virginia’s onsite sewage program
DESCRIPTION
Manufacturers. Operators. OSEs/PEs. Homebuilders. Virginia’s Onsite Sewage Program. Local government. Septic contractors. Realtors. Well drillers. Property owners. VDH . Dwayne Roadcap Division of Onsite Sewage, Water Services, Environmental Engineering, and Marina Programs . - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Virginia’s Onsite Sewage
Program
OSEs/PEs
VDH
Operators
Septic contractors
Local government
Property
ownersWell drille
rs
Homeb
uilde
rs
Manufacturers
Realtors
Dwayne Roadcap
Division of Onsite Sewage, Water Services,Environmental Engineering, and Marina Programs
2
Policy Needs and IssuesUpdate GMP #143—Peat disposal
AOSS implementation manualRevise GMP #147-treatment
BMP PolicyKSAT manual
Voluntary upgradesDirect Dispersal Policy
Emergency RegulationsGIS policy
Update QA/QC policySafe, adequate, and proper policy
Rescind GMP #122Revise and update GMP #126.B
Errata sheet for SHDRSeptic Lagoon Issue
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Regulation Needs and Issues
AOSE Regulation repealCivil Penalty Regulations
Alternative Discharging RegulationsFee Regulations
Indemnification Fund RegulationsPrivate Well Regulations
Sewage Handling and Disposal RegulationsEmergency Regulation Implementation
AOSS Regulations—repeal of N
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Other Needs and Issues
SHIFT ProcessLocal ordinances
VariancesIndemnification Fund cases
Conflict Management—EDRP and AppealsIFFCs
Court casesProduct reviews and approvals
Uranium Mining
• VDH regulates gravelless systems under 3 General Memoranda of Practice (GMPs):
• GMP 127 – General authorization of gravel substitutes installed foot-for-foot with a gravel trench
• GMP 116 – 50-ft-long gravelless trench equivalent to 100 ft-long gravel trench
• GMP 135 – 75-ft-long gravelless trench equivalent to 100 ft-long gravel trench – **subject of legislation**
• VDH has allowed gravelless drainfield technologies as a replacement for a gravel and pipe trench since 1987.
Current VDH Gravelless Policy
Table 5.4. Area Requirements for Absorption Trenches.
Percolation Rate
(Minutes/Inch)
Area Required (Ft2/100 Gals)
Area Required (Ft2/Bedroom)
Gravity Gravity
Gravelless Low
Pressure Distribution
Gravity Gravity
Gravelless Low
Pressure Distribution
5 110 83 110 165 124 165
10 120 90 120 180 135 180
15 132 99 132 198 149 198
20 146 110 146 218 164 218
25 158 119 158 237 178 237
30 174 131 164 260 195 255
35 191 143 170 286 215 260
40 209 157 176 314 236 264
45 229 172 185 344 258 279
50 251 188 193 376 282 293
55 275 206 206 412 309 309
60 302 227 217 452 339 325
65 331 248 228 496 372 342
70 363 272 240 544 408 359
75 398 299 251 596 447 375
80 437 328 262 656 492 394
85 479 359 273 718 539 409
90 525 394 284 786 590 424
95 575 489 288 862 733 431
100 631 536 316 946 804 473
105 692 588 346 1038 882 519
110 759 645 379 1138 967 569
115 832 707 416 1248 1061 624
120 912 775 456 1368 1163 684
12VAC5-610-950. Absorption area design.
REVISED Table 5.4 - Establishes gravelless sizing based upon percolation rate, similar to gravel
Gravel Per Sewage Handling and Disposal Regulations
- Primary area footprint = 100’ L x 30’ W = 3,000 sf- 50% repair area = 3,000 sf x 50% = 1,500 sf- Total onsite system footprint = 4,500 sf
Primary Area
Gravelless System Under New Regulations
- Eliminate one trench from gravel design- Primary area footprint = 100’ L x 21’ W = 2,100 sf- 50% repair area = 2,100 sf x 50% = 1,050 sf- Total onsite system footprint = 3,150 sf
Gravelless Drainfield Options – Change Trench Number
50% Repair Area
Primary Area
50% Repair Area
Total Footprint =4,500 sf
Total Footprint= 3,150 sf
Gravel Per Sewage Handling and Disposal Regulations
- Primary area footprint = 100’ L x 30’ W = 3,000 sf- 50% repair area = 3,000 sf x 50% = 1,500 sf- Total onsite system footprint = 4,500 sf
Primary Area
Gravelless System Under New Regulations
- Change 100’ gravel trench length to 75’ for gravelless- Primary area footprint = 75’ L x 30’ W = 2,250 sf- 50% repair area = 2,250 sf x 50% = 1,125 sf- Total onsite system footprint = 3,375 sf
Gravelless Drainfield Options – Change Trench Length
50% Repair Area
Total Footprint =4,500 sf
Primary Area
Total Footprint = 3,375 sf
50%Repair Area
AOSE Regulations:• Emergency Regulations expired in 2001
• Final Regulations took effect July 1, 2002
• Being repealed, no authority
SHIFT
SHIFT• How to maximize private sector participation
• To the greatest extent possible
• While providing adequate oversight
• To protect public health and the environment.
SHIFT• Meeting #1: Why are we here?
• Meeting #2: What’s wrong/good now?
• Meeting #3: What should the future hold?
• Meeting #4: What are the best ideas?
• Meeting #5: How can we improve best ideas?
MembersBuilders/realtors Mike Toalson CEO, Home Builders
Association of VirginiaBuilders/realtors Tyler Craddock VA Manufactured and Modular
Housing Association
Builders/realtors Neil WilliamsonGovernmental Affairs Director,
Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors
Environmental interest Dan Holmes Piedmont Environmental Council
Environmental interest Ed Dunn Virginia Environmental Health Association
Homeowners/citizens Larry Wallace Virginia State Program Manager, SERCAP
Homeowners/citizens Bill Timmins VDH Sewage Handling & Disposal Advisory Committee
Local government officials Erik JohnstonDirector of Government
Affairs, Virginia Association of Counties
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Local government officials (planners, building officials,
administrators)Jeff Gore Legislative Liaison, Loudoun
County
Manufacturers Dave Lentz Regulatory Director, Infiltrator Systems Inc.
Onsite sewage system professionals Jim Slusser AOSE; President, VA
Association of AOSEsOnsite sewage system
professionals Tony Bible AOSEOnsite sewage system
professionals Curtis Moore AOSE/VOWRA RepresentativeOnsite sewage system
professionals Tim Reynolds Reynolds-Clark Development
Members
15
Installers Sandra Gentry
Manager, Gentry Septic Tank Service/Secretary,
VOWRA/VDH Sewage Handling and Disposal Appeals Review
Board
Installers John Powell Powell's Plumbing/VOWRA BOD
Installers John Ewing
Onsite sewage system professionals Joel Pinnix President, Obsidian Inc.
Onsite sewage system professionals Jeff Walker President Elect, VAPSS
Onsite sewage system professionals Bill Sledjeski CPSS/AOSE
Members
Advisory Committee Chairman Vincent Day
Sewage Handling and Disposal Advisory Committee/Chairman,
Virginia Assn. of American Geologists
VDH staff Jim BowlesEnvironmental Health
Coordinator, VDH Office of Environmental Health Services
VDH staff Charles Devine, M.D. Health Director, Lord Fairfax Health District
VDH staff Scott Honaker Environmental Health Manager, Mt. Rogers Health District
Members
Well Drillers Jimmy Bundick Bundick Well & Pump Co./VA Well Water Assoc. VP
Resource Members Dwayne Roadcap Division Director, Onsite
Sewage and Water Services Division, VDH
Resource Members Allen KnappDirector, Office of
Environmental Health Services, VDH
Resource Members Mark Courtney Senior Director for Licensing and Regulation, DPOR
Resource Members Larry Getzler Chief Economic Analyst, DPB
IEN Frank Dukes The Institute for Environmental Negotiation
IEN Tanya Denckla Cobb The Institute for Environmental Negotiation
IEN Kelly Wilder The Institute for Environmental Negotiation
IEN Jason Knickmeyer The Institute for Environmental Negotiation
Members
Data Requests• Cooperative agreements
• Local ordinances
• Backlog data• Belief by some that VDH taking longer to process
supporting work
• Staffing levels and workload
• AOSS and O&M data
• Indemnification fund data
Agreements:• VDH oversight and education role
• New construction, existing systems, and wells
• Consistency: policy, interpretations, work product
• HBAV, VAR, and VACO
• Private sector charges would rise
• Cost, Quality, Time, and Access (competition & choice)
Disagreements:• VDH fees
• VDH performing AOSS or COSS work
• Conflicts of interest and ethics
*****Without agreement, what is the likely fall back position?
Cost Benefit Analysis
Changing Not Changing
Benefits
1. Movement toward your interests and positions
2. Reduce programmatic conflict
1. You know what you got.
2. No need to compromise
Costs
1. New and different expectations (training & oversight)
2. Unintended consequences
3. Costs will likely rise
1. Winners and Losers
2. No Peace in the Valley—malaise continues
3. Regulator/Service Provider Model Entrenched
Opportunities for Change
• Fees
• Work Product Expectations
• Setting a roadmap for orderly transition
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Levels of Controversy
• Subdivision lots• Certification Letters• Subdivisions with prior work• Certification letters with prior work• Voluntary Upgrades• Safe, Adequate and Proper Reviews• Construction permits – pump to gravity• Repairs & Emergencies
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