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Eastern Shore of Virginia Ground Water Committee September 19, 2017

10:00 a.m. Enterprise Building, Accomac

MEETING AGENDA

1. Call to Order 2. Minutes of the August 15, 2017 Meeting ........................................................................... 3

3. Financial Status Report ....................................................................................................... 8

4. Staff Update ...................................................................................................................... 10

Emphasizing the Importance of Utilizing the Columbia Aquifer .......................... 11

Wagner Borrow Pit ............................................................................................... 11

Chincoteague Update............................................................................................ 13

VDEQ Groundwater Withdrawal Compliance Initiative ...................................... 13

FY 2018 ATTENDANCE RECORD ................................................................... 14

Magna Imperio Systems’ World-Changing Water Purification Process .......... 15

5. September 19 2017 Ground Water Consultant Report ..................................................... 17

Technical/Regulatory/Educational Items .................................................................... 17

6. Other Matters

7. Public Participation

8. Schedule Next Meeting & Adjourn

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Minutes of the August 15, 2017 Meeting Eastern Shore of Virginia Ground Water Committee

The meeting of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Ground Water Committee was held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 in the A-NPDC Conference Room of the Enterprise Building in Accomac, Virginia. Members Present: Charles Kolakowski Daniel Hershey Elaine Meil Eugene R. Hampton Granville Hogg, Chairman Jim Belote John Salm Paul Muhly, Vice Chairman Robert Meyers Members Absent: Grayson Chesser Mike Mason Others Present: Ann Violi, Resident (Harborton) Britt McMillan, Ground Water Consultant Carmie Savage, ESSWCD Curt Smith, A-NPDC David Liu, NASA Jay Ford, VES Jon Richardson, ESHD Joseph Betit, Resident (Pungoteague) Kathy Cummings, Resident (Pungoteague/Keller) Matthew Link, VDEQ Richard Snyder, VIMS ESL Shannon Alexander, A-NPDC Shelly Vallone, A-NPDC

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1. Call to Order Chairman Hogg called the meeting to order at 10:06 AM.

2. Election of FY 2018 Committee Officers Staff requested nominations for FY2018 Committee Officers from the floor.

Committee Member Meyers moved to nominate as Paul Muhly Chairman. Committee Member Salm seconded the nomination. Committee Member Meyers moved to nominate Granville Hogg as Vice Chairman. Committee Member Muhly seconded the nomination. Paul Muhly was elected as Chairman by acclamation. Granville Hogg was elected as Vice Chairman by acclamation.

2. Review of the May 16, 2017 Minutes Committee Member Meyers moved to approve the Minutes of the April 18, 2017 meeting. The motion, seconded by Committee Member Belote, carried unanimously.

3. Financial Status Report The FY 2017 Financial Status Report was presented and questions concerning net surplus origins and destination were discussed and explained.

Committee Member Meyers moved to approve the FY2017 financial status. The motion, seconded by Committee Member Hershey, carried unanimously. Proposed FY2018 Budget Staff presented an amended proposed FY 2018 Annual Budget, which included the SERCAP funding, with a request to approve. (see attached) Committee Member Meyers moved to approve the amended FY 2018 Budget as presented. The motion, seconded by Committee Member Hershey, carried unanimously.

4. Staff Update The following staff updates were presented:

Committee Attendance Record The FY2017 Committee Attendance Record was presented. Other Items EVGMAC – Staff presented that this Committee has concluded and final recommendations will be covered in the Consultant Report. USGS EM-Logging – Staff reported that Randy McFarland is to present update on VDEQ research and analysis of the 2017 logging efforts in the coming months.

