Virginia Law

As used in this article, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:

"Aesthetic standards" means water quality standards which involve those physical, biological, and chemical properties of water that adversely affect the palatability and consumer acceptability of water through taste, odor, appearance, or chemical reaction.

"Chronically noncompliant waterworks" means a waterworks that is unable to provide pure water for any of the following reasons: (i) the waterworks' record of performance demonstrates that it can no longer be depended upon to furnish pure water to the persons served; (ii) the owner has inadequate technical, financial, or managerial capacity to furnish pure water to the persons served; (iii) the owner has failed to comply with an order issued by the Board or Commissioner pursuant to § 32.1-26 or 32.1-175.01; (iv) the owner has abandoned the waterworks and has discontinued supplying pure water to the persons served; or (v) the owner is subject to a forfeiture order pursuant to § 32.1-174.1.

"Governmental entity" means the Commonwealth, a town, city, county, service authority, sanitary district, or any other governmental body established under state law, including departments, divisions, boards, or commissions.

"Human consumption" means drinking, food preparation, dishwashing, bathing, showering, hand washing, teeth brushing, and maintaining oral hygiene.

"Owner" means an individual, group of individuals, partnership, firm, association, institution, corporation, governmental entity, or the federal government, that supplies or proposes to supply water to any person within this Commonwealth from or by means of any waterworks.

"Pure water" means water fit for human consumption that is (i) sanitary and normally free of minerals, organic substances, and toxic agents in excess of reasonable amounts and (ii) adequate in quantity and quality for the minimum health requirements of the persons served.

"Special order" means an administrative order issued to any person to comply with: (i) the provisions of any law administered by the Board, (ii) any condition of a permit, (iii) any regulation of the Board, or (iv) any case decision, as defined in § 2.2-4001, of the Board. A special order may include a civil penalty of not more than $1000 for each day of violation.

"Water supply" means water taken into a waterworks from wells, streams, springs, lakes, and other bodies of surface water, natural or impounded, and the tributaries thereto, and all impounded ground water but does not include any water above the point of intake of such waterworks.

"Waterworks" means a system that serves piped water for human consumption to at least 15 service connections or 25 or more individuals for at least 60 days out of the year. "Waterworks" includes all structures, equipment, and appurtenances used in the storage, collection, purification, treatment, and distribution of pure water except the piping and fixtures inside the building where such water is delivered.

Code 1950, § 62.1-45; 1964, c. 475; 1968, c. 659; 1977, c. 7; 1979, c. 711; 1997, c. 342; 2007, cc. 648, 774; 2014, c. 333.