Virginia Law

A. The permittee shall employ or contract at least one operator who holds a current wastewater license appropriate for the permitted facility, if required by the VPA permit. The license shall be issued in accordance with Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and the regulations of the Board for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators (18VAC160-20-10 et seq.). Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement, unless the pollutant management activity is determined by the department on a case-by-case basis to be a potential contributor of pollution, no licensed operator is required for wastewater treatment works:

1. That have a design hydraulic capacity equal to or less than 0.04 million gallons per day;

2. That discharge industrial waste or other waste from coal mining operations; or

3. That do not utilize biological or physical or chemical treatment.

B. In making this case-by-case determination, the following shall be considered:

1. The location of the pollutant management activity with respect to state waters;

2. The size of the pollutant management activity;

3. The quantity and nature of pollutants reaching state waters; and

4. The treatment methods used at the treatment works.

C. The permittee shall notify the department in writing whenever the permittee is not complying or has grounds for anticipating the permittee will not comply with the requirements of subsection A of this section. The notification shall include a statement of reasons and a prompt schedule for achieving compliance.

D. Every sewage treatment works owner shall employ or contract an operator who holds a current wastewater operator license, issued in accordance with Chapter 23 (§ 54.1-2300 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia, of the appropriate class for the type of facility, as determined by the department, or higher class at the owner's option. If the position of the licensed operator of the appropriate class is unexpectedly vacated due to death, extended illness, firing for cause, resignation, or similar cause, the treatment works owner shall notify the department promptly and in accordance with any specific timeframe directed by the department. The department shall temporarily waive the licensed operator requirement for the interim, provided the owner (i) informs the department in writing of the owner's designation of another licensed operator or professional engineer responsible for interim operations within five days of the vacancy, (ii) informs the department in writing within 10 days of the vacancy arising of the owner's plan to hire a replacement licensed operator of the appropriate class as soon as practicable, (iii) implements the hiring plan diligently, and (iv) provides a monthly report to the department on the implementation and progress of such hiring plan. The department may revoke the temporary waiver if the department finds that continued operation pursuant to the waiver presents a public health or water quality threat due to statutory, regulatory, or permit violations.

E. Where the facility is equipped with adequate technological capability, the department shall credit remote monitoring of the facility by a licensed operator of the appropriate class as operator attendance toward recommended licensed operator attendance hours, provided that the owner submits and the department approves a remote monitoring plan demonstrating that the facility possesses sufficient technology for the remote operator to adequately monitor the facility and manage onsite operators with a lower license class, mechanics, or other staff to operate the facility under the remote operator's direct supervision. In determining whether to approve a remote monitoring plan for multiple facilities, the department may consider the number of facilities the remote operator is monitoring simultaneously, whether the multiple facilities being monitored remotely are under common ownership, whether the remote operator is employed by the owner of the multiple facilities, and whether occasional in-person attendance is provided, among other factors. The department may cease crediting remote monitoring if the department finds that continued operation pursuant to the remote monitoring plan presents a public health or water quality threat due to statutory, regulatory, or permit violations. The department shall not credit remote monitoring by an operator without the appropriate license class who is operating the waterworks or treatment facility pursuant to a temporary waiver issued under subsection D of this section.