CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. — The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is seeking public comment on a proposed permit that would allow the continued discharge of treated wastewater from a Chincoteague treatment plant into the Chincoteague Channel.
The public comment period opened Oct. 2 and runs through Nov. 4, 2026.
Hampton Roads Sanitation District has applied to renew the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for the HRSD Sunset Bay Utilities South Wastewater Treatment Plant, located at 3855 South Main Street in Chincoteague.
Under the proposed permit, the public wastewater treatment facility would be authorized to discharge treated sewage from residential areas at a rate of 0.0395 million gallons per day, or approximately 39,500 gallons daily, into the Chincoteague Channel.
The discharge is within the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean and Small Coastal Basins watershed.
Sludge generated by the treatment process would be transported to Pocomoke City, Md., for treatment and disposal.
According to DEQ, the permit would establish limits on pollutants and wastewater characteristics intended to protect water quality. Those include physical and chemical properties, nutrients, organic matter, solids, bacteria and inorganic substances.
The permit under consideration is a reissuance, meaning it would allow the facility to continue operating and discharging treated wastewater subject to the conditions established by DEQ.
Public Can Comment or Request Hearing
Written comments on the draft permit will be accepted through Nov. 4 and may be submitted by email, postal mail or hand delivery.
Members of the public may also request a public hearing. Hearing requests must explain why a hearing is sought, describe the requester’s interest in the permit and how that interest could be directly and adversely affected, and, when possible, identify specific permit provisions at issue along with suggested revisions.
DEQ may hold a public hearing and provide an additional comment period if public response is significant and there are substantial disputed issues relevant to the permit.
Comments and hearing requests should be directed to Meghan Horn, DEQ Tidewater Regional Office, 5636 Southern Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. Comments may also be submitted by email to TRO.VPDESPermits@deq.virginia.gov or by calling 757-705-5554 for additional information.
Email comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. Nov. 4, while mailed or hand-delivered comments must reach DEQ by the close of business that day.
The public may review the draft permit and application at DEQ’s Tidewater Regional Office by appointment. Copies of the documents may also be requested from the agency.
The permit number is VA0054003.
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