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Stormwater Management Working Group – Staff reported that Curt Smith was appointed to this Group to develop recommendations for the General Assembly and thus conclude prior to the end of the calendar year. Staff presented the following Public Workshops & Outreach events –Staff presented progress on the Water Clinic and the Second Annual Well & Septic Forum. Staff will attend the Clinic Kickoff Meeting (AREC, Oct. 6), Interpretation and Forum scheduled for Nov. 8 in the evening. SERCAP is to subsidize the cost for households to only $10.00. Staff is to discuss expanding the participant waiver to include address of participant for more complete data acquisition. Informational Items Staff presented the following Research and News Articles, no discussion was opened: Dewberry Coastal Scientist has incorporated groundwater data into flood inundation forecasts for Hampton Roads, staff will be pursuing such research for the Eastern Shore. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8c13/456ee54b5a4b1bf1360eb7e0da852b89b283.pdf

State Water Control Board – Tyson Consent Order and Corrective Action Plan rejection; July 19 http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/2017/07/27/state-board-rejects-tyson-foods-pollution-order/499639001/ (attached)

Freshwater from salt water using only solar energy – Rice University (attached) http://news.rice.edu/2017/06/19/freshwater-from-salt-water-using-only-solar-energy/ (attached)

Water Efficiency in Rural Areas is Getting Worse, Even as it Improves in Urban Centers; NC State News https://news.ncsu.edu/2017/05/nationwide-water-efficiency-2017/ (attached)

Critical deadline in groundwater law approaches; AgAlert – California http://agalert.com/story/?id=10894

High-resolution vertical profiles of groundwater electrical conductivity (EC) and chloride from direct-push EC logs https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10040-017-1587-z

5. Consultant Report: Technical/Regulatory/Educational Items The consultant reported on the EVGMAC final report recommendations. The consultant reviewed the USGS Circular 1406: Understanding Nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and Implications for Management and Restoration – Eastern Shore. https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1406/ The consultant updated the Committee about status of the NOAA shallow water supply wells and this led to discussion about the importance of use of the Columbia and sustainability and preservation emphasis.

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Due to time restraints, the consultant will present the FY 2017 Annual Summary during the September meeting. 6. Other Matters: Vice Chairman Hogg brought up the following matters:

• Wagner Borrow Pit – Any progress on requiring sampling of the pit before/during/after use as spoil site?

• Rural Health - Any way to determine if they plan to use the Columbia as the source for their irrigation waters? VDH ODW should be the POC for this project.

• Storm Water Management and potential credits – would these be available for local land owners? Curt Smith explained that this is one of the topics being discussed at the Stormwater Management Working Group under HB1774.

• Bay View update – USDA is to complete a site inspection soon. Northampton County is completing an analysis of rates and necessary maintenance.

• CBBT dredge spoil – Discussion ensued. Committee Member Belote made a motion that staff draft a letter, to be refined and approved at the September meeting, to address the need that all spoil from dredging projects be used in a beneficial way, with a focus on Tangier Island needs. The motion, seconded by Committee Member Meyers, passed unanimously.

7. Public Participation: Mr. Joseph Betit, resident of Pungoteague, presented attendees with a table indicative of estimates of water usage, house footprints, waste/manure production, etc. concerning poultry houses. He also informed the board that residents are working together to develop a website that will function as a culmination of data acquired from the County (lat/long) and citizen science/crowd sourced data base. (see attached)

8. Schedule Next Meeting & Adjournment

The next Committee meeting was scheduled for September 19, 2017 at 10:00 AM in the A-NPDC Conference Room of the Enterprise Building in Accomac. Chairman Muhly adjourned the meeting at 12:03 p.m.

____________________________________ Granville Hogg, Chairman

Copy test: ____________________________________ Elaine K. N. Meil, Secretary

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DISLCLAIMER: The following table was supplied by Mr. Joseph Betit during the public participation portion of the August 15th meeting of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Ground Water Committee. It does not reflect the opinion of the Committee or the A-NPDC. The data contained has not been verified or researched by the Committee or staff.

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MEMORANDUM TO: Eastern Shore of Virginia Ground Water Committee FROM: Shannon Alexander Coastal Resources Program Manager Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission

DATE: September 19, 2017

SUBJECT:

Financial Status Report

Financial Status Report

The FY 2018 Financial Status Report is attached.

Bills Payable:

None.

TOTAL BILLS PAYABLE $0.00

Staff requests the Committee review and consider approving the FY2017 Financial Status Report.

