RICHMOND

Eight-five percent of Virginia’s waterways are polluted with one or more contaminants, according to a six-year assessment released Monday the Department of Environmental Quality.

The report, which state officials said is the largest and most comprehensive assessment they’ve ever done, is required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

The areas of impaired or polluted rivers and streams have grown by 1,600 miles of waterways, increasing from 9,002 miles in 2006 to 10,604 miles in 2008, the report states.

The leading cause of pollution in rivers and streams is high levels of E. coli bacteria.

“Agricultural practices appear to be one of the primary sources contributing to the bacteria standards violation,” the report states. “However, urban runoff, leaking sanitary sewers, urban storm sewers, failing septic tanks, domestic animals and even wildlife can also be significant contributing sources.”

In addition, the Chesapeake Bay continues to fail more than ten pollution tests and will not be cleaned up by a 2010 deadline, state officials said Monday.

Officials say a clean up plan, called a TMDL, already is in the works as officials trying to clamp down on new nutrient pollution, PCBs and other contaminants.

For more information, come back to PilotOnline.com later today and read Tuesday's Virginian-Pilot.