As used in this chapter, unless the context indicates otherwise:

"Department" means the department of ecology.

"Director" means the director of the department of ecology, or designee.

"General NPDES permit" means a permit designed to cover multiple dischargers of a point source category within a designated geographical area, in lieu of individual permits being issued to each discharger.

"Individual NPDES permit" means a permit for a single point source or a single facility.

"Marine finfish rearing facilities" means those private and public facilities located within the salt water of the state where finfish are fed, nurtured, held, maintained, or reared to the size of release or for market sale.

"NPDES" means National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.

"Permit or wastewater discharge permit" means an authorization, license, or equivalent control document issued by the department to implement chapters 173-220, 173-226, and/or 173-216 WAC.

"Sediment quality standards" means the standards set forth in chapter 173-204 WAC.

"Upland finfish facility" means those facilities not located within waters of the state where finfish are hatched, fed, nurtured, held, maintained, or reared to reach the size of release or for market sale. This includes fish hatcheries, rearing ponds, spawning channels, and other similarly constructed or fabricated public or private facility.

"Wastewater" means the water or liquid carried waste. These wastes may result from any process or activity, including but not limited to, of industry, manufacturer, trade, business, development of any natural resource, or from animal operations such as feed lots, poultry houses, dairies, or fish rearing operations. The term also includes contaminated stormwater and leachate from solid waste facilities.

"Water quality standards" means as applicable: Chapter 173-201A WAC for surface waters, chapter 173-200 WAC for groundwaters, and chapter 173-204 WAC for sediment.

"Waters of the state" includes those waters as defined as "waters of the United States" in 40 C.F.R. 122.2 within the geographic boundaries of Washington state and "waters of the state" as defined in RCW 90.48.020.

"40 C.F.R." means Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as presently promulgated and subsequently amended or repromulgated.