Chincoteague Reports received the following email from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). It provides an update on the status of the application of Ray's Shanty for a permit to discharge treated sewage into a drainage ditch near Wallops Pond. The email is posted below in full and without editing
RE: Public Notice for Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit proposed for Ray’s Shanty Restaurant Wattsville, VA
Thank you for your interest in the proposed VPDES permit for Ray’s Shanty Restaurant. The draft permit was public noticed on December 20 and 27, 2006. In accordance with the VPDES regulations the public comment period lasted 30 days ending on January 19, 2007. This letter is to address the comments received during the public comment period.
Alternatives Pursued
Prior to submitting a VPDES application to the DEQ, the owner, Mr. Ray Twiford examined a number of alternatives. Since there is no central sewage treatment system available to local residents or business owners, Mr. Twiford examined the cost of pumping and hauling all the wastewater directly to another wastewater treatment system. As with most small business owners and residents Mr. Twiford has found this was not a viable alternative because of the expense.
Another alternative was land application of the treated wastewater. This was not a viable alternative due to limited land to store wastewater during winter months when land application is not allowed.
Another alternative was to seek approval from the local health department for a traditional septic system (septic tank, distribution box, drain field, etc.). Any system with a capacity of greater than 1200 gallons requires an engineer’s design. The local health department developed preliminary calculations: 0.6913 Acres as a minimum required space for the drain field up to 9.5 Acres of drain field for protection against groundwater mounding and nitrate loading. The parcel for the restaurant, parking lot, and treatment system area is 0.7954 Acres. Therefore this was not a viable alternative.
Considering his property was zoned business, there is no central sewage treatment system available, unable to land apply, and unable to construct a traditional septic system, Mr. Twiford’s next alternative was to submit a VPDES application to the DEQ.
Treatment System Design
The application included a description of a proposed secondary treatment system to discharge into an unnamed tributary to Wallops Pond. The secondary treatment system consists of flow through several units: an oil and grease trap for kitchen wastewater, septic for sanitary wastewater, chlorination distribution box, fixed activated sludge treatment, recirculation pump tank, to surface discharge. Sludge would be pumped and hauled to the Bundick Well & Pump septic lagoon for disposal.
Nutrients
Because of the low volume of flow, 7,000 gallons per day, no further nutrient removal is required by the regulation. However since this discharge is to a dry ditch stringent standards are imposed by DEQ and placed in the permit to require treatment to the highest quality practical. In addition treatment and monitoring of nutrients will be required. This includes treatment to reduce bacteria content to a level safe for fishing and swimming.
Chincoteague Bay
The discharge location would be to an unnamed tributary to Wallops Pond. The discharge location, as described in the public notice, is located in the Cheseapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean & Small Coastal Basin as defined by the State Water Control Board Water Quality Standards. Wallops Pond, Wattsville Branch of Little Mosquito Creek, and Chincoteague Bay are located in this basin.
Significant Number of Comments Results
Mr. Twiford was informed of the number of comments received by DEQ from the local citizens regarding the public notice for the proposed permit. Mr. Twiford has examined yet another alternative to bypasses Wallops Pond. The alternative discharge route would pump the treated effluent to the north to an unnamed tributary to Wattsville Branch of Little Mosquito Creek. This alternative is more expensive for Mr. Twiford because this discharge route would require the installation of a force main as part of the treatment system in order to pump the discharge to the location and prevent any discharge that may lead back to Wallops Pond.
The alternative discharge location will enter the Wattsville Branch of Little Mosquito Creek at the headwaters to the VPDES discharge location of NASA Wallops Flight Facility Wastewater Treatment Plant. The NASA facility is authorized to discharge 300,000 gallons per day into Little Mosquito Creek and this alternative discharge location proposes to discharge 7,000 gallons per day.
Future Public Notices
The current draft permit is no longer being pursued as a result the DEQ will redraft the permit in order to eliminate Wallops Pond from the discharge route. Once the permit is redrafted for the alternative discharge location, another public notice and/or notice for public hearing will be placed in the local paper. The public notice period will be for at least 30 days as required by the VPDES regulations. The Regional Director will review all responses to comments and requests for public hearing. If a public hearing is granted then sufficient notice of at least 30 days will be placed in the local paper. Since you have commented during this past public comment period, you will be notified individually of all public notices regarding this proposed VPDES facility permit.
Thank you again for your comments. Please contact me at (757) 518-2174 or email mywoodruff@deq.virginia.gov if you have any further questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Melinda Woodruff
Water Permit Engineer
DEQ - Tidewater Regional Office
5636 Southern Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
(757) 518-2174
