Virginia Law

A. All pollutant management activities covered under a VPA permit shall maintain no point source discharge of pollutants to surface waters except in the case of a storm event greater than the 25-year, 24-hour storm.

B. Except in compliance with a VPA permit, or another permit issued by the department or a general permit issued as a regulation adopted by the board, it shall be unlawful for any person to:

1. Discharge into, or adjacent to, state waters sewage, industrial wastes, other wastes, or any noxious or deleterious substances; or

2. Otherwise alter the physical, chemical or biological properties of such state waters and make them detrimental to the public health, or to animal or aquatic life, or to the use of such waters for domestic or industrial consumption, or for recreation, or for other uses.

C. Any person required to obtain a permit pursuant to this chapter who discharges or causes or allows a discharge of sewage, industrial waste, other wastes or any noxious or deleterious substance into or upon state waters in violation of subsection B of this section; or who discharges or causes or allows a discharge that may reasonably be expected to enter state waters in violation of subsection B of this section shall notify the department of the discharge immediately upon discovery of the discharge and, in any event, no later than 24 hours after the discovery. A written report of the unauthorized discharge shall be submitted by the owner, to the department, within five days of discovery of the discharge.

1. The written report shall contain:

a. A description of the nature of the discharge;

b. The cause of the discharge;

c. The date on which the discharge occurred;

d. The length of time that the discharge continued;

e. The volume of the discharge;

f. If the discharge is continuing, how long it is expected to continue;

g. If the discharge is continuing, what the expected total volume of the discharge will be; and

h. Any steps planned or taken to reduce, eliminate and prevent a recurrence of the present discharge or any future discharges not authorized by the permit.

2. Discharges reportable to the department under the immediate reporting requirements of other regulations are exempted from this requirement.

D. VPA permits may be utilized to authorize pollutant management activities including, but not limited to, animal feeding operations, storage or land application of sewage, sludge, biosolids, industrial waste or other waste; or the complete reuse or recycle of wastewater. Point source discharges of pollutants to surface waters may be authorized by a VPDES permit (See 9VAC25-31, VPDES Permit Regulation).

E. No VPA permit shall be issued in the following circumstances:

1. Where the terms or conditions of the VPA permit do not comply with the applicable regulations or requirements of the law;

2. For the discharge of any radiological, chemical or biological warfare agent or high level radioactive material into state waters; or

3. For any pollutant management activity that is in conflict with any area-wide or basin-wide water quality control and waste management plan or policy established by the board pursuant to the law.