Virginia Law

A. The owner or operator of a privately owned sewerage system subject to this chapter shall provide a closure plan which abates, controls, prevents, removes, or contains any substantial threat to public health or the environment that is reasonably likely to occur if the facility ceases operations.

B. Closure plans shall be submitted to the department by the owner or operator concurrently with its application for a VPDES permit for the facility or as otherwise required by special order. Existing closure plans filed with the department shall be reviewed by the owner or operator, modified as necessary, and resubmitted to the department concurrently with an owner's or operator's application for a reissued VPDES permit. The submittal shall include a written summary of the results of the review and any modifications to the closure plan.

C. Closure plans shall consist of one or more of the following:

1. The cessation of the discharge of pollutants to state waters, followed by closure of the facility in accordance with the facility closure plan prepared in accordance with 9VAC25-790-120 E 3 and approved by the department.

2. Connection to an alternative treatment works, such as a POTW, including rerouting of all influent flow, followed by closure of the VPDES permitted facility in accordance with the facility closure plan prepared in accordance with 9VAC25-790-120 E 3 and approved by the department.

3. Transfer of the facility to a local government, provided that written agreement of the receiving local government to obtain a VPDES permit and operate and maintain the facility in accordance with the VPDES permit and all other applicable laws and regulations, is obtained and included as part of the closure plan.

4. Contract operation of the facility for a period of two years after initial implementation of the closure plan, regardless of the date of initial implementation. Contract operation shall be by a named private company or other entity licensed to operate wastewater treatment facilities in the Commonwealth of Virginia and licensed to operate the specific facility to which the closure plan applies. A closure plan consisting of or including contract operation shall include a written, signed contract executed by the contract operator, contingent only upon approval of the closure plan by the department. The contract shall specify that the contract operator shall operate the facility for the term of the contract in accordance with the terms and conditions of the owner's or operator's VPDES permit for the facility. The contract shall also specify that the contract operator shall assume, without exception, all responsibilities and liabilities associated with the facility's discharge to state waters and with the owner's or operator's VPDES permit in the event the closure plan is implemented. The owner or operator of the facility and the owner of the private company or entity contracted to operate the facility under the closure plan shall not be the same person.

5. An alternative plan which will abate, control, prevent, remove, or contain any substantial or imminent threat to public health or the environment that is reasonably likely to occur if the facility ceases operations.

D. Closure plans shall designate and authorize a named third party who, upon notification by the department, will implement the closure plan. The closure plan shall include written agreement by the named third party, bearing that person's signature, to implement the closure plan in accordance with the requirements of the closure plan for the duration of the VPDES permit term. Where the closure plan includes contract operation of the facility, the named third party may be the contract operator.

E. Closure plans may not consist of the transfer or sale of the facility to another private entity which also would be subject to this regulation.