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MEMORANDUM TO: Eastern Shore of Virginia Ground Water Committee FROM: Shannon Alexander Coastal Resources Program Manager Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission DATE: August 15, 2017 SUBJECT:

Staff Update Committee Attendance Record The FY2018 Committee Attendance Records are attached. Environmental Reviews and Permits VA Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program

• The purpose of this notice is to seek public comment on a draft permit that will allow the release of treated wastewater into a water body in Machipongo, Virginia.. Applicant: Northampton County Public Works, Northampton Facilities Building, 16404 Courthouse Rd., Eastville, VA 23347; Permit No. VA0023817. Facility: Northampton Facilities Building (previously Northampton Middle School), 7207 Young Street., Machipongo, VA 23405. DEQ Contact: Robert E. Smithson, DEQ Tidewater Regional Office, 5636 Southern Blvd. Va. Beach 23462. Tel: 757-518-2106 Fax: 757-518-2009 E-mail: robert.smithsonjr@deq.virginia.gov.

VA Pollution Abatement Program • None

Total Maximum Daily Load/Implementation Plans • None

Public Notice – Environmental Project • None

Consent Orders • None

USACE Public Notice • Cape Charles Holdings LLC, expand CC Yacht Center, new marine terminal and boat

yard on former seafood and grain offloading facility; including revetments, sills, and a sheet pile bulkhead, loading platform, 600-ton lift, slips, 1.5 acres of mechanical dredging. 0.86 non-tidal wetlands (compensated for with purchase of commercial credits or permittee-responsible mitigation) and 2,000 sq ft of tidal wetlands impacted (mitigated

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through the construction of a living shoreline). http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/Media/Public-Notices/

Other Items USGS EM-Logging Randy McFarland to present results and update on VDEQ research to Committee during November meeting and at the Mid-Atlantic Water Resource Conference in WV in October. Emphasizing the Importance of Utilizing the Columbia Aquifer Katherine McAllister, VP of GMB, spoke with ESRH regarding irrigation using the Columbia. Wagner Borrow Pit The Eastern Shore Health District supplied information about the wells in the area immediately surrounding the Wagner borrow pit, along Langford Hwy, Simpkins Dr, and Ramshorn Rd. Of the 43 properties, 32 are deep wells (175 ft TO 320FT), 2 are shallow (less than 70ft), and 9 are lacking well data. Information about this project can be found on BoardDocs, including the following:

• Hydrogeological Investigation Excavation Spoils Disposal Site, Wagner Brothers Mine • FINAL Data Compilation Report – Upland Placement Evaluation: Parallel Thimble

Shoal Tunnel Project • Planning, Permitting and Enforcement Department, Northampton County: Action Memo

(April 5th) • Planning, Permitting and Enforcement Department, Northampton County: Action Memo

(April 11th) In the April 11th Memo, there are conditions of the SUP that include:

1. Have a statement from a professional that the load of the material will not impact the aquifer.

2. A letter from DEQ assuring the quality of the material. 3. Documentation for the Wagner Acres Stormwater pond be recorded in the Clerk’s office. 4. A buffer of 100 feet around the perimeter of the site and around the stormwater pond for

Wagner Acres to the extent possible. 5. New temporary right turn with appropriate deceleration lane off of Rt. 13. 6. Signage denoting truck traffic on Rt. 13. 7. Upgrade or repair any negative impacts on Simpkins Dr. 8. Performance bod (amount to be determined) for the life of the project.

See aerial images (submitted by Mr. Granville Hogg, taken in August, 2017) of the area below, note the breach in the referenced Stormwater pond for Wagner Acres in Figure 2.

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Figure 1

Figure 2

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Chincoteague Update Mr. Matthew Link will provide an update on the status of replacement well plans. The Town received a low interest (2%) VDH ODW loan from the State Revolving Fund for the installation of automatic meter reading technologies that would improve water accountability, and even includes a leak detection system. $600,000 of water meters were delivered September 8th. Total loan is $971,400. VDEQ Groundwater Withdrawal Compliance Initiative Mr. Matthew Link will provide an update on progress of this effort. Public Workshop & Outreach

• The Second Annual Well & Septic Forum will be held November 8th at the ESCC in conjunction with the Water Clinic interpretation meeting. The Water Clinic Kickoff Meeting set for Oct. 6th at the AREC. Shannon Alexander will be present to have participants sign data release forms. SERCAP is to subsidize the cost for 200 households from $55 to $10. Event to be advertised and online registration open in the next two weeks.

