Recognizing that access to clean, potable, and affordable water is a necessary human right.
Virginia Legislative Tracking Summary
With the 2021 Legislative year beginning, the Water Utility Committee has posted bills to this website 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., download the weekly report here.
Note: Descriptions summarize bills as introduced. Due to amendments throughout the legislative session, the substance of bill following the introduction may differ from the summary description. Please refer to bill text for current provisions. Links are provided for your convenience.
Establishes a two-year joint subcommittee, consisting of eight legislative members and five non-legislative citizen members, to study the development of a comprehensive and coordinated planning effort to address recurrent flooding in inland and urban areas across the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee shall complete its work by Nov. 30, 2022, and submit its findings and recommendations by the first day of the 2023 Session of the General Assembly.
Directs the Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding Resiliency to (i) undertake certain topics of study to assist the Commonwealth and achieve the mission of the Center, (ii) oversee the development of a Flood Resiliency Clearinghouse Program, (iii) research and provide recommendations for solutions that manage both water quality and flooding and emphasize nature-based solutions, and (iv) make final recommendations for solutions to be approved for flood mitigation that are deemed appropriate for permitting by certain agencies of the Commonwealth.
Requires that any application for a permit to withdraw surface water or ground water include a water auditing plan and a leak detection and repair plan that comply with regulations adopted by the State Water Control Board pursuant to the provisions of the bill. The provisions of the bill shall not become effective until 30 days after the adoption by the Board of such regulations.
Creates the 14-member Commonwealth Flood Control Board (the Board) as a policy board in the executive branch of state government with various duties coordinating and implementing existing and new flood control programs and measures in Virginia, including flood control components of other state agency programs. The 10 non-legislative citizen members of the Board shall be appointed by the Governor to five-year terms, initially staggered as provided in the bill. The bill creates the Department of Flood Control (the Department) to assist in the administration of the Board's duties and to provide other technical expertise. The bill requires the Department to provide an annual report. Funding for the Department is provided in part by funds collected from the sale of credits pursuant to the RGGI program.
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