(a) Activated sludge process means a biological wastewater treatment process in which a mixture of wastewater and activated sludge is agitated and aerated. The activated sludge is subsequently separated from the treated wastewater (mixed liquor) by sedimentation and wasted or returned to the process as needed.

(b) Assistant/shift operator means an individual who is employed or appointed by any county, city, village, town, district, or by any state department, agency or authority, or by any sewer company, corporation, person or group of persons, or by any industry or institution, and who is designated by the appointing officials as a person who, under the direction of the chief operator, is in responsible supervision of the complete and actual operation of a wastewater treatment plant during a shift or in the absence of the chief operator.

(c) Chief operator means an individual who is employed or appointed by any county, city, village, town, district, or by any State department, agency or authority, or by any sewer company, corporation, person or group of persons, or by any industry or institution, and who is designated by the appointing officials as the person in responsible supervision of the complete and actual operation of any wastewater treatment plant. It is not intended to include city managers, superintendents of public works or municipal or other officials unless their duties include the actual operation of a wastewater treatment plant.

(d) Contact hour means one hour of acceptable instruction or training in a course or seminar relevant to the field of wastewater treatment.

(e) Department means the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation or its designated representatives.

(f) Other treatment processes means all biological, physical, and chemical treatment processes other than the activated sludge process. It is intended to include but is not limited to treatment processes such as trickling filters, rotating biological contactors, sand filters, biofilters, oxidation ponds, stabilization ponds, activated carbon or any other devices or processes performing similar functions.

(g) Responsible supervision means the accountability for and performance of active, daily on-site operation of the wastewater treatment plant.

(h) Septic tank means an underground vessel for treating wastewater by combination of settling and anaerobic digestion.

(i) Wastewater treatment plant means any plant or facility owned or maintained by any county, city, village, town, district, or by any State department, agency or authority, or by any sewer company, corporation, person or group of persons, or by any industry or institution, which subjects wastewater to a process for removing or altering the objectionable constituents of wastewater for the purpose of meeting the requirements of its State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (SPDES) and making it less offensive or dangerous.