What determines whether a wastewater system has "ceased to function properly"?

A wastewater system is considered to have "ceased to function properly" when it discharges effluent incorrectly. This improper discharge indicates that the system is not treating wastewater effectively, potentially leading to environmental contamination or public health risks.

The integrity of a wastewater system is assessed based on its ability to adequately process and treat the incoming waste, which includes ensuring that the effluent meets regulatory standards for quality before it is released. When a system fails to do this, it demonstrates operational failure, signaling that immediate attention or remediation is necessary to restore proper function.

Other factors listed do not directly indicate malfunction. For example, aging in itself (like being over a certain number of years) or being subjected to minimal traffic may not inherently affect a system's operational effectiveness. Regular inspections might help identify issues but do not determine function status by themselves; they simply assess existing conditions. Therefore, the critical element that identifies malfunction is the improper discharge of effluent.