Residents press county to challenge Mountain View Nursing Home wastewater permit; board asks DEQ to review

Residents and a citizen who has reviewed DEQ records urged the Madison County Board of Supervisors to challenge the location and operation of the Mountain View Nursing Home wastewater treatment plant during the DEQ permit renewal process.

James Alexander presented FOIA-obtained DEQ documents and asserted the facility discharges to what DEQ labels an “unnamed tributary” but which he said is effectively a dry ditch that only flows because of the plant’s discharge. He alleged repeated exceedances, cited DEQ inspection notes and claimed improper sample handling at the facility. “Mountain View has requested the right to pollute,” Alexander said, arguing the application is incomplete if the outfall is incorrectly characterized.

Tim Clemens, who identified himself as the contract operator for the plant, disputed those characterizations. Clemens said the plant submits monthly discharge monitoring reports and uses a contract laboratory for tests; he said the plant chlorinates and dechlorinates effluent as required and that the facility complies with state regulations.

County staff summarized the permitting context, noting the plant is a small package plant with about a 15,000 gallons-per-day design capacity and that the DEQ system had 2.4 points through September (4 points can trigger enforcement). Staff described three board options: take no action; submit public comment to DEQ; or formally challenge the outfall location under Virginia Code section 62.1-44.15 within the 30-day window for completeness challenges.

Board members debated options and agreed to direct staff to send a letter to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality noting constituent concerns and asking DEQ to scrutinize the permit reissuance and to consider public comment or a hearing. The motion to direct staff and submit comment passed by voice vote.