Virginia Law

Article 4. Approval of Sewage Systems by Counties.

Any person, including municipal corporations, that proposes to establish a sewage system consisting of pipelines or conduits, pumping stations, force mains or sewerage treatment plants, or any of them, or an extension of any existing system which is designed to serve three or more connections and used for conducting or treating sewage, as that term is defined in Chapter 3.1 (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq.) of Title 62.1, to serve or to be capable of serving three or more connections shall, at least sixty days prior to commencing construction thereof, notify in writing the governing body of the county in which such sewage system is to be located and shall appear at a regular meeting thereof and notify such governing body in person. However, a town proposing to construct or expand a sewage system shall not be required to provide notice in writing or in person to a county if the county itself does not operate a sewage system or provide sewerage services.

In any county having a population of more than 70,000 according to the 1950 or any subsequent census or a county adjoining a city having a population of 230,000 or more according to the 1950 or any subsequent census, no extension of an existing system for the purpose of serving three or more connections shall be made by any person, firm or corporation, other than a municipal corporation, until a plan of such proposed extension, with proof of capacity to serve, has been filed with, and a permit for the extension has been obtained from, the sanitation engineer or other county official, if any, designated therefor by the board of supervisors.

Code 1950, § 15-739.7; 1954, c. 382; 1956, c. 655; 1958, c. 284; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-326; 1974, c. 246; 1990, c. 501; 1997, c. 587.

The governing body of any county notified of the proposed establishment of a sewage system or of the extension of any existing sewage system under § 15.2-2126 is authorized to disapprove the same, if it finds that such sewage system is not capable of serving the proposed number of connections by reason of inadequate pipes, conduits, pumping stations, force mains, or sewage treatment plants or is otherwise inadequate to render the proposed service. If, at the expiration of seventy days from the date on which the applicant appeared before the governing body, such governing body has not disapproved the application, the applicant may proceed with the construction and installation of such sewage system, provided he first gives notice to the chairman of the governing body by registered mail of his intention to proceed.

Code 1950, § 15-739.8; 1954, c. 382; 1956, c. 273; 1958, c. 65; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-327; 1997, c. 587.

Notwithstanding any other provision of general law relating to the approval of sewage systems, the governing body of any county or town which has adopted a master plan for a sewage system is authorized to deny an application for a sewage system if such denial appears to it to be in the best interest of the inhabitants of the county or town.

1968, c. 300, § 15.1-327.1; 1997, c. 587.

The applicant shall state in the notice to the governing body required by § 15.2-2126 the number and nature of the connections to which service will be given under the certificate applied for. The governing body may require such further information as it deems desirable in order to pass upon the application.

Code 1950, § 15-739.9; 1954, c. 382; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-328; 1997, c. 587.

No person, including municipal corporations, which has constructed or installed a sewage system after having complied with the provisions of this article, shall extend the service in excess of the number of connections for which approval was originally given. In case any such extension is desired, the person shall proceed in the same manner as in the case of an original application under this article.

Code 1950, § 15-739.10; 1954, c. 382; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-329; 1974, c. 246; 1997, c. 587.

No provision of this article shall apply to a corporation whose principal business is the operation of a hotel and which may extend the use of its surplus sewage facilities to a limited number of patrons.

Code 1950, § 15-739.11; 1954, c. 382; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-330; 1997, c. 587.

Any person who fails or refuses to notify the governing body of the county in which any such sewage system is to be constructed or installed, or to notify such governing body of any proposed extension beyond the number of connections for which approval was originally given, and thereafter constructs and installs any such system, or having given such notice and the same having been disapproved, proceeds to construct or install any such system, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished as provided in § 15.2-2133. Each day of operation without notifying the governing body as above required, or after disapproval by the governing body, shall constitute a separate offense.

Code 1950, § 15-739.12; 1954, c. 382; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-331; 1997, c. 587.

Any person violating any provision of this article shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and, in addition, may be enjoined from further violation of this article.

Code 1950, § 15-739.13; 1954, c. 382; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-332; 1991, c. 710; 1997, c. 587.