New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Chapter 19 - WATER SUPPLY ALLOCATION PERMITS
Subchapter 6 - WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT ACT RULES
Section 7:19-6.2 - Definitions
The following words and terms shall have the following meanings unless the context indicates otherwise:
"Act" means the Water Supply Management Act, 58:1A-1 et seq., P.L. 1981, c.262.
"Adverse impact upon wells" means an impaired pumping rate or a required change in the construction of a well affected by lowered water levels or any impairment of water quality.
"Aquifer" means any subsurface water-saturated zone which is significantly permeable so that it may yield sufficient quantities of water from wells or springs in order to serve as a practical source of water supply.
"Area of critical water supply concern" or "critical area" means a region of the State where excessive water usage or diversion presents undue stress, or wherein conditions pose a significant threat to the long-term integrity of a water supply source, including a diminution of surface water supply due to excess groundwater diversion.
"Allocation permit" means the document issued by the Department to a person, granting that person the privilege, so long as the person complies with the conditions of the permit, to divert water for any purpose other than agricultural or horticultural use.
"Class A standard" means the capacity of one or more interconnections with an adjacent water system, having the combined capacity to supply 75 percent of the average water usage of the receiving system, while relying on no more than one adjacent system for more than 25 percent of the average water supply of that adjacent system.
"Class B standard" means the capacity of one or more interconnections with an adjacent water system having the combined capacity to supply 50 percent of the average water usage of the receiving system, while relying on one adjacent system for no more than 35 percent of the average water supply of that adjacent system.
"Class 1 purveyor" means a water purveyor which serves a population of up to 10,000 persons.
"Class 2 purveyor" means a water purveyor which serves a population of 10,001 to 50,000 persons.
"Class 3 purveyor" means a water purveyor which serves a population of over 50,000 persons.
"Confined aquifer" means an aquifer which contains groundwater confined under pressure between or below relatively impermeable or significantly less permeable material so that the water surface rises above the top of the aquifer in a well which derives its water from that aquifer.
"Dependable yield of subsurface sources" means that yield of water from a subsurface source or sources available continuously during projected future conditions, including a repetition of the most severe drought of record, without creating undesirable effects. Undesirable effects may include adverse impact upon other wells of a depth of 50 feet or more, increased risk of introducing or spreading saline water or polluted water in the aquifer or unacceptable reduction of surface flow of streams.
"Dependable yield of combined surface/ground water sources" means the yield of water by a water system which is available continuously throughout a repetition of the most severe drought of record, without causing undesirable effects, as described in the definition of "Dependable yield of subsurface sources" above.
"Drought" means a condition of dryness due to lower than normal precipitation, resulting in reduced stream flows, reduced soil moisture and/or lowering of the potentiometric surface in wells.
"Interconnection" means a water supply connection with another water supply system or systems.
"Multiple sources" means one or more production wells, surface water intakes, or interconnections or a combination of wells, surface water intakes or interconnections utilized to meet the demands of a public community water system.
"Normal demand" means the annual average daily demand during the three preceding non-drought years, including normally occurring peaks.
"Purveyor" or "water purveyor" means any person who owns or operates a public water supply.
"Public community water system" means a public water system which serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents.
"Safe yield from surface sources" means the yield maintainable by a water system continuously throughout a repetition of the most severe drought of record, after compliance with requirements for maintaining minimum passing flows.
"Single prime source" means a single diversion of surface or groundwater, including an interconnection, capable of providing the peak water demand of a public community water supply system.
"Unaccounted-for water" means water withdrawn by a purveyor from a source and not accounted for as being delivered to customers in measured amounts.
"Unconfined" or "semi-confined aquifer" means an aquifer that is either exposed to atmospheric pressure or bounded by layers of materials which do not serve as an effective barrier to water migration.
"User" means any person or other entity which utilizes water.
"Water allocation" or "certification" means the authority to withdraw surface or groundwater for use, pursuant to a permit issued under N.J.A.C. 7:19-1 et seq. or 7:20A-1.1 et seq.
"Water supply system" means a physical infrastructure operated and maintained to deliver water on either a retail or wholesale basis to customers.
"Water table" means the water surface in the uppermost part of the water-saturated zone which is at atmospheric pressure.
"Water table aquifer" means a geological formation which carries water at atmospheric pressure at the top of the saturated zone.
"Yield of a water resource system" means the output of water from a system, available with monthly variations corresponding to the needs of the system.
