Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Virginia Department of Health
Board
State Board of Health
chapter
Sewage Handling and Disposal Regulations [12 VAC 5 ‑ 610]
Action:
Comprehensively amend the regulations in order to protect public health and groundwater.
Action 332
 
General Information
Action Summary The proposed amendments (i) increase the separation distance to a water table below a drainfield from 2 to 20 inches to 18 or 24 inches; (ii) increase the separation distance to bedrock below a drainfield from 12 inches to 18 inches; (iii) encourage the use of new and innovative onsite wastewater technologies by granting provisional approval to promising new systems; (iv) increase ground water protection standards for large onsite systems (mass drainfields); (v) reduce the installation depth for conventional systems from 18 inches to 6 to 12 inches; (vi) add provisions that will make it easier for homeowners to know when to pump their septic tank; and (vii) make administrative changes designed to revise cumbersome portions of the regulations and make it easier for the public to comply with the regulations (i.e., reduced "red tape").
Chapters Affected Only affects this chapter.
Executive Branch Review This action will go through the normal Executive Branch Review process.
RIS Project No project yet assigned to this action
New Periodic Review This action will not be used to conduct a new periodic review.
 
Stages
Stages associated with this regulatory action.
Stage ID Stage Type Status
430 Proposed Stage complete. Comment period ended 05/31/1996.
641 Final Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 07/01/2000.
 
Contact Information
Name / Title: Lance Gregory  / Director, Onsite Sewage and Water Services
Address:
109 Governor St.
Richmond, VA 23219
Email Address: lance.gregory@vdh.virginia.gov
Phone: (804)864-7491    FAX: (804)864-7475    TDD: ()-

This person is the primary contact for this chapter.