When used in this chapter:

1. (1) "Public water supply" means:

   1. (a) any publicly or privately owned waterworks system which provides drinking water, whether bottled or piped, for human consumption, including the source of supply whether the source of supply is of surface or subsurface origin;
   2. (b) all structures and appurtenances used for the collection, treatment, storage, or distribution of drinking water delivered to point of meter of consumer or owner's connection;
   3. (c) any part or portion of the system, including any water treatment facility, which in any way alters the physical, chemical, radiological, or bacteriological characteristics of drinking water. Public water supply does not include a drinking water system serving a single private residence or dwelling. A separately owned system with its source or supply from another waterworks system is a separate public water supply.
2. (2) "Water treatment facility" means any public water supply which alters the physical, chemical, or bacteriological characteristics of potable water furnished to the public for human consumption whether the source of supply is of surface or subterranean origin.
3. (3) "Public wastewater treatment plant" means that portion of a public, private, or corporate wastewater system which treats domestic, commercial, or industrial waste and which alters physical, chemical, or bacteriological characteristics before placing the waste into any receiving waters.
4. (4) "Operator", when used in reference to public water or wastewater treatment, means a person employed in a public water treatment facility or public wastewater treatment plant whose duties include alteration of the physical, chemical, or bacteriological characteristics of water or wastewater. When used in reference to public water distribution, "operator" means a person employed in a public water distribution system whose duties include making process control and system integrity decisions about water quality or quantity that affect public health.
5. (5) "Board" means the South Carolina Environmental Certification Board.
6. (6) "Certificate of registration" or "certificate" means a serially numbered document issued by the board, containing the name of the person registered and the date of registration and authenticated by a signature as determined by the board, certifying that the person named has been registered by the board as an operator of a public water treatment facility, public wastewater treatment plant, percolation test technician, or a well driller.
7. (7) "Well" means a bored, drilled, or driven shaft, or a dug hole whose depth is greater than the largest surface dimension, from which water is extracted or injected including, but not limited to, wells used for water supply for irrigation, industrial, and manufacturing processes, or drinking water, wells used for underground injection of waste for disposal, storage, or drainage disposal, wells used in mineral or geothermal recovery, and any other special process wells.
8. (8) "Well driller" means any person directly responsible for construction of wells at the well site.
9. (9) "Percolation test technician" means a person who performs measurements of the percolation of water in soil.
10. (10) "Licensee" means a person who holds a current certificate of registration issued by the board.
11. (11) "Human consumption" means water used for drinking, bathing, cooking, dishwashing, maintaining oral hygiene, or other similar uses.
12. (12) "Person" means an individual, partnership, copartnership, cooperative, firm, company, public or private corporation, political subdivision, government agency, trust, estate, joint structure company, or any other legal entity or its legal representative, agent, or assigns.
13. (13) "Public water distribution system" means that portion of a public water system that is utilized for the delivery of water for human consumption, whether bottled, piped, or delivered through some other constructed conveyance, up to the point of consumer or owner connection.

14. (14) "Public water system" means:

    1. (a) any publicly or privately owned waterworks system which provides water, whether bottled, piped, or delivered through some other constructed conveyance, for human consumption, including the source of supply whether the source of supply is of surface or subsurface origin;
    2. (b) all structures and appurtenances used for the collection, treatment, storage, or distribution of water delivered to point of meter of consumer or owner connection;

    3. (c) any part or portion of the system, including any water treatment facility, which in any way alters the physical, chemical, radiological, or bacteriological characteristics of the water; however, a public water system does not include a water system serving a single private residence or dwelling. A separately owned system with its source of supply from another waterworks system must be a separate public water system. A connection to a system that delivers water by a constructed conveyance other than a pipe must not be considered a connection if:

       1. (i) the water is used exclusively for purposes other than residential uses consisting of drinking, bathing, and cooking or similar uses;
       2. (ii) the State Department of Health and Environmental Control determines that alternative water sources to achieve the equivalent level of public health protection provided by the applicable State Primary Drinking Water Regulations is provided for residential or similar uses for drinking or cooking; or
       3. (iii) the State Department of Health and Environmental Control determines the water provided for residential or similar uses for drinking, cooking, and bathing is centrally treated or treated at the point of entry by the provider, a pass-through entity, or the user to achieve the equivalent level of protection provided by the applicable State Primary Drinking Water Regulations.
15. (15) "Public water system treatment facility" means that portion of a public water system that alters the physical, chemical, or bacteriological characteristics of water furnished to the public for human consumption, whether the source of supply is of surface or subterranean origin.