Glossary

Algal Bloom Advisory

notice that a rapid growth of algae or cyanobacteria in water that can be harmful to people, animals, or the environment is present in water. 

See also Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB). 

Aquifer

an underground layer of water-bearing material, consisting of permeable or fractured rock, or unconsolidated materials.

Benham Water Plant

a utility company based in Benham, KY, providing water to 855 residents and 20 commercial concerns.

Big Looney Creek

a creek emerging from a local coal seam feeding the Lynch Water System. 

Black Mountain Utility District

provides water to residential and commercial properties in Baxter, Kentucky, and surrounding areas; they purchase 140,000 gallons of water per day from Harlan Municipal Water Works, Cawood Water District, and Evarts Municipal Water Works.

Boil Water Advisory

a public notification that advises people to boil their tap water before drinking it because it may be contaminated with harmful germs.

Cawood Water District

a public water system that currently serves 881 residential, 8 commercial and 1 industrial connections, with a capacity of 500,000 gallons per day. 

Chemical Pollution

when chemicals are released into our environment and disrupt the balance of our ecosystems, threatening our health, polluting the air we breathe and contaminating our food.

Cistern

a tank for storing water, especially one supplying taps or as part of a flushing toilet (or) a container in which water is stored, especially one connected to a bathroom or on the roof of a house.

Citizen Scientist

a member of the public who voluntarily takes part in scientific research projects.

Climate Change

a long-term shift in weather patterns and temperatures that can be caused by natural or human activities.

Climate Resilience

the ability to prepare for, respond to, and manage the effects of climate change or extreme weather.

Clean Water Act (CWA)

the primary Federal US Law addressing water pollution. This Act defines processes for pollution control as well as criteria and standards for pollutants in surface water. It authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate surface water pollution in partnership with state agencies. Throughout the years, the Law has been amended to include emerging water pollution challenges (e.g. municipal storm sewage treatment), and to streamline funding processes for municipal water and wastewater systems.  

Clover Fork River

a tributary of the Cumberland River, draining a section of the Appalachian Mountains in Harlan County, southeast Kentucky in the United States. The river's confluence with Martins Fork at Harlan marks the official beginning of the Cumberland River.

Coal Mining

extraction of coal deposits from the surface of the earth and underground.

Coal Sludge/Slurry

a toxic liquid waste product of coal mining and processing. It is a mixture of water, fine coal particles, and other dissolved or particulate substances.

Combined Sewage System

a network of pipes that carries both rainwater and wastewater into a single system.

Community Engagement Coordinator

a LiKEN employee who connects with community members, supports local livelihoods, builds connections and networks within and around the community; and empowers local residents with knowledge, education, and support. 

Community Wastewater System

a centralized system that treats and disposes of wastewater from multiple buildings or homes. 

Community Water System (CWS)

a public water system that consistently supplies water to the same people throughout the year.

Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) (see also Water Quality Report)

a yearly report that community water systems provide to their customers that summarizes the quality of their drinking water

Cumberland Municipal Water System

the system currently serves 1,157 residential connections and has a capacity of 1,000,000 gallons per day.

Deep Freeze

a weather event that involves a significant drop in air temperature over a large area. It is an extreme version of a cold wave or cold snap. 

Development pathway

the political, economic, and cultural development that has locked regions in certain flows of power and resources, shaping water infrastructures that often have considerable inertia and might require structural change to reorient toward resilience.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)

chemicals that form when disinfectants like chlorine react with organic matter in water during the process of treating drinking water.

Drinking Water Watch (DWW)

a tool that allows users to view data about their water systems.

Drought

a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.

Effluent 

wastewater from sewers or industrial outfalls that flows directly into surface waters, either untreated or after being treated at a facility.

Emergency Response Branch (EEB)

a team of the Division of Water, Waste Management and Air Quality of the Department of Environmental Protection, which is trained to respond immediately to environmental emergencies where hazardous materials may have been spilled, during emergency events.

Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

serves the public by enforcing laws relating to natural resources and the environment.  EEC Secretary Rebecca Goodman was appointed as the state's top environmental officer in December 2019 by Gov. Andy Beshear.

Environmental Integrity Project

a nonprofit organization that advocates for the enforcement of environmental laws and the protection of public health.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

federal agency that protects people and the environment from significant health risks by sponsoring and conducting research, and developing and enforcing environmental regulations.

Equity / Equitable vs. Equality / Equal

equity the concept of treating people fairly and justly based on their individual circumstances, while equality is the outcome of treating everyone the same.

Evapotranspiration

the process by which water moves from the land to the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration: 

Evaporation: water from the soil surface, water bodies, and the capillary fringe of the groundwater table turns into water vapor and enters the air. 

Transpiration: plants release water into the air through their leaves and stems.

Evarts Municipal Water System

a public water system in Harlan County, Kentucky, serving a predominantly residential district, with 3059 residents and approximately 1485 persons through wholesale water sales. 

