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- Certificate to Operate & Flow Acceptance Letter
Certificate to Operate & Flow Acceptance Letter
A Certificate to Operate (CTO) is issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Tidewater Regional Office that authorizes the operation of a sewage system. The CTO is the final culmination in the Flow Acceptance Process.
- When is an HRSD Flow Acceptance Letter required?
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- Gravity flow is 2,000 gallons per day (gpd) or greater and pump station is 25 gallons per minute (gpm) or less
- Gravity flow is greater than 40,000 gpd (129 lots)
- Pump station is greater than 25 gpm
If a pump station connects directly to existing force main, a Flow Acceptance Letter is required. If gravity flow is less than 2,000 gpd, a Flow Acceptance Letter is not required.
- When is a Certificate to Construct & Certificate to Operate required?
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If a Flow Acceptance Letter is required, then a Certificate to Construct (CTC) (PDF) and subsequently a Certificate to Operate (CTO) are required.
CTO - If the project requires a CTC, then a CTO is required.
- What is the Flow Acceptance Process?
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Flow Acceptance Process
Consultant submits construction plans to Department of Development and Permits (DD&P), Mr. Mark Curry, Development and Engineering, 306 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322.
- Consultant completes the HRSD Flow Acceptance Request Form (DOC) and submits to Department of Public Utilities (DPU).
- DD&P distributes plans to DPU for review and comment.
- DPU can concurrently submit construction plans to HRSD and DPU requests Flow Acceptance Letter from HRSD.
- HRSD provides Flow Acceptance Letter to locality (DPU) and DEQ.
- HRSD reviews plans and hydraulic model, if required, and provides comments to DPU.
- Consultant submits Application for Certificate to Construct (CTC) to DEQ.
- Locality (DD&P) approves construction plans.
- DPU provides Flow Acceptance Letter to DEQ.
- DEQ issues a Certificate to Construct (CTC).
- Consultant submits the Application for Certificate to Operate (CTO) (PDF) to Development Construction in DD&P in order for the "Statement of Completion" section to be executed. DD&P will then forward the Application to DEQ.
- DEQ issues a Certificate to Operate (CTO).
- When is an HRSD approval required?
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HRSD review and approval of construction plans is separate from any flow acceptance requirements and required whenever there is a proposed connection to an HRSD line or construction requires a contractor to work near an HRSD main (crossings and working in close proximity).
DEQ Approval – DEQ will issue the CTC and CTO upon application. As of 2008, DEQ no longer performs a separate review of the engineering plans.