• Master Gardeners – Staff will present February 28 at 9:00am in AREC in Painter. Informational Items Research and News Articles

http://www.covabizmag.com/uncategorized/magna-imperio-systems-world-changing-water-purification-process/

Upcoming Events

• September 23 – MarshFest at the CBFS, Educational GW booth

• October 12-13 – Mid-Atlantic Water Resources Conference, Shepherdstown, WV

• October 18 – Accomack County Watershed Festival, Makemie Monument Park • October 28 – 10:00am-2:00pm: Prescription Drug Take-Back Event at the Northampton

County Sheriff’s Office

• November 3-5 – Chesapeake Watershed Forum, Shepherdstown, WV

• November 8 – Water Clinic Interpretation and Annual Well & Septic Forum, ESCC

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EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA

GROUND WATER COMMITTEE FY 2018 ATTENDANCE RECORD

Members Term

Exp.

July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Accomack Co. Jim Belote NA * X Grayson Chesser * Daniel Hershey

June 30, 2019 * X

Paul Muhly * X Northampton Co. Eugene Hampton

October, 2019 * X

Granville Hogg * X Robert Meyers

January, 2019 * X

John Salm May, 2018 * X

Non-Voting Ex-Officio Members Mike Mason NA * Charles Kolakowski NA * X

Elaine Meil NA * X - Indicates not a member. X Indicates member present. * Indicates no monthly meeting held. NA Not Applicable ( ) Indicates an alternate present

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Magna Imperio Systems’ World-Changing Water Purification Process By Jamie McAllister

In 2009, Grant Page discovered a process to purify salt water that could change the world. Working in the garage at his house on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach, Page had set out to find an environmentally safe way to put chrome plating on car parts. During one experiment, he discovered two alloys that, when salt water passed over them, extracted the salt from the water and created energy. “I didn’t think what I had done would be world-changing,” Page says. “I just thought it was cool.” The potential industrial and humanitarian uses for Page’s discovery intrigued him, and as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., he continued to develop the technology he had created. Instead of a garage, he logged hours at the Naval Research Laboratory and emerged with three prototypes. The end result was the Electrochemical Nano Diffusion (END®) process. The END® process uses electrochemical reactions to purify water by removing salt, heavy metals and even certain bacteria and viruses. There are no moving parts, the units consume small amounts of energy, and no pressure is required. The stackable cells can be scaled to fit any size operation and generate virtually no noise, making the process an ideal solution for industrial and military applications. The resulting waste is closer to a solid than a liquid, and even the process’ byproduct can be useful. Chemical companies can harvest salt from the waste to use as rock salt to melt ice and snow on roads in the winter. In 2014, Page received approval from the Navy to start a business while on active duty. After three rounds of fundraising that netted nearly $8 million, Page launched Magna Imperio Systems. Headquartered in Virginia Beach, the company has additional locations in California and Delaware, as well as a 50,000-square-foot facility in Houston, Texas. “We are filling a unique space in the industry,” says Page. “Our process is more efficient than other alternatives, and we are focused on providing a total solution for users, rather than focusing on selling equipment to the largest margin.”

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Earlier this year, Page submitted resignation papers to the Navy so he could focus on his business full time. In the coming years, he hopes to hire several new employees in Coastal Virginia, including engineers and business developers. Currently MI Systems is working with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) to get approval to test wastewater. If approved, MI Systems would install and monitor units that would help clean 120 million gallons of water a day. MI Systems is also working with Southwestern Energy, a natural gas

and petroleum exploration and production company, and Huntsman Corporation, which manufactures chemical products.

While there are numerous industries that can benefit from the END® process, the technology has the potential to provide humanitarian aid on a global scale. Providing technology that would allow millions of people access to clean drinking water is one of Page’s business goals. He has spoken with leaders of foreign countries, including India, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Mexico, as well as aid groups in those countries. “Solving the world’s water issues is this generation’s problem,” he says. For more information, visit MagnaImperioSystems.com.

