Bacteria TMDL Action Plan 2025 (Draft)
Keeping the waterways of Virginia Beach clean and healthy is important for those who live, work and play in our community. Bacteria is a natural and essential element in every waterway, but too much of certain types of bacteria can negatively impact uses of the water, including recreation, fishing, shellfish harvesting, and health of fish and wildlife. Many businesses depend on the resources of the local waterways.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) established a requirement, or Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), for all localities in Virginia, including Virginia Beach, to reduce the amount of certain types of bacteria that enter the local waterways. The City of Virginia Beach has many programs in place that currently reduce bacteria in waterways to keep our water clean and healthy.
This updated draft of the TMDL Action Plan spells out activities the City currently has in place, as well as the activities the City plans to take over the next five years to meet the DEQ’s requirements.
Residents and community members have the opportunity to review the plan and share their thoughts. The feedback will help guide the City in finalizing the plan and implementing the projects.
Share Your Feedback
Residents are invited to share their feedback on the proposed action plan. The survey is open from June 5 through June 19, 2025.
Phases
Survey Responses
To help us understand who we are hearing from, please select the appropriate local election district that you reside or own real property in. [#329415]
Most respondents are from Districts 7, 8, and 2, with District 8 and District 7 each having multiple participants. Districts 6 and 9 are also represented, but less frequently. There are no substantive comments or feedback included in these responses—only the selection of election districts. No trends or opinions about the Bacteria TMDL Action Plan itself are evident in this set of responses.
Comments: Please provide your input on the updated Bacteria Total Maxmium Daily Load (TMDL) Action Plan 2025 below. (Don't forget to select "Comment" to record your input!) [#329416]
Several respondents emphasized the need for more robust strategies to address the resident Canada Goose population, which is widely seen as a major contributor to bacteria pollution in waterways. Multiple comments called for direct action such as culling non-migratory geese and better tracking of bacteria sources to distinguish between human and wildlife contributions. There was also a suggestion to discourage public feeding of waterfowl as part of public education efforts.
Education was another recurring theme, with one respondent stressing the importance of targeting younger children and families through school-based programs and involving students in curriculum development and community projects.
Some respondents questioned the focus on pet and wildlife waste, arguing that the root cause is high human population density and ongoing high-density development. This comment suggested that limiting new high-density housing would be a more effective long-term solution.
Other suggestions included encouraging rain gardens and natural water filtration in residential areas and improving testing and monitoring of stormwater infrastructure for bacteria accumulation.
Overall, the most common themes were the need for stronger action on the resident goose population, more targeted and effective public education, and a call to address underlying issues related to urban development and population density.