Planning & Community Development

Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area
Septic Tank Pump Out Program

The purpose of the Chesapeake Bay Septic System Pump-Out Program is to protect the ground water quality, as well as the water quality, of the Bay and its tributaries. Throughout Suffolk, water moves quickly through the soils, reaches the ground water table, and moves laterally into creeks, rivers and ultimately, the Bay. Suffolk's high water table and sandy soils result in a considerable amount of ground water inflow into surface waters. Failing septic tanks contaminate both stormwater and groundwater. These contaminates are then transported to the Bay through stormwater run-off and ground water movement.

The Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Board, at its June 16, 2008 meeting, determined that Suffolk must begin to implement the septic tank pump out provisions in order to be found “consistent” with the requirements of the Chesapeake Bay Act. The Bay act is mandatory Virginia Code which requires all private septic systems within the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) to be pumped out or inspected at least once every five years by a sewage hauler who has been certified by the Virginia Department of Health. This applies to existing homes and businesses, as well as new development. These regulations are imposed and overseen by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Board and are mandated by the State (Va. Code § 10.1-2108) through Chapter 20, Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Designation and Management Regulations - 9VAC10-20-120, General Performance Criteria. In addition, the City of Suffolk’s Unified Development Ordinance, §31-415(c)(6), requires that you have your septic tank or pumping chamber periodically inspected and pumped out if necessary.

The City has 5 years to complete the initial implementation and has divided the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area into 5 zones in order to begin the notification process. Each zone's notification will be mailed out the beginning of a City fiscal year (July 1st) and have until the end of the fiscal year (June 30th of the following year) to comply. Property owners identified to be within the City's scheduled plan to be served sanitary sewer within the next five (5) years will not be sent a notification letter. In Zone 1, Crittenden/Eclipse Phase 2 is in the current CIP.

Schedules:
(example: Zone 1 notification mailed out 7/1/2009, required compliance by 6/30/2010)

Mail-Out Dates
• July 1, 2009 – Zone 1
• July 1, 2010 – Zone 2
• July 1, 2011 – Zone 3
• July 1, 2012 – Zone 4
• July 1, 2013 – Zone 5

The property owner is responsible for payment of the inspection and/or septic tank pump-out. Estimated cost is approximately $250-$350 depending on the size of the tank.

Verification of the pump out should be sent to the City with the form attached to the notification letter. Your septic tank hauler should provide you with a receipt, which would serve as verification. Property owners should only hire sewage haulers who are licensed and certified by the Health Department.

The consequence of non-compliance is anticipated to result in legal action by the Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Board.

This is an unfunded mandate, as such the City does not receive funding from the State for implementation of this program.

For further information contact:
Department of Planning and Community Development – (757) 514-4060

Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation, Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance
Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance – 1-800-243-7229

Health Department (757) 514-4751

As a courtesy, we have provided additional resources regarding septic tank systems on our site.