Virginia Law

A. Every campground shall be provided with an approved method of collecting, conveying, and disposing of all sewage and liquid wastes.

B. All methods or systems of collecting and disposing of sewage and liquid wastes, whether temporary or permanent, shall be subject to the approval of the Health Commissioner.

C. It shall be unlawful to discharge sewage, sink waste water, shower waste water, or other putrescible wastes in such a manner as to enter the ground surface, subsurface, or a body of water, except following a treatment device or process approved prior to construction by the Health Commissioner.

D. Campgrounds shall provide a dump station for the disposal of sewage and other liquid wastes from self-contained camping units that complies with the following requirements:

1. Campgrounds having 200 or fewer campsites shall provide a minimum of one dump station, unless all campsites that allow self-contained camping units provide direct sewer connections.

2. Campgrounds having more than 200 campsites shall provide an additional dump station for each additional 200 campsites or major fraction thereof, provided that campsites equipped with sewer connections shall not be included in the total.

3. Where two or more dump stations are required, they shall be located to facilitate the simultaneous discharge of sewage wastes from different units.

4. Each dump station shall be located and designed to be easily accessible and facilitate ingress and egress for camping vehicles.

E. The dump station shall consist of the following:

1. A four-inch sewer pipe trapped below the frost line connected to an approved sewage disposal system or suitable holding tank.

2. The sewer pipe, at the inlet, shall be surrounded by a reinforced, concrete apron sloped to drain to the sewer pipe.

3. The minimum dimensions of the concrete apron shall be 36 inches wide, 60 inches long, and four inches thick. The sewer pipe shall be located such that the major portion of the apron will project under the camping unit when it is discharging.

4. The inlet of the sewer pipe shall be provided with a suitable fly-tight cover.

5. The dump station shall be provided with a water outlet to permit wash down of the immediate area after each use and so arranged as to prevent a cross-connection or back siphonage.

6. Each water outlet used for such purposes shall display a sign stating, in effect, "Notice: Unsafe Water Outlet-This water is for wash-down purposes only."

F. If a campground dump station is connected to a sewage holding tank that does not receive sewage or liquid wastes from any other source, the pumping and hauling of sewage from that holding tank shall be exempt from the pump and haul permit requirements and procedures of 12VAC5-610-410, 12VAC5-610-420, and 12VAC5-610-440. However, the owner of the campground must obtain a construction permit as described in 12VAC5-430 prior to construction of the holding tank.

G. A slop sink or suitable drain shall be provided within 500 feet of all campsites for the disposal of liquid cooking and wash water wastes, unless a dump station is accessible for this purpose. Adequate provision shall be made by the permit holder to assure that the slop sink or other suitable drain is kept in a sanitary condition and is used for the purpose for which it was intended.

H. Individual sewer connections for camping vehicles, if provided, shall be installed in accordance with the following provisions:

1. The individual sewer (equivalent to the building sewer for a permanent building) shall be at least four inches in diameter, shall be trapped below the frost line, and shall be laid at depths sufficient to provide adequate protection against physical injury.

2. The sewer inlet shall (i) consist of a four-inch riser extending, at a minimum, four inches above the surface of the surrounding ground to accommodate a hose connection from the camping vehicle or (ii) be designed to divert surface drainage away from the riser. The riser shall be imbedded firmly in the ground and be protected against heaving and shifting.

3. The sewer riser shall be equipped with a standard ferrule and close nipple provided with a tight cap or expanding sewer plug. The screw cap or sewer plug shall be fastened by a durable chain to prevent removal while the sewer riser is in use. When the sewer riser is not in use, it shall be capped or plugged.

4. The sewer hose between the camping vehicle drain and the sewer riser shall be watertight and shall be of flexible, noncollapsible, corrosion and weather-resistant material of suitable diameter to fit the camping vehicle drain. Its lower end shall be secured into the open sewer riser with a gasket of rubber or other suitable material. All joints shall be effected to prevent the leakage of sewage or odor or prevent the entrance of rodents or insects.