Flooding

an overflow that comes from a river or other body of water and causes or threatens damage. Any relatively high streamflow that overtops the natural or artificial banks of a river.

Forever Chemicals

a term used to describe per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of manmade chemicals that are nearly indestructible and can be found in many consumer products.

Fracking

a method for extracting oil and natural gas from shale and other types of tight rock formations, using water and other chemicals.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

provides the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency. It is often described as the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government.

Groundwater

water that exists underground in saturated zones beneath the land surface.

Groundwater Pollution

occurs when pollutants are released into the ground and make their way into groundwater.

Groundwater Under the Direct Influence of Surface Water (GWUDI)

groundwater that is close enough to surface water to receive direct recharge from it.

Harlan Municipal Water System

this system currently serves 1,118 residential, 369 commercial, 2 industrial, and 13 institutional connections. The system has a capacity of 2 million gallons per day.

Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)

occurs when colonies of algae — simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds. The human illnesses caused by HABs, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal.

Heavy Metal Pollution

the release of toxic, non-biodegradable metals into the environment, which can have serious consequences for human health, ecosystems, and the global environment.

Inorganic Chemical Pollution

a type of environmental contamination that can have negative effects on human health and aquatic ecosystems.

Kentucky Administrative Regulations (KAR)

regulations created by different state agencies to explain exactly how laws passed by the Kentucky General Assembly will be followed. Regulations have the same force and effect as any law passed by the legislature. To learn more about Kentucky Administrative Regulations, visit the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission website.

Kentucky Customer Bill of Rights

residential customers of a regulated public utility in Kentucky are guaranteed these rights subject to Kentucky Revised Statutes and the provisions of the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) Administrative Regulations. Read the full Customer Bill of Rights on the PSC's website.

Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection

leads the state’s effort to protect and enhance Kentucky's environment.

Kentucky Division of Water

the mission of the Division of Water is to manage, protect, and enhance the quality and quantity of the Commonwealth's water resources for present and future generations through voluntary, regulatory, and educational programs.

Kentucky Drought Mitigation and Response Plan

in fulfillment of the directive of Senate Joint Resolution 109, the Energy and Environment Cabinet, in consultation with the Drought Mitigation and Response Advisory Council, developed this plan, which was published on December 31, 2008 [download as a pdf].

Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (KIA)

under the Office of the Governor and administratively attached to the Department for Local Government (DLG), provides financial help through grant and loan assistance to communities for water and wastewater needs.

Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC)

the Kentucky PSC is a state agency that regulates the rates and services of utility companies, including water utilities, within Kentucky. It ensures that customers receive safe and reliable utility services at fair rates. In rural Kentucky counties, the PSC oversees local water systems to maintain affordability and reliability, impacting the accessibility of clean water for these communities.

Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN)

a non-profit organization that serves as a bridge in collaborations with communities, government agencies, and technical experts to build local livelihoods, mutual care, community resilience, and community wealth by meeting basic life needs through stewardship of local life commons.

Looney Creek

a stream in Harlan County, Kentucky, that flows from its source at Black Mountain on the Kentucky-Virginia border, through the cities of Benham and Lynch to its confluence with the Poor Fork in Cumberland, Kentucky. Looney Creek is the water source of Lynch Water System and Benham Water Plant.

Lynch Water Works

this system currently serves 437 residential, six (6) commercial, and seven (7)  institutional connections.  The system has a current treatment capacity of 1.2 million gallons per day.

Martins Fork Lake

a 340-acre reservoir in Harlan County, Kentucky. The lake was impounded from the Martins Fork in 1979 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and is maintained by them. It is named for James Martin, an early European American pioneer in the area.

Maximum Contaminant Levels

the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water based on cost-benefit analysis and is enforceable.

Microorganisms / Microbiological Pollution

microorganisms include bacteria, viruses and parasites. Microbiological pollution is the presence of unwanted microorganisms in a material, such as air, water, or food.

Municipal Water System

a collection of facilities and systems that are used to store, transport, and distribute drinking water located in and governed by a city. 

Nitrate

a chemical compound that includes nitrogen and oxygen. High levels of nitrate in water can be a result of runoff or leakage from fertilized soil, wastewater, landfills, animal feedlots, septic systems, or urban drainage. It can be difficult to pinpoint where the nitrate in drinking water comes from because there are many possibilities. Nitrates can be a serious health risk, especially to pregnant people and infants.

Non-Point-Source Pollution

occurs when runoff from rain and snowmelt carries pollutants into waterways such as rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and even groundwater.

Non-Transient Non-Community Water System (NTNCWS)

a public water system that regularly supplies water to at least 25 of the same people for at least six months of the year. 

Oil Spills

a form of pollution in which a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon is released into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity. 

Organic Chemical Pollution

refers to environmental contamination caused by the release of carbon-based chemical compounds, like pesticides, industrial chemicals, or petroleum products.

Oxygen-Depletion Pollution

a type of water pollution that occurs when the amount of dissolved oxygen in a body of water decreases, sometimes as a result of Thermal Pollution.

Point-Source Pollution

any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged, such as a pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack.

Poor Fork of the Cumberland River

a 45-mile tributary of the Cumberland River in Letcher and Harlan Counties, in southeast Kentucky. The tributary feeds the Cumberland Municipal Water System.

Private Water Supply System

a water system that provides treated drinking water for human consumption and is not part of a public water system. 

Public Drinking Water System (PDWS)

a system that provides water for human consumption to 15 or more connections or regularly serves 25 or more people daily for at least 60 days out of the year.

Public Wastewater System

a large-scale network of pipes and pumping stations that collects and treats wastewater from a community.

Radionuclides

radioactive minerals that can be found in water, and can be both natural and human-made. They can cause health problems if too much radiation is absorbed.

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

a federal law that protects the quality of public drinking water in the United States.

Separate Sewer System

a system that has two separate pipes for collecting and transporting wastewater and storm water.

Septic System

an underground chamber made of concrete, fiberglass, or plastic through which domestic wastewater flows for basic sewage treatment.

Source Water

the natural water that comes from rivers, lakes, streams, springs, reservoirs, or underground aquifers that supply water to public drinking water systems and private wells.  

Read more: Drinking Water Systems

State Revolving Fund (SRF)

programs that are funded by federal grants, state appropriations and dedicated revenues. States use the funds to provide a range of financial assistance to local governments, including loans, grants and credit enhancement. SRFs are used to finance such projects as wastewater treatment or safe drinking water facilities.

Straight Pipe

septic systems that do not treat the raw sewage deposited in them; the untreated sewage is ultimately sent directly to rivers, lakes, drain tiles, and ditches.

Surface Water

water located on top of the land, forming terrestrial water bodies, and may also be referred to as blue water, as opposed to seawater and water bodies like the ocean. The vast majority of surface water is produced by precipitation.

Surface Water Pollution

generally caused by pathogens, nutrients, plastics, chemicals such as heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics, industrial waste discharges, and individuals dumping into waterways.

Suspended Matter Pollution

a type of water pollution that occurs when fine particles remain suspended in water for a long time and don't sink to the bottom. These particles can be made up of a variety of materials, including: plankton, fine plant debris, minerals, mud, sand, clay, microorganisms, plastics, and rubber.

Swimming Advisory

a warning that the water quality at a beach or body of water is unsafe for swimming due to high levels of bacteria or other contaminants.

Thermal Pollution

when human activity causes a sudden and unnatural change in the temperature of a body of water, which can harm the environment. For example, aquatic life usually only thrives in certain temperatures. Higher temperatures can cause Oxygen Depletion Pollution. 

Timber Harvesting

the process of cutting down trees for commercial purposes, such as to produce paper, wood, and pulp.

Transient Non-Community Water System (TNCWS)

a public water system that provides drinking water to people who don't stay in one place for long periods of time.

Trihalomethanes (THMs)

a byproduct of the water treatment process. They are formed when natural organic material, such as the decaying vegetation commonly found in lakes and reservoirs, reacts with chlorine used to treat the water. One type of Disinfection Byproduct (DBP).

Wastewater System

a collection system of pipes and sewers that carry the wastewater from residences, businesses, and industry to a central treatment facility. The wastewater is then treated and discharged to a surface water body, such as a river.

Water Burden

the percentage of household income that goes towards drinking water and sewage disposal services.

Water Cycle

a biogeochemical cycle that involves the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the earth. 

Water Emergency

an event that disrupts the normal supply of clean water to a home or community. Water emergencies can be caused by natural or human-made events.

Water Pollution

contamination of water with substances that make it unsafe for human use or harms the environment.

Water Resilience

the ability of water systems to withstand and recover from natural and human-made disasters, while also maintaining the ability to provide clean, safe drinking water.

Water Resource Information System (WRIS) Data Portal

a tool developed by and for water and wastewater treatment systems and governing bodies to provide much of the information needed for all aspects of water resource planning. 

Water System

a water system can have multiple definitions, including a river and its tributaries, or a system that supplies water to homes, businesses, and other needs: 

River and tributaries: a river and all of its branches 

Water supply system: a system that collects, treats, stores, and distributes water for homes, businesses, and other needs. This includes water for firefighting, street flushing, and irrigation.

See also: Public Drinking Water System (PDWS), Community Water System (CWS),
Non-Transient Non-Community Water System (NTNCWS)
List of Harlan County Water Systems

Water Table

describes the boundary between water-saturated ground and unsaturated ground. The upper level of groundwater.

Water Testing

the process of analyzing the quality of water samples to ensure it's safe for its intended use. 

Well

an excavation or structure created in the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water.