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

3

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

4

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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