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Commission reviews Chapter 5 water-quality text, hears staff on groundwater, reservoirs and rainwater harvesting
Summary
At the Jan. 16 meeting the Northumberland County Planning Commission reviewed proposed Chapter 5 edits to the comprehensive plan (water quality protection), discussed groundwater declines, septage disposal challenges, and options including reservoirs, regional septage solutions, rainwater harvesting and treated-wastewater injection (SWIFT).
The Northumberland County Planning Commission spent a portion of its Jan. 16 meeting reviewing proposed revisions to Chapter 5 of the county comprehensive plan, the chapter addressing water quality protection and water-supply management.
Planning staff said much of the chapter reflects Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) boilerplate language required to meet state water-quality criteria and that suggested edits from Commissioner John Cost were largely grammatical. Commissioners and staff discussed changing mandatory wording (“shall”) in two policy statements to the more discretionary “should” unless a statutory requirement exists, a shift staff supported if no state requirement is cited.
Commission discussion broadened into groundwater and long-term supply issues. Planning staff reported that local groundwater levels are continuing to drop and cited model outputs from the 2020 Virginia State Water Supply Plan showing projected declines in several aquifers in the region under higher demand scenarios. Staff also summarized a conversation with Robert Pickett, chairman of the Northern Neck Well and Water Conservation District and a member of the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Committee, who said groundwater remains a concern and suggested staff continue to evaluate alternatives.
Options discussed included keeping a placeholder on reservoirs in the plan, exploring decentralized approaches such as rainwater harvesting if the Virginia Department of Health permits, considering desalination, and reviewing regional approaches to septage disposal. Staff explained that septage disposal capacity is limited locally, that some haulers currently transport septage to treatment plants outside the county (for example Gloucester), and that cost and infrastructure — including requirements to dilute solids before introducing them to wastewater treatment trains — present obstacles to local disposal.
Commissioners heard that the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) SWIFT program (treated wastewater injection to bolster groundwater) appears to improve long-term modeled aquifer levels where implemented; staff noted economies of scale have helped HRSD advance such projects. Commissioners asked staff to research rainwater-harvesting regulations being issued by the Virginia Department of Health and to return with options for the next meeting.
There was no formal regulatory action taken on Chapter 5 at the meeting; commissioners asked staff to research potential policy wording changes and alternative water-supply measures and to return with findings.