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MEMORANDUM TO: Eastern Shore of Virginia Ground Water Committee FROM: Britt McMillan Principal Hydrogeologist Arcadis-Malcolm Pirnie DATE: September 19, 2017 SUBJECT:

September 19, 2017 Ground Water Consultant Report Technical/Regulatory/Educational Items

1. Eastern Shore of Virginia Groundwater Use Summary. A two page summary document presenting permitted and actual groundwater use on the Shore over the past 8 years (2009 to 2017) is provided.

2. Draft Eastern Shore of Virginia Water Resources Video: As part of the community education effort, we are developing a short video presenting information to the public on the Eastern Shore. One tool that will be used in producing this video is a three-dimensional model can improve understanding of the groundwater system. An overview of the information that can be presented using this three-dimensional tool will be reviewed with the Committee, and recommendations from the Committee will be used to refine the content for the video.

3. Sustainable Groundwater Resource Discussion (continued from the August 2017 meeting): The EPA has designated the Columbia and Yorktown-Eastover Multiaquifer System a Sole Source Aquifer on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The unconfined Columbia aquifer is a far more sustainable supply of groundwater, albeit more susceptible to contamination from land use practices. The confined Yorktown-Eastover aquifer is replenished at a much lower rate, and is more susceptible to contamination from saltwater intrusion resulting from over use. Over just the past couple of months there have been instances in Northampton County and Accomack County where use of the more sustainable Columbia aquifer has been threatened. Specifically:

• In Northampton County, a proposed development recommended abandoning any nearby shallow wells to mitigate potential contamination that could occur resulting from the development.

• In Accomack County, existing contamination in the Columbia aquifer resulted in several existing supply wells taken out-of-service and initial plans to abandonment use of new supply wells in the Columbia. In this case, after re-evaluating the risks and benefits, it was concluded that reducing local use of the Yorktown-Eastover aquifer reduced the risk of drawing the contamination from

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the Columbia to the confined aquifer and use of the Columbia with appropriate treatment has been implemented.

Given the lack of alternate sources of fresh water on the Shore, abandoning use of the more sustainable Columbia aquifer will result in increased use of the Yorktown-Eastover aquifer. At the best case, increased use will result in increased saltwater intrusion in the Yorktown-Eastover aquifer. The expected result will be some individuals and communities will need to rely on more expensive desalinization systems (such as membrane treatment) to reduce the salt to acceptable levels. Feasibility of providing fresh treated water to individual (domestic) users has not been considered in past studies. The Eastern Shore of Virginia Groundwater Resource Protection and Preservation Plan (2013), the Northampton County Regional Water Supply Plan (2011), and the Accomack County Regional Water Supply Plan (2011) encourage increased use of the more sustainable Columbia aquifer to preserve the fresh groundwater supply on the Shore. The recent instances that eliminate use of the Columbia aquifer conflict with these goals and future water supply for the Shore may need to be reconsidered.

Other Items: None

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Eastern Shore of Virginia Ground Water Committee FY 2015 Consultant Progress Summary

Task 1 - Committee Meetings (FY15 Goal = 10) % Completion 10%

Task 2 – Technical Documentation No. Activity Month

1

Summarize findings from the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Advisory Committee. Included in the findings was the recommendation for regional planning efforts through EVGMA Planning District Commissions with specific reference to the Eastern Shore of Virginia Groundwater Committee as an example to be emulated.

Aug

2

Present information from USGS Circular: Understanding Nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and Implications for Management and Restoration – The Eastern Shore The circular provided a synopsis of research completed on nutrient contribution to the Chesapeake Bay from the Eastern Shore along with target reductions in nutrient loading necessary to meet the TMDL requirements.

Aug

Task 3 - Groundwater Permit Review Applicant Permit Status Month Annual Amount (Gal)

None Task 4 – Implement Committee Work Plan

Activity Month(s) Outcome Present information on the Sole Source Aquifer; recent challenges for the Columbia aquifer; and maintaining the goal to promote sustainable use of the combined Columbia and Yorktown-Eastover aquifer systems.

August

A brief discussion on the dual-sole source aquifer system was initiated at the August meeting, however time limitations restricted the discussion.

Task 5 – Progress Reports % Completion 20%