Section 432. Treatment unit and additional system component classifications

A. Biological treatment units will be classified by the division according to the data available to demonstrate the performance limits and reliability of those treatment units. The division may classify treatment units as generally approved or not generally approved. The type and frequency of testing for each approval class is designed to reflect the certainty with which the system has demonstrated its ability to meet the limits of the General Permit or the performance requirements of this chapter.

1. General approval may be issued by the division for both TL-2 and TL-3 treatment units in accordance with the current policies of the division. Generally approved units shall be listed on the division's website.

2. Nongenerally approved biological treatment unit designs shall be properly supported with design calculations and one or more of the following:

a. Documentation from applicable engineering standards, texts, or other publications;

b. Relevant peer-reviewed research;

c. Technical guidance from other states (may be considered on a case-by-case basis); or

d. Technical guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Scale drawings of the treatment unit, appropriate design calculations, and control system details shall be provided that demonstrate the ability of the unit to meet the required effluent limits and reliability standards at the proposed design flow.

B. Additional system components for discharging systems will be classified by the division as generally approved or not generally approved.

1. The division shall consider additional system components such as post-filtration, disinfection, dechlorination, and post-aeration to be generally approved if the unit has been tested and approved under a National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) or other recognized protocol for the proposed wastewater use or if the design complies with the design standards in 12VAC5-640-460.

2. Nongenerally approved system component designs shall be properly supported with design calculations and one or more of the following:

a. Documentation from applicable engineering standards, texts, or other publications;

b. Relevant peer-reviewed research;

c. Technical guidance from other states (may be considered on a case-by-case basis); or

d. Technical guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Scale drawings of the treatment unit, appropriate design calculations, and control system details shall be provided that demonstrate the ability of the unit to meet the required effluent limits and reliability standards at the proposed design flow.

C. Discharging systems that are comprised entirely of generally approved biological treatment units and system components as described in this section are considered generally approved treatment systems.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 32, Issue 06, eff. December 16, 2015.

Statutory Authority

§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-164 of the Code of Virginia.