1.) Obtain an application form from the DEQ Division of Water or the Office of Wastewater Engineering (OWE) Area Engineering Staff (see Agency Staff Section for listing).
2.) Complete the form including any information related to the current VPDES or VPA permit issued by the State Water Control Board/DEQ. Applications which do not contain this information will not be considered to be complete and will not be processed.
3.) File the completed application with the OWE Area Engineer whose service area encompasses the location of the existing or proposed sewerage system or treatment works. The OWE Area Engineer in cooperation with VDH Staff will establish the appropriate reliability classification.
4.) Upon receipt the application will be evaluated to determine if it is complete. If the Area Engineer determines that the application is not complete the owner will be notified concerning the information necessary to make it complete. If the application is determined to be complete the owner will be contacted and an appointment may be arranged for a preliminary engineering conference, if a formal technical evaluation is deemed necessary.
5.) The preliminary engineering conference scheduled in step 4 above can be held with the owner, the owner's consulting engineer with the Area Engineer and other Agency staff if necessary. The owner may bring other interested parties. The owner may be represented solely by the engineer as long as the Area Engineer has been so notified in writing. Usually the OWE will be represented by the Area Engineer.
6.) At a Preliminary Engineering Conference the owner or the owner's consulting engineer shall discuss the scope of the project to include preliminary criteria, such as population to be served and expected hydraulic loading, and any unusual problems such as industrial wastewater discharges or infiltration-inflow. The general scope and content of the preliminary engineering proposal if required will be discussed and agreed upon. The owner and consultant may elect to submit a statement agreeing that the treatment works will be designed in accordance with the appropriate standards of practice as identified through the Sewage Collection and Treatment Regulations.
7.) When submitted, a preliminary engineering proposal will be evaluated by the Area Engineer. A project will be evaluated in the chronological sequence of when it was received at the OWE Office unless it is assigned a priority for processing. The preliminary engineering proposal shall establish the criteria utilized in the final design. Comments, if any, will be sent to the owner's engineer with a copy to the owner by the Area Engineer. Once the preliminary engineering proposal is found to be satisfactory the owner and the owner's engineer will be so notified. Such notification indicates that the OWE agrees with the basic design proposal and engineering criteria. The owner's engineer should proceed at this point with preparation of final engineering plans and specifications. Authorization to advertise construction bid documents, followed by contract awards and initial construction, can be granted by the Area Engineer in accordance with receipt of the appropriate agreement statement submitted by the owner and consultant to the Area Engineer.
8.) When final engineering plans and specifications are submitted, they will be evaluated in chronological order of receipt unless assigned a priority for processing. If the technical evaluation reveals questions concerning the design, a letter with OWE Staff comments will be sent to the owner's consulting engineer for action. If deemed necessary by either the owner's engineer or the OWE Staff, a meeting will be convened to discuss the Area Engineer comments. Once the comments have been resolved to the satisfaction of the Area Engineer, revised plans and specifications, if necessary, shall be submitted for evaluation. Revised plans and specifications will be processed in chronological sequence but will normally have a higher priority than original submissions.
9.) If the OWE staff is unable to satisfactorily resolve questions concerning the design and the Commissioner determines that the plans and specifications are not in substantial compliance with the SEWAGE COLLECTION AND TREATMENT REGULATIONS, the plans and specifications may be disapproved by letter listing the reasons for disapproval. If the proposed design is found to be in substantial compliance with the SEWAGE COLLECTION AND TREATMENT REGULATIONS and deemed approvable a Construction Permit will be issued.
10.) Receipt of a Construction Permit is authorization to proceed with the construction of the treatment works. The owner may Commence construction prior to issuance of a construction permit, however the owner does so at the risk of not being issued an operation permit if such construction is not in compliance with the approved construction documents.
11.) If modifications or changes to the approved plans and specifications become necessary they shall be processed through the Area Engineer for approval prior to the change being made. Such change orders or addenda will be processed by the OWE Staff on a priority basis.
12.) Upon completion of construction, the owner shall submit a Statement Of Completion of Construction to the Area Engineer, from a Virginia registered professional engineer stating that the treatment works was constructed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications referenced in the Construction Permit and any subsequent approved change orders or addenda.
13.) Upon receipt of the Statement Of Completion of Construction referenced in step 12, the OWE Staff will make arrangements for a final inspection of the treatment works. If the OWE Staff determine that the treatment works is ready for operation, an Operation Permit will be prepared and issued. Prior to operation of the treatment works the owner must submit an Operation and Maintenance Manual to the Area Engineer, which may be subject to change prior to approval of the final version.
14.) Issuance of an Operation Permit constitutes a recommendation to place the treatment works into operation in accordance with all other necessary permits. A copy of the Operation Permit will be sent to VDH to verify that the facility is ready for operation.