A UTILITY MEMBER BENEFIT FROM VA AWWA
Feedback is Requested on HB2310
The Virginia Legislative Session began recently (January 11, 2023), and another bill related to drinking water requires your attention and feedback.  The bill is listed below with the VDH-ODW's request for your input.  Each utility is asked to review and consider these bills with regard to their jurisdiction and potential impacts on the delivery of safe, reliable water to your customers.  
 
 
HB2310 -Public water and sewer systems; DHCD to study opportunities for rural areas to upgrade
The Office of Drinking Water (ODW) wants your feedback on legislation that may have an impact on the drinking water program and waterworks in Virginia. Delegate Williams introduced HB2310, which requires the State Health Commissioner to request the Department of Housing and Community Development to study opportunities for rural areas of the Commonwealth to upgrade their public water and sewer systems.   
 
HB2310 also mentions the following:
"In conducting its study, the Department of Housing and Community Development (the Department) shall focus on how to better direct existing programs, or develop new programs, to help the Commonwealth's rural areas expand, repair, or replace their public water and sewer systems. An emphasis shall be placed on opportunities for localities to receive matching grants for such purposes from the Commonwealth and the federal government. "
 
Please review HB2310 and let me know whether your respective organizations or constituency supports the bill, opposes the bill, has no position on the bill, or believes the bill should be amended; and if so, how.  We are making sure we understand stakeholder perspectives as part of our analysis of the bill, which we will share with our chain of command.  
 
There is no deadline for response and no response is necessarily expected. Thank you for your time reading the bill and responding if you have points to share.  You can contact me at Dwayne.Roadcap@vdh.virginia.gov or (804) 338-0371.  You can also reach Ms. Kris Latino at Christine.Latino@vdh.virginia.gov or (804) 664-4403.  
 
Thank you for being a Utility Member in VA AWWA