Marvin Mandel, Governor                         553

Whereas the problem of water pollution in this State is closely re-
lated to the problem of water pollution in adjoining States; and

Whereas it is hereby declared to be the public policy of this State
to improve, conserve and manage the quality of the waters of the
State and to protect, maintain and improve the quality thereof for
public water supplies, for the propagation of wildlife, fish and aquatic
life, and for domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational and other
legitimate beneficial uses; to provide that no waste be discharged
into any waters of the State without first receiving the necessary
treatment or other corrective action to protect the legitimate bene-
ficial uses of such waters; to provide for the prevention, abatement
and control of new or existing water pollution; and to co-operate
with the agencies of other States and the Federal Government in
carrying out these objectives; now, therefore

It is the intention of the General Assembly in the enactment of
this subtitle to insure that discharges of potentially harmful sub-

stances to the waters of the State never exceed the limits imposed

by a real determination of necessity IMPROVE, CONSERVE AND
MANAGE THE QUALITY OF THE WATERS OF THE STATE.

24.

For the purposes of this Subtitle, the following words and phrases
shall have the following meanings:

(a)    "Pollution" means such contamination or other alteration of
the physical, chemical or biological properties, of any waters of the
State, including change in temperature, taste, color, turbidity, or
odor of the waters, or such discharge or deposit of any organic mat-
ter, harmful organisms; liquid, gaseous, solid, radioactive, or other
substance into any waters of the State as will or is likely to create
a nuisance or render such waters harmful detrimental or injurious
to public health, safety or welfare, or to domestic, commercial, in-
dustrial, agricultural, recreational, or other legitimate beneficial uses,
or to livestock, wild animals, birds, fish or other aquatic life.

(b)    "Wastes" means industrial wastes and all other liquid,
gaseous, solid or other substances which may WILL pollute or tend to
pollute any waters of this State.

(c)    "Treatment works" means any plant or other works, used
for the purpose of treating, stabilizing or holding wastes.

(d)    "Disposal system" means a system for disposing of wastes,
either by surface or underground methods, and includes treatment
works, disposal wells and other systems.

(e)    "Waters of the State" means both surface and underground
waters within the boundaries of the State or subject to its jurisdic-
tion, including that portion of the Atlantic Ocean within the bound-
aries of the State, the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, the flood
plain of free-flowing waters on the basis of a fifty (50) year flood
frequency, and all ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, public ditches, tax
ditches, and public drainage systems within the State, other than
those designed and used for the purpose of collection, conveyance, or
disposal of sanitary sewage.

(f)    "Person" means the State or any agency or institution there-
of, any municipality, political subdivision, public or private corpora-