Virginia Law

Article 10. Miscellaneous Provisions.

A. The Board is empowered and directed to adopt and promulgate all necessary regulations establishing minimum requirements for adