Requires the State Water Control Board to recognize service areas for water utilities in the Commonwealth that use the Potomac River as a water supply source as a distinct drought evaluation region. The bill requires the Board to incorporate certain provisions from the Metropolitan Washington Water Supply and Drought Awareness Response Plan: Potomac River System into the existing drought evaluation plans that are applicable to the Potomac River drought evaluation region. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+SB1149
Virginia Legislative Tracking Summary
With the 2023 Legislative year beginning, the Water Utility Committee has posted bills below for your information and review.
The bills listed below are specific to Drinking Water and Water Utilities. For a complete list of bills involving groundwater, wastewater, stormwater, etc., along with the Budget Supplements, download the weekly report.
Note: Descriptions summarize bills as introduced. Due to amendments throughout the legislative session, the substance of the bill following the introduction may differ from the summary description. Please refer to the bill text for current provisions. Links are provided for your convenience.
Requires the State Water Control Board to recognize service areas for water utilities in the Commonwealth that use the Potomac River as a water supply source as a distinct drought evaluation region. The bill requires the Board to incorporate certain provisions from the Metropolitan Washington Water Supply and Drought Awareness Response Plan: Potomac River System into the existing drought evaluation plans that are applicable to the Potomac River drought evaluation region. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB2095
Prohibits the siting of a new municipal solid waste landfill within one mile upgradient of any existing private well. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1370
Directs the Commissioner of Health to convene a work group to study the occurrence of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees on ACNR and Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committees on ACNR and Education and Health by December 1, 2023. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=231&typ=bil&val=hb1721
Directs the State Water Control Board to waive the expiration of any ground water withdrawal permit for a well that serves exclusively residential users, is located in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area north of the Occoquan River, and is located within five miles of any commercial or industrial permitted ground water withdrawal. The bill provides that such waiver shall continue in force until the commercial or industrial permitted ground water withdrawals have been halted for five years. The Department of Environmental Quality shall then assess whether the termination of the commercial or industrial permitted ground water withdrawals has substantially mitigated the stress upon the aquifer and redetermine whether the permit for the residential well shall be renewed. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1977
Requests the Department of Housing and Community Development to conduct a study of opportunities for rural areas of the Commonwealth to upgrade their public water and sewer systems. Technical assistance shall be provided by VDH and DEQ. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB2310
Requires a waterworks owner to notify customers when a water quality analysis reveals that perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS chemicals), as defined in the bill, are present in the water supply or when a contaminant in the water supply exceeds maximum contaminant levels established in state or federal regulations, whichever is more stringent. Such notification shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the affected area and mailed to all customers. Such published and mailed notifications shall include information regarding the water quality analysis, the contaminant or contaminants, potential adverse health impacts, actions to reduce the level of the contaminant or contaminants, and public contact information for the waterworks. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+SB1013
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