, soil or water, which help break down wastes. Some microorganisms do this by consuming oxygen and are therefore part of an aerobic decomposition process; others use no oxygen and are therefore part of anaerobic waste breakdown

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: The agency responsible for water pollution control laws in New York State. There is an office in the Dulles Sstate Office Building, Watertown

New York State Department of Health: The agency responsible for enforcement of public health law in New York State. There is an office in the Dulles State Office Building, Watertown

Pathogenic: Disease Causing organisms such as certain viruses and bacteria

Percolation: Movement of liquid downward through a porous medium such as soil, gravel or sand

Reverse Osmosis: Concentration of a contaminant on one side of a membrane, holding clean water on the other. This process requires use of a mechanical devise

Scum: Matter suspended in liquid which is less dense than that liquid and which therefore floats to the surface

Sewage: Human wastes discharged from the home. Greywater is also considered sewage under the law

Sludge: Matter which is denser than the liquid containing it and which sinks below the liquid

SPDES: State Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit, required to discharge to surface waters

Surface Water Discharge: Discharge into lakes, streams, rivers, ponds or wetlands

 

In collaboration with:

Eric E. Murdock, P.E.

Onsite Engineering, PLLC.

Save The River is a 501(c)3 and was designated the Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper in 2004 and is a member of the International Waterkeeper Alliance. The Waterkeeper Alliance is the world’s fastest growing environmental movement, with more than 300+ local Waterkeepers patrolling rivers, lakes and coastal waterways on 6 continents.

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