                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

BOARD TO ADOPT REGULATIONS; TIDAL WATERS NO DISCHARGE ZONES (§ 62.1-44.33)

A. The State Water Control Board is empowered and directed to adopt all
necessary regulations for the purpose of controlling the discharge of sewage and
other wastes from both documented and undocumented boats and vessels on all
navigable and nonnavigable waters within this Commonwealth. No such regulation
shall impose restrictions that are more restrictive than the regulations
applicable under federal law; provided, however, the Board may adopt such
regulations as are reasonably necessary with respect to: (i) vessels regularly
berthed in marinas or other places where vessels are moored, in order to limit
or avoid the closing of shellfish grounds; and (ii) no discharge zones.
Documented and undocumented boats and vessels are prohibited from discharging
into the Chesapeake Bay and the tidal portions of its tributaries sewage that
has not been treated by a Coast Guard-approved Marine Sanitation Device (MSD
Type 1 or Type 2); however, the discharge of treated or untreated sewage by such
boats and vessels is prohibited in areas that have been designated as no
discharge zones by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Any
discharges, as defined in 9VAC25-71-10, that are incidental to the normal
operation of a vessel shall not constitute a violation of this section.

B. The tidal creeks of the Commonwealth are hereby established as no discharge
zones for the discharge of sewage and other wastes from documented and
undocumented boats and vessels. Criteria for the establishment of no discharge
zones shall be premised on the improvement of impaired tidal creeks. Nothing in
this section shall be construed to discourage the proper use of Type 1 and Type
2 Marine Sanitation Devices, as defined under 33 U.S.C. &#xA7; 1332, in
authorized areas other than properly designated no discharge zones. The Board
shall adopt regulations for designated no discharge zones requiring (i) boats
and vessels without installed toilets to dispose of any collected sewage from
portable toilets or other containment devices at marina facilities approved by
the Department of Health for collection of sewage wastes, or otherwise dispose
of sewage in a manner that complies with state law; (ii) all boats and vessels
with installed toilets to have a marine sanitation device to allow sewage
holding capacity unless the toilets are rendered inoperable; (iii) all
houseboats having installed toilets to have a holding tank with the capability
of collecting and holding sewage and disposing of collected sewage at a pump-out
facility; if the houseboats lack such tank then the marine sanitation device
shall comply with clause (iv); (iv) y-valves, macerator pump valves, discharge
conveyances or any other through-hull fitting valves capable of allowing a
discharge of sewage from marine sanitation devices shall be secured in the
closed position while in a no discharge zone by use of a padlock, nonreleasable
wire tie, or removal of the y-valve handle. The method chosen shall present a
physical barrier to the use of the y-valve or toilet; and (v) every owner or
operator of a marina within a designated no discharge zone to notify boat
patrons leasing slips of the sewage discharge restriction in the no discharge
zone. As a minimum, notification shall consist of no discharge zone information
in the slip rental contract and a sign indicating the area is a designated no
discharge zone.
			In formulating regulations pursuant to this section, the Board shall consult
with the State Department of Health, the Department of Wildlife Resources, and
the Marine Resources Commission for the purpose of coordinating such regulations
with the activities of such agencies.
			For purposes of this section, &#8220;no discharge zone&#8221; means an area
where the Commonwealth has received an affirmative determination from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency that there are adequate facilities for the
removal of sewage from vessels (holding tank pump-out facilities) in accordance
with 33 U.S.C. &#xA7; 1322 (f)(3), and where federal approval has been received
allowing a complete prohibition of all treated or untreated discharges of sewage
from all vessels.

C. Violation of such regulations and violations of the prohibitions created by
this section on the discharge of treated and untreated sewage from documented
and undocumented boats and vessels shall, upon conviction, be a Class 1
misdemeanor. Every law-enforcement officer of this Commonwealth and its
subdivisions shall have the authority to enforce the regulations adopted under
the provisions of this section and to enforce the prohibitions on the discharge
of treated and untreated sewage created by this section.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 62.1-44.1; 1968, c. 659; 1970, c. 638; 1975, c. 204;
1997, c. 502; 2001, c. 42; 2004, c. 287; 2009, c. 337; 2011, c. 220; 2020, c.
958.