During the 2022 Session, the General Assembly approved Chapter 486 of the Acts of the Assembly, directing VDH to take over the oversight and enforcement of onsite sewage system (OSS) pump-outs required pursuant to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (CBPA). Chapter 486 of the 2022 Virginia Acts of Assembly limited the scope of the plan to the Eastern Shore, Middle Peninsula, and Northern Neck regions of the Commonwealth, with an effective date of July 1, 2023. This legislation also requires licensed operators conducting OSS pump-outs in these areas to report the results of their visits to VDH using a web-based reporting tool. Chapter 486 of the 2022 Virginia Acts of Assembly required VDH to submit an interim report on compliance with onsite sewage system (OSS) pump-out requirements in the localities specified subsection L of § 32.1-164 of the Code of Virginia (the Code) by December 1, 2024. Key status updates on transition of the program to VDH and compliance with OSS pump-outs are listed below.

KEY STATUS UPDATE

1. The seven full time employee (FTE) positions funded by the General Assembly to operate the program have been filled.

2. The web-based reporting tool for reporting of conventional onsite sewage system (COSS) pump-outs went live on July 1, 2023.

3. Sewage haulers have submitted over 4,580 OSS pump-outs records since July 1, 2023, within the program area.

4. Program staff have created, reviewed, and approved over 20,000 OSS records and documents as part of developing a complete inventory of OSS in the program area. This includes approximately 14,000 new database records of installed OSS and adjacent private water supplies, as many historic hard copy records on file with local health departments have not yet been entered into VDH’s database.

5. Most disposal facilities serving the Eastern Shore, Middle Peninsula, and Norther Neck regions are located outside of the region, and sometimes outside of the Commonwealth. The lack of local disposal facilities impacts the cost of pump-outs and may impact the long-term success of the program.