In this title, unless the context otherwise requires:

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1. "Appropriator" means the person or persons initiating or perfecting the right to use appropriable water based on state law, or the person’s successor or successors in interest.

2. "Department" means the department of water resources.

3. "Director" means the director of water resources, who is also the director of the department.

4. "Effluent" means water that has been collected in a sanitary sewer for subsequent treatment in a facility that is regulated pursuant to Title 49, Chapter 2. Such water remains effluent until it acquires the characteristics of groundwater or surface water.

5. "Groundwater" means water under the surface of the earth regardless of the geologic structure in which it is standing or moving. Groundwater does not include water flowing in underground streams with ascertainable beds and banks.

6. "Interstate stream" means any stream constituting or flowing along the exterior boundaries of this state, and any tributary originating in another state or foreign country and flowing into or through this state.

7. "Riparian area" means a geographically delineated area with distinct resource values, that is characterized by deep-rooted plant species that depend on having roots in the water table or its capillary zone and that occurs within or adjacent to a natural perennial or intermittent stream channel or within or adjacent to a lake, pond or marsh bed maintained primarily by natural water sources. Riparian area does not include areas in or adjacent to ephemeral stream channels, artificially created stockponds, man-made storage reservoirs constructed primarily for conservation or regulatory storage, municipal and industrial ponds or man-made water transportation, distribution, off-stream storage and collection systems.

8. "Sanitary sewer" means any pipe or other enclosed conduit that carries, among other substances, any water-carried wastes from the human body from residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants or institutions.

9. "Surface water" means the waters of all sources, flowing in streams, canyons, ravines or other natural channels, or in definite underground channels, whether perennial or intermittent, floodwater, wastewater or surplus water, and of lakes, ponds and springs on the surface. For the purposes of administering this title, surface water is deemed to include central Arizona project water.