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Board authorizes public comment on reissued small domestic‑sewage permit covering ~3,000 sites
Summary
DEQ staff presented proposed reissuance of the domestic sewage discharge general permit (≤1,000 gpd), saying it covers about 3,032 permittees and proposes limited revisions including a new five‑year term and clarified electronic reporting; the board voted to open a public comment period and hearing.
Peter Sherman, identified as a permits office staff member, told the State Water Control Board that the proposed reissuance of the domestic sewage discharge (DSD) general permit covers approximately 3,032 permittees, of which about 2,462 are individual single‑family dwellings and 570 are other buildings such as convenience stores, places of worship and small businesses. He said the permit addresses discharges from treatment works with design flows of 1,000 gallons per day or less and is administered in coordination with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
Sherman described three principal implementation challenges: the very large regulated universe, the fact that many permittees are private citizens unfamiliar with permitting processes, and shared responsibilities between DEQ and VDH (separate application forms and different monitoring/reporting routes). He explained that the proposed permit would set a new five‑year term from Aug. 1, 2026, through July 31, 2031, and would clarify which application types and discharge monitoring reports are subject to DEQ electronic reporting systems while leaving VDH’s combined application process for single‑family dwellings unchanged.
During board discussion members asked whether DEQ inspects permittees; Sherman said both agencies have inspection programs, with VDH leading inspections for individual single‑family dwellings and DEQ leading for non‑single‑family dwellings. The presentation noted about 3,032 current permittees, modest fee‑setting authority under statute and DEQ’s current practice of not assessing an application fee for this general permit to reduce regulatory burden.
Staff recommended that the board authorize a public comment period and public hearing on the proposed amendments and that DEQ staff serve as hearing officer. A board member moved to accept the staff recommendation and the board approved the motion.
What happens next: DEQ will open the public comment period and hold a hearing as authorized; EPA review of the revised general‑permit regulation is pending and will continue in parallel.
