Certificate to Operate & Flow Acceptance Letter

A Certificate to Operate (CTO) is issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Tidewater Regional Office, 5636 Southern Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462 that authorizes operation of a sewage system. The CTO is the final culmination in the Flow Acceptance Process.

When is an HRSD Flow Acceptance Letter required?

*If a pump station connects directly to existing force main, a Flow Acceptance Letter is required.

If gravity flow < 2,000 gpd, a Flow Acceptance Letter is NOT required.

When is a Certificate to Construct & Certificate to Operate required?

If a Flow Acceptance Letter is required, then a Certificate to Construct (CTC) 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?

Flow Acceptance Process:

Consultant submits construction plans to Department of Development & Permits (DD&P), Mr. Mark Curry, Development and Engineering, 306 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322.

AND

1. Consultant completes the HRSD Flow Acceptance Request Form and submits to Department of Public Utilities (DPU).
2. DD&P distributes plans to DPU for review and comment.
3. DPU can concurrently submit construction plans to HRSD [When is HRSD approval required?] and DPU requests Flow Acceptance Letter from HRSD.
4. HRSD provides Flow Acceptance Letter to locality (DPU) and DEQ.
5. HRSD reviews plans and hydraulic model, if required, and provides comments to DPU.
6. Consultant submits Application for Certificate to Construct (CTC) to DEQ.
7. Locality (DD&P) approves construction plans.
8. DPU provides Flow Acceptance Letter to DEQ.
9. DEQ issues a Certificate to Construct (CTC).
10. Consultant submits the Application for Certificate to Operate (CTO) 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.
11. DEQ issues a Certificate to Operate (CTO).

When is an HRSD approval required?

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). See notes and details to be included on construction plans on HRSD Development Services webpage.

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.