I understand the need for and obligation to take care of our water.The problem is the expense.

I have operated my system for over 20 years,and our local health department has tested it regularly and has passed. This is a great help with expense.

I am on a fixed income now and my wife works as a waitress at a local restaurant, and with the cost of living, our money don't go far.

I must save where i can and one way is doing the maintenance myself. The other expenses are pumping the tank every 2 to 3 years at $300 each time. Chlorine tablets 25#  $135 and declorine tablets 25# $140  for around 1 year. And the areator shaft must be removed and cleaned every 2 months. I keep my areator motor running by having 2 motors,around $200 each, one to replace while the other is being repaired, most times bearings are replaced, around $100 each.New complete areators(2 that i would like to have) are very expensive at $400 to $500 each,but i can't afford them.My areator is doing the job.

For me and maybe others maintenance contractors are to expensive and a burden,and they are too far away.If something breaks down it would be to long to wait,and they charge travel time to get there, $100. When i could fix the problem in maybe a few minutes for free, my labor. I could save the cost of the contractors travel time plus the cost of the repair; but still i would have to pay $200 to $250 a year for the maintenance contract. I have contacted all of the recomended contractors and have their cost. This cost would be added to my cost for tablets, the maintenance that i do, my labor is worth more because i am here to fix it, also pumping the tank every 2 to 3 years, and any parts i have to buy.

The best solution i think is to hook on to the sewer line. I live in the yuma commuity in scott county, they have surveyed my road but have no funds for the project. The line has been run to yuma school and pass within 1/4 of a mile from my house. This would be best for everyone on our road and would relieve the burden of regulations and expense that keeps growing faster than one can afford.

Surely their is someone that can and has what ever it takes to find a soulition. This problem with these sewage systems has been phisicaly and mentaly an awful burden for the last 20 years. I was told when i had this thing put in that it was easy to maintain,this is true but worring about regulations and expense is getting to be too much.

My system is working fine; it test fine,shouldn't that be considered?

On behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) please accept this letter as formal comment regarding the Notice of Intended Regulatory Action for the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permit for Sewage Discharges less than or equal to 1,000 gallons per day [9 VAC 25 -110].  CBF believes amending and reissuing of the general permit represents an opportunity to improve the state’s capacity to meet the pollution reduction requirements of the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and protect our aquatic resources.  Currently the general permit contains no monitoring requirements or discharge limitations for nitrogen or phosphorous.  CBF believes that implementing monitoring requirements and discharge limitations for these parameters would improve the state’s quantification of nutrient loads and present an opportunity for further nutrient reductions to help comply with the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. 

CBF respectfully requests to be included on the Technical Advisory Committee for the development of these regulations.  CBF is uniquely positioned to provide technical advice on these proposed regulations as our organization has engaged for many years in regulatory matters concerning water quality of the Bay and Virginia rivers.  CBF would be represented by Dr. Joe Wood of CBF’s Richmond Office who has over five years’ experience working on water quality, nutrient loading and point source discharges.  CBF very much appreciates the opportunity to provide these comments.  We hope our comments will be beneficial to the process of amending and reissuing the general permit.  If you have any questions regarding these comments, please feel free to contact me at (804) 780-1392 or jwood@cbf.org.    

Sincerely,

Joseph D. Wood

Virginia Staff Scientist

cc:         Ann Jennings, Virginia Executive Director, CBF

             Peggy Sanner, Virginia Senior Attorney and Assistant Director, CBF

             Chris Moore, Virginia Senior Scientist, CBF