Water Laws, Regulations, and Guidance

Laws

State Water Control Law authorizes DEQ to implement a variety of laws and regulations pertaining to water quality and water supply to improve and protect Virginia's streams, rivers, bays, wetlands and ground water for aquatic life, human health and other beneficial water use.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the federal Clean Water Act enables states to implement certain EPA responsibilities. EPA has authorized Virginia to issue National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits under the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (VPDES) Program. These permits carry the weight of federal and state laws and regulations, and are enforceable under state and federal authority.

Regulations

The State Water Control Board promulgates Virginia's water regulations, including permits, permit fees, ground water management areas, ground water withdrawals and petroleum storage tanks. A report on specific regulations can be obtained from the following link to the Legislative Information System database, for each of the pertinent chapters listed in the Virginia Administrative Code. Summaries to federal requirements can be found at EPA water regulations.

Regulations

Chapter	Description
Chapter 11	Public Participation Guidelines
Chapter 15	Regulation for Dispute Resolution
Chapter 20	Fees for Permits and Certificates
Chapter 31	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) Permit Regulation
Chapter 32	Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) Permit Regulation
Chapter 40	Regulation for Nutrient Enriched Waters and Dischargers within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Chapter 71	Regulations Governing the Discharge of Sewage and Other Wastes from Boats
Chapter 91	Facility and Aboveground Storage Tank (AST) Regulation
Chapter 101	Tank Vessel Oil Discharge Contingency Plan and Financial Responsibility Regulation
Chapter 110	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Domestic Sewage Discharges of Less Than or Equal to 1,000 Gallons Per Day
Chapter 115	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Seafood Processing Facilities
Chapter 120	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Discharges from Groundwater Remediation of Contaminated Sites, Dewatering Activities of Contaminated Sites, and Hydrostatic Tests
Chapter 151	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Discharges of Stormwater Associated with Industrial Activity
Chapter 190	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Nonmetallic Mineral Mining
Chapter 192	Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) Regulation and General Permit for Animal Feeding Operations and Animal Waste Management
Chapter 193	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Concrete Products Facilities
Chapter 194	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Vehicle Wash Facilities and Laundry Facilities
Chapter 196	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit for Noncontact Cooling Water Discharges of 50,000 Gallons Per Day or Less
Chapter 200	Water Withdrawal Reporting
Chapter 210	Virginia Water Protection Permit Program Regulation
Chapter 220	Surface Water Management Area Regulation
Chapter 230	Procedural Rule No. 1 - Public and Formal Hearing Procedures
Chapter 260	Water Quality Standards
Chapter 280	Ground Water Standards
Chapter 370	Policy for the Protection of Water Quality in Virginia's Shellfish Growing Waters
Chapter 380	Wetlands Policy
Chapter 390	Water Resources Policy
Chapter 401	Sewage Treatment in the Dulles Area Watershed
Chapter 410	Occoquan Policy
Chapter 415	Policy for the Potomac River Embayments
Chapter 580	Underground Storage Tanks: Technical Standards and Corrective Action Requirements
Chapter 590	Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Financial Responsibility Requirements
Chapter 600	Designated Groundwater Management Areas
Chapter 610	Groundwater Withdrawal Regulations
Chapter 630	Virginia Pollution Abatement Regulation and General Permit for Poultry Waste Management
Chapter 640	Aboveground Storage Tank and Pipeline Facility Financial Responsibility Requirements
Chapter 650	Closure Plans and Demonstration of Financial Capability
Chapter 660	Virginia Water Protection General Permit for Impacts Less Than One-Half Acre
Chapter 670	Virginia Water Protection General Permit for Facilities and Activities of Utility and Public Service Companies Regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or the State Corporation Commission and Other Utility Line Activities
Chapter 680	Virginia Water Protection General Permit for Linear Transportation Projects
Chapter 690	Virginia Water Protection General Permit for Impacts from Development and Certain Mining Activities
Chapter 720	Water Quality Management Planning Regulation
Chapter 740	Water Reclamation and Reuse Regulation
Chapter 770	Virginia Financial Responsibility Requirements for Mitigation Associated with Tidal Dredging Projects
Chapter 780	Local and Regional Water Supply Planning
Chapter 790	Sewage Collection and Treatment Regulations
Chapter 800	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit Regulation for Discharges Resulting from the Application of Pesticides to Surface Waters
Chapter 820	General Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) Watershed Permit Regulation for Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus Discharges and Nutrient Trading in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in Virginia
Chapter 830	Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Designation and Management Regulations
Chapter 860	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permit Regulation for Potable Water Treatment Plants
Chapter 875	Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation
Chapter 880	General VPDES Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Construction Activities
Chapter 890	Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s)
Chapter 900	Certification of Nonpoint Source Nutrient Credits
Chapter 910	General Permit for Use of Surficial Aquifer on the Eastern Shore
Chapter 920	General Permit for the Use of Irrigation Withdrawals from the Surficial Aquifer Greater Than 300,000 Gallons in any One Month

Guidance

Guidance documents are available throughout this website and at Virginia Town Hall.

Water Permit Programs

General

VPDES Permitting & Compliance

Construction Stormwater

Wetlands and Streams – VWP Permits

MS4 Stormwater

VPA Permitting & Compliance

Water Withdrawal Permitting & Compliance

Water Reclamation and Reuse

Land Application (including biosolids) and Ag Programs

Nonpoint Source and Mitigation Banking

Water Quality Programs

Water Quality Standards

Water Monitoring & Assessment

TMDL Development & Implementation

Nonpoint Source Program

Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act

Water Supply Planning

General

Clean Water Financing and Assistance

General

Compliance

The water compliance programs ensure that activities regulated by DEQ under a permit are in compliance with water protection requirements. Compliance activities include inspecting permitted facilities and reviewing required reports to ensure the owner is in compliance with permit conditions to protect water resources. Though minor corrective actions can be taken outside of formal enforcement, sometimes compliance activities result in formal enforcement actions to ensure that corrective actions are taken.

Stormwater and VPDES

The Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permitting program regulates point source pollution from a wide variety of sources, including:

All point sources with discharges to surface waters
Municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4)
Stormwater from construction activities
Stormwater from industrial activities

All VPDES general are permits are available here.

VPDES permits for surface coal mines are issued by the Virginia Department of Energy.

Water Quantity and Supply

Groundwater Withdrawal

Under the Ground Water Management Act of 1992 and the Groundwater Withdrawal Regulations, Virginia manages groundwater through a program regulating the withdrawals of groundwater in certain designed areas called Groundwater Management Areas (GWMA).

Surface Water Withdrawal

Surface water withdrawals from state waters and related permanent structures require permits authorized under the Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Permit Program Regulations as directed by Article 2.2 of the State Water Control Law.

Wetlands and Streams