Virginia Law

A. One of the objectives of the Occoquan Policy is to reduce water quality problems in the Occoquan watershed due to pollution from point sources. To date the means of accomplishing this objective have been the construction and utilization of a high-performance regional plant - the Upper Occoquan Sewage Authority (UOSA) - and the elimination of 11 low-performance treatment plants in favor of the UOSA facility. The 11 low-performance treatment plants constituted the major point sources of pollution in the Occoquan Watershed; however, there are a number of smaller sewage treatment facilities which are still discharging. These facilities were not connected to the regional facility for at least one of the following reasons: (i) a collector system to the regional plant was not constructed in close enough proximity to provide service, or (ii) the small facility was outside of the service area for the regional plant. At some point in the future, these remaining plants may wish to expand and increase their flows.

B. Existing waste treatment facilities may be expanded to receive increased sewage flows; however, the degree of treatment must also be upgraded so that there will be no increase in the quantity of pollutant loadings discharged to the receiving stream. A no-discharge land-application system may be considered in lieu of upgrading a facility.

C. Plants not meeting approved design performance limits will not be allowed additional capacity until the owner has installed additional treatment and demonstrated by means of a minimum of three months of performance data that the plant has been brought within its approved design performance levels and can accept additional waste loads without exceeding such approved design performance levels.

D. No expansion or continued discharge shall be approved if it is feasible for the flow to be directed to a regional plant.

E. Proposed interim expansion of plants shall be reviewed with the appropriate regional sewage authority to assure that such expansions are coordinated with the authority regional plans and can be readily incorporated into the regional system.

F. The plans and specifications for expansion of collection and interceptor systems shall be reviewed with the appropriate regional sewage authority for its comments before they are submitted to the Department of Environmental Quality (department) and the Virginia Department of Health for approval. Any proposed expansion of collection and interceptor systems shall meet the technical and administrative requirements of 9VAC25-410-20 F, and the jurisdiction proposing such an expansion shall submit a formal letter to the department stating that its expansion will meet the requirements of 9VAC25-410-20 F.