§ 37-2. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Applicant shall mean a developer or a potential customer or an authorized agent of a developer or potential customer.

Backflow shall mean a hydraulic condition, caused by differences in pressure, that may cause non-potable water or another substance to flow into a potable water system.

Backflow preventer shall mean an assembly, device or method that prevents backflow.

Capacity maintenance fee (formerly known as revenue and maintenance fee) shall mean certain fees assessed, levied or charged by the board to recover the fixed cost associated with maintaining capacity to serve the potential demands of the utility systems' customers, independent of actual usage. Capacity maintenance fees are charged, at the time specified in this article, to those entities that have paid capital charges but have not yet connected to the system, and are not yet paying a fixed monthly charge for use of capacity in the system.

Capital charge shall mean certain fees or charges assessed, levied or charged by the board to obtain, finance or recover the capital costs of the water or wastewater systems. See also "water capital charge" and "wastewater capital charge."

Connection fees shall mean those fees and charges established by the board and collected by Orange County Utilities (OCU) at or before the issuance of building permits to pay for or recover the costs of connection to the utility system, including, but not limited to, capital charges, meter fees, meter installation fees, and administrative fees and deposits, as set forth or amended from time to time by the board.

County rate resolutions and ordinances shall mean all resolutions and ordinances, either currently in effect or adopted in the future, by the board or its successors, which establish and revise rates, fees, and charges for the county water, wastewater and reclaimed water systems.

Cross connection shall mean any unapproved or unprotected actual or potential connection or structural arrangement between the OCU water system or a customer's potable water system and any other source or system through which it is possible to introduce into any part of the potable water system any substance other than the intended potable water with which the system is supplied. Bypass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or changeover assemblies, or any other temporary or permanent connecting arrangements through which, or because of which, backflow can or may occur, are considered to be cross connections. Cross connection shall only be authorized if approved in advance by the director.

Cross connection control program shall mean the policies and requirements for managing backflow preventers and connections to the water systems that all connections must follow related to prevention and control of cross connections in the water system as specified and periodically updated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Orange County Utilities Standards and Construction Specifications Manual, and the Orange County Utilities Cross Connection Control Manual.

Customer shall mean any person, property owner, corporation, government entity, homeowners association, or other entity that receives water, wastewater, or reclaimed water services from OCU or benefits directly from services rendered by OCU, including the actual user of the water, wastewater, or reclaimed water services.

Degree of hazard shall mean the actual contamination or potential threat of contamination to the public water system or the customer's potable water system related to cross connections to the public water system.

Developer shall mean the owner of a development or the agent of such owner who shall have the legal right to bind the owner to all legal obligations related to utility service for the proposed development.

Development shall mean the improvement of raw land, construction of improvements on developed land, or modifications of improved property.

Director shall mean the director of the Orange County Utilities Department or his or her authorized designee.

Effluent disposal facilities shall mean those wastewater facilities necessary to detain, transmit, store, and dispose of wastewater previously treated at treatment facilities.

Entity shall mean an organization, public or private, that has a legal identity apart from its members.

Equivalent residential connection (ERC) shall mean a system capacity equivalency unit which corresponds to a single-family residential connection, as established in this article. This system capacity equivalency unit is utilized to establish the relative demand for various sized connections for the purpose of assessing fees and charges.

Equivalent residential unit (ERU) shall mean a system capacity equivalency unit which corresponds to a single-family residential connection, as established in this article. This system capacity equivalency unit is utilized to establish the relative flow for various sized connections for the purpose of assessing fees and charges.

FDEP shall mean the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, its predecessor or successor agencies.

GPD shall mean gallons per day.

Interim private wastewater treatment facilities shall mean those wastewater facilities to be constructed by a person or entity other than the county, and operated on an interim, temporary basis until the wastewater flows treated thereby are permanently connected to a regional, subregional or area-wide wastewater treatment plant.

Interim private water treatment facilities shall mean those water facilities to be constructed by a person or entity other than the county, and operated on an interim, temporary basis until the water provided thereby is permanently provided by a regional, subregional or area-wide water treatment plant.

MGD shall mean millions of gallons per day.

Orange County service area or county service area shall mean the geographical area designated in this article for the provision of water, wastewater and/or reclaimed water services from the utility system.

Orange County Utilities Standards and Construction Specifications Manual shall mean the document by that title approved by the board identifying the minimum design standards and specifications, and review, approval and acceptance procedures to be used for the construction of water, wastewater and reclaimed water systems that will be maintained and operated by OCU. The manual applies to private development projects containing utility systems that will be dedicated to the county for operation and maintenance.

OCU shall mean the Orange County Utilities Department.

Person shall mean an individual, partnership, or association, the State of Florida or any agency or institution thereof, the United States or any agency or institution thereof, or any municipality, political subdivision, public or private corporation, or other entity and includes any officer or governing or managing body of the State of Florida, the United States, any agency, any municipality, political subdivision, or public or private corporation.

Potable water shall mean any water which, according to recognized standards, is safe for human consumption.

Potable water service shall mean the provision of potable water from the county potable water system for use by a customer.

Potable water system shall mean all facilities and interests in real and personal property owned, operated, managed or controlled by the county, now and in the future, and used to provide potable water service to existing and future customers.

PSC shall mean the Florida Public Service Commission as defined in Florida Statutes.

Reclaimed water shall mean highly treated wastewater or other water sources meeting the requirements of Chapter 62-610, F.A.C., and which is suitable for direct, nonpotable, beneficial reuse.

Reclaimed water service shall mean the provision of reclaimed water from the county reclaimed water system for use by a customer.

Reclaimed water system shall mean all facilities and interests in real and personal property owned, operated, managed or controlled by the county, now and in the future, and used to provide reclaimed water service to existing and future customers.

Residential cross connection control program shall mean that portion of the cross connection control program established by OCU for testing and maintenance of backflow preventers applicable to all residential customers who have an individually metered potable water connection and who are required to have a backflow preventer per the cross connection control program.

UCCAB shall mean the Utilities Capital Charge Appeal Board established by Orange County Ordinance No. 2005-18 .

Utility system shall mean all facilities and interests in real and personal property owned, operated, managed or controlled by the county, now and in the future, and used to provide water, wastewater and/or reclaimed water service to existing and future customers.

Utility service shall mean the provision by the county of water, wastewater, or reclaimed water services, or any combination thereof.

Wastewater shall mean a combination of the water-carried wastes from residences, commercial buildings, institutions, industrial establishments and other customers of the county wastewater system.

Wastewater capital charge shall mean certain fees or charges assessed, levied, or charged by the board to obtain, finance, or recover the capital costs of the wastewater system, as established in this article.

Wastewater service shall mean the transport, treatment, and disposal of wastewater from a customer's property by the county wastewater system.

Wastewater system shall mean all facilities and interests in real and personal property owned, operated, managed or controlled by the county now, and in the future, and used to provide wastewater service to existing and future customers.

Water capital charge shall mean certain fees or charges assessed, levied or charged by the board to obtain, finance or recover the capital costs of the water system, as established in this article.

Water service shall mean the provision of potable water from the county water system for use by a customer.

Water system shall mean all facilities and interests in real and personal property owned, operated, managed or controlled by the county now and in the future and used to provide water service to existing and future customers.

(Ord. No. 2012-08 , § 1, 4-3-12; Ord. No. 2017-16 , § 2, 8-29-17, effective 1-1-18)