Definitions of Terms and Acronyms 

Ammonia   (NH₃).   Ammonia is a source of nitrogen (N), an important nutrient for plants and algae. Ammonia is excreted by animals and is produced during the decomposition of plants and animals. Ammonia is an ingredient in many fertilizers and is also present in sewage, storm water runoff, certain industrial wastewaters, and runoff from animal feedlots.

BOD - Biochemical Oxygen Demand.     

CFS - Cubic Feet Per Second.     A common way to measure how much water or fluid (cubic feet) is moving past a certain point (per second).  

CSO - Combined Sewer Overflow.    Combined sewer systems are sewers that are designed to collect rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater in the same pipe. Most of the time, combined sewer systems transport all of their wastewater to a sewage treatment plant, where it is treated and then discharged to a water body. During periods of heavy rainfall or snowmelt, however, the wastewater volume in a combined sewer system can exceed the capacity of the sewer system or treatment plant. For this reason, combined sewer systems are designed to overflow occasionally and discharge excess wastewater directly to nearby streams, rivers, or other water bodies. 

DO - Dissolved Oxygen.   

TMDL - Total Maximum Daily Load. A calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant (or load) that a body of water can receive and still meet water quality standards.   A TMDL also divides up this maximum pollutant amount among the pollutant's sources including point and nonpoint sources of pollution

TSS - Total Suspended Solids.  The amount of particles that suspend in a sample of water.

WPCF - Water Pollution Control Facility.   The official name of Ottumwa's Wastewater Treatment Plant.