HomeMy WebLinkAboutTechnical_Glossary1
ADA (Americans with
Disabilities Act)
Federal law
Aggregate A material or structure formed from a
loosely-compacted mass of fragments
Anti-Icing Process of preventing the formation of ice,generally
through the application of brine
Apron Flared section of driveway between sidewalk and street
that allows access to private property
Automated Refuse
Collection
Method of refuse collection using a single operator,
remaining in the cab operating a mechanical arm or
lifting device that automatically extends and grasps or
attaches to a standardized refuse container that is left at
the curbside
AWWA (American
Water Works
Association)
The AWWA is a professional advisory organization.
Backflow preventer/
vacuum breaker
Mechanical device to prevent water from being drawn
back into the potable system
Base Course Aggregate section placed on native ground to support
pavement
BOD (Biochemical
Oxygen Demand)
A bioassay used to determine the strength of wastewater
Brine A water and salt solution
CAA (Construction
Access Agreement)
A document allowing City construction on a small
portion of private property
Carriage Walk A section of sidewalk installed perpendicular to the street
between the public sidewalk and the street curb
Catch Basin A structure located at the point where a street gutter
discharges into the storm sewer and designed to catch
and retain coarse debris that would not pass readily
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through the sewer
CBOD (Carbonaceous
Biochemical Oxygen
Demand)
A bioassay used to determine the strength of wastewater
without interference from ammonia
CC (Cross
Connection)
Possible interconnection of a contaminant to the
potable water system
CCR (Consumer
Confidence Report)
The CCR is an annual water quality report
CCT (Corrosion
Control Treatment)
Chemicals added to the drinking water to minimize
corrosion
CCTV (Closed Circuit
Televising)
A method of conducting inspection of underground
pipes that allows viewers to review the condition and
note location of lateral connections
Clay Dam A plug of clay material intended to block the flow of
groundwater around underground pipes
Clean Out A surface inspection point utilized on smaller piping,
typically on private property
Clearing and
Grubbing
The removal of trees and roots
Closed to Local Traffic Street is closed to all traffic,including properties within
the construction zone
CMAR (Compliance
Maintenance Annual
Report)
The required annual mechanism used to report
treatment plant performance to the WDNR
CMOM (Capacity
Management
Operation and
Maintenance)
A required program used to keep accurate records of
the efforts taken to clean and maintain a sanitary
collection system
CT (Contract Time)
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Curb Stop The water shutoff valve for private property,typically
located behind the curb,in the terrace
DATCP (Department
of Trade,Agriculture,
and Consumer
Protection)
The DATCP is a federal agency and control authority
over the WFP certified laboratory
DBP (Disinfection
Byproduct)
Compound formed when chlorine or bromine interacts
with organic materials in water
DMF (Dual Media
Filter)
One of the treatment processes in filtering drinking water
DMR (Discharge
Monitoring Report)
A monthly performance report submitted to the WDNR
DO (Dissolved
Oxygen)
The amount of dissolved free oxygen available in water
DSPS (Department of
Safety and
Professional Services)
The DSPS is a state agency and control authority
EAM (Enterprise Asset
Management)
Computerized tool utilized to keep records of the
equipment managed by staff
EMOR (Electronic
Monthly Operating
Report)
A monthly performance report submitted to the WDNR
EP (Entry Point)Point at which drinking water leaves the WFP and enters
the distribution system
EPA (Environmental
Protection Agency)
The EPA is a federal agency and control authority for
environmental concerns and contaminants
Erosion Control Measures taken to reduce or eliminate the movement of
soil from a construction site
ERP (Emergency
Response Plan)
This plan is used to respond to emergencies
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Excavation The process of digging out the street bed in preparation
of placing the base course and pavement
Flushing (Hydrants)Running water out of a fire hydrant.This practice is
typically conducted on dead end mains where water
quality is a concern
FOG (Fats,Oils,and
Grease)
Common in wastewater and a re-occuring problem that
impacts biological processes at the wastewater
treatment plant;can cause blockages in public and
private sewers
Formwork Construction materials that make up a perimeter around
an area to be paved
GAC (Granular
Activated Carbon)
Media used to remove contaminants from water
Galvanized
Considered Lead
Galvanized water service that was never downstream
from lead
GIS (Global
Information System)
An electronic mapping and record-keeping system
Gpm (gallons per
minute)
Measure of flow rate
GPS (Global
Positioning System)
HAL (Health Action
Level)
HAZMAT (Hazardous
Materials)
Materials that are hazardous and require special
treatment and handling
HBWC
HES (High Early
Strength)
A form of concrete that cures to usuable strength faster
HFBO-DA
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Hudson Box A cover utilized when a curb stop is located within
pavement
HVAC (Heating,
Ventilation,and Air
Conditioning)
Inlet Structural point where water enters a sewer system
IOC (Inorganic
Carbon)
IT (Information
Technology)
KPI’s (Key
Performance
Indicators)
KPI’s help track progress on the City’s Strategic Plan
goals
Lateral Sidewalk
Squares
Sidewalk sections that are being replaced solely due to
the installation of private service laterals
Lateral Televising Closed circuit televising of storm and sanitary sewer
services
LCR/LCRR (Lead and
Copper Rule/Lead
and Copper Rule
Revisions)
Federal and State Regulations
Liming
LOD (Limit of
Detection)
The lowest concentration of a substance in a sample
that can consistently be detected
LOQ (Limit of
Quantification)
The lowest concentration at which the substance can
not only be reliably detected,but at which some
predefined goals for bias and precision are met
LOTO (Lock Out Tag
Out)
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LSLR (Lead Service
Line Replacement)
Lead or galvanized considered lead water service lateral
requiring replacement
LSLR Program (Lead
Service Line
Replacement
Program)
The mechanism that requires LSLR.It may or may not
offer reimbursement funds to eligible property owners
Main/Arterial
(Roadway)
A high-capacity urban road in terms of traffic flow and
speed
Manholes Underground structures utilized for pipe connections that
have an access point at the surface
Marker Balls An underground utilize line locating device
MCL (Maximum
Contaminant Level)
Meter (Water meter)Device owned,operated and maintained by the Water
Utility;used to measure water usage for billing purposes
MG (Million Gallons)
mg/l (Milligram per
liter)
A measurement used for chemical addition or reporting
contaminants.Equivalent to one (1)part per million
MGD (Million Gallons
per Day)
Measure of flow rate
MS4 (Municipal
Seperate Storm Sewer
System)
A Municipally owned and operated storm sewer system
designed for conveyance of runoff to Waters of the
State.Several EPA and WDNR regulations apply to the
MS4
NH3 (Ammonia)A compound that is common in wastewater and is the
main loading factor for biosolids application on farm
fields
NOD (Nitrogenous
Oxygen Demand)
The measure of the amount of oxygen necessary to
convert ammonia to nitrite and nitrate
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NON (Notice of
Noncompliance)
A letter from the WDNR used to document violations and
request corrections
NOV (Notice of
Violation)
A formal letter from the WDNR providing specific notice
of alleged violations and consequences
NR101 (Wisconsin
Legislature,
Administrative Code,
Department of Natural
Resources,Chapter
NR 101:Reports and
Fees for Wastewater
Discharges)
NR 101 relates to annual Reports and Fees for
Wastewater Discharges
NTU (Nephelometric
Turbidity Unit)
Measurement of water clarity
OCCT (Optimized
Corrosion Control
Treatment)
Drinking water treatment process that is maximized for
efficient reduction of pipe material corrosion from
treated drinking water
PASER (Pavement
Surface Evaluation
and Rating scale)
The PASER scale is a 1-10 rating system for road
pavement condition with 1 being the worst condition,
and 10 being the best condition (new pavement)
The Department uses the PASER scale to rate road
pavement condition and determine required repairs
Paving The process of placing final street pavement surface.This
can refer to asphalt or concrete
PFAS compounds
(per-and
polyfluoroalkyl
substances)
PFAS compounds are a class of thousands of
human-made chemicals used in everything from food
packaging and cookware to upholstery,clothing and
firefighting foam.The chemicals do not readily break
down in the environment,so they are commonly referred
to as “forever chemicals”
PFBS
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PFBS
PFHxS
PFNA
PFNA
PFOA
PFOS
PLC (Programmable
Logic Controller)
Potable water
(Drinking water)
Water suitable for human consumption
POTW (Publicly
Operated Treatment
Works)
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants
PPB (Parts per Billion)One (1)part per one (1)billion parts
Ppd (pounds per day)
PPE (Personal
Protective Equipment)
PPM (Parts per Million)One (1)part per one (1)million parts
PPT (parts per trillion)One (1)part per one (1)trillion part
Private side water
service
Portion of the service owned,operated,and maintained
by the property owner;includes pipe from the curbstop
to the meter
PRV (Pressure
Reducing Value)
Mechanism to reduce pressure in the drinking water
system
PSC (Public Service
Commission of
Wisconsin)
State Regulatory Authority overseeing Utilities
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Public Side Water
Service
Portion of the service owned,operated and maintained
by the Water Utility;includes pipe from the public main
to and including the curbstop
Punchlist A document utilized by inspectors after construction to
inform the Contractor of work that needs attention
Rehab Sidewalk
Squares
Sidewalk sections that have defects requiring repair in
order to maintain compliance with the ADA
Right of Way Publicly owned land available for the use of all.Typically
right-of-way is associated with streets that are open for
all,not private
RMP (Risk
Management Plan)
Plan that manages risk
Road Crown Downward slope of the road from the centerline to the
curb.Intended to direct water from the roadway into
storm sewers
Root Trimming Trimming of tree roots to allow for paving operations
Sanitary Lateral
(Service)
The small pipe conveying sewage from private property
to the public main
Sanitary Sewer System The overall system utilized for the collection of sewage
and conveyance of the sewage to the WWTP
SCADA (Supervisory
Control and Data
Acquisition)
The computer program used to control processes and
equipment
SCBA (Self-Contained
Breathing Apparatus)
SDS (Safety Data
Sheets)
SDWA (Safe Drinking
Water Act)
Federal regulations applying to drinking water standards
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Secondary/Collectors
(Roadway)
A road supplementing a main road,usually wide enough
and suitable for two-way traffic
Sewage (Wastewater)The spent water of a community
Sidewalk A paved area at the edge of the right-of-way to facility
pedestrian and other non-motorized transportation.Must
be compliant with the ADA
Sidewalk Ramp Also referred to as a Handicapped Ramp.This is a
section of public sidewalk that is tapered to a street
crossing to allow safe passage of pedestrians,
particularly disabled pedestrians
Sillcock (Hosebib)Threaded connection point for graden hose
SOC (Synthetic
Organic Carbon)
Soil Borings Drilling and sampling of soil conducted prior to
construction to determine the soil conditions and test for
contaminants
SOP (Standard
Operating Procedure)
Special Assessment A charge levied against adjacent property associated
with public construction.Regulated by state statutes
Special Charge A mechanism for municipalities to recover certain costs
associated with construction or maintenance.Regulated
by state statutes
SSO (Sanitary Sewer
Overflow)
A SSO is a release of wastewater from a sewage
collection system or from a location other than the
permitted outfall
Stop Box
Storm Lateral (Service)The small pipe conveying runoff and sump pump
discharge from private property to the public main
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Storm Lateral Inlet A structure connected to the storm lateral that allows
surface water to enter the lateral
Storm Sewer System The overall system utilized for the collection of storm
water runoff and conveyance to Waters of the State
Survey The process of obtaining information about what is
present within a construction zone and determining
elevations.The survey forms the basis for all design and
construction work
SWTR (Surface Water
Treatment Rule)
Taper A section of curb that transitions from no height to a
height matching adjacent curb (typically 6”in height)
Terrace Grass area between the sidewalk and curb.This is part of
the public right-of-way.
Tier II (Chemical
Inventory Report)
TKN (Total Kjeldahl
Nitrogen)
The combination of organic nitrogen and ammonia in a
sample of water.
TLE (Temporary Limited
Easement)
A legal document allowing temporary access to another
person’s property
TN (Total Nitrogen)The combination of Organic Nitrogen,Nitrite,Nitrate and
Ammonia in a sample of water
TOC (Total Organic
Carbon)
Traffic Control Signage and measures installed to regulate how traffic
flows
Trimming A mechanical process utilized to remove excess base
course from the ground and create a consistent
foundation for the placement of pavement
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TSS (Total Suspended
Solids)
The total amount of debris that can be filtered in a
sample of water
UCMR (Unregulated
Contaminant
Monitoring Rule)
Provides EPA and other interested parties with suspected
contaminant data present in drinking water,but that do
not have health-based standards set under the Safe
Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
UDF (Uni-Directional
Flushing)
Flushing process to remove sediment and debris
ug/l (Microgram per
liter)
Ultra-low level contaminant reporting equivalent to one
(1)part per billion
UPS (Uninterrupted
Power Supply)
Utility Locates
(Digger’s Hotline
Locates)
Markings at are applied to the ground surface to show
the approximate location of underground utilities
VFD (Variable
Frequency Drive)
VOC (Volatile Organic
Compound)
Warranty A period of time that materials and craftsmanship are
guaranteed from defects
Water Lateral (Service)The small pipe conveying water from the main to private
property
WDNR/DNR (Wisconsin
Department of Natural
Resources)
The WDNR is a state agency and control authority for
environmental concerns and contaminants
WET Test (Whole
Effluent Toxicity Test)
A bioassay to determine the quality of the Wastewater
Treatment Plant effluent.Daphnia and Fathead minnows
are raised in the effluent assessing its lack of toxicity
WFP (Water Filteration Plant that produces drinking water
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Plant)
WOTS (Waters of the
State)
Portions of public and private waters within the state or
under its jurisdiction including lakes,bays,rivers,streams,
springs,ponds,wells,impounding reservoirs,marshes,
water courses,drainage systems and other surface water
or groundwater (natural or artificial),except those waters
which are entirely confined and retained completely
upon the property of a person
WPDES (Wisconsin
Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System)
The state program that issues permits that define water
quality discharge limits.Program managed by WDNR
WQP (Water Quality
Parameters)
Different characteristics to be sampled for in drinking
water monitoring
WWTP (Wastewater
Treatment Plant)
A facility that cleans,disinfects and discharges sewage
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