In order to restore Virginia waterways to health, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) issues pollution diets setting limits on the amount of bacteria that can enter County waterways with documented high bacteria pollution. These limits are known as Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).
As a community with a municipal stormwater permit, James City County must take action to reduce the bacteria in stormwater runoff to the levels dictated by the TMDL. Reducing storm runoff pollution is a long-term effort and the County has a long history of working to accomplish the needed reductions.
In order to utilize County resources effectively and provide information to the VADEQ, the County has developed a Draft Bacteria TMDL Action Plan for Powhatan, Mill and Skiffes Creeks which describes how the County will meet the pollution diets for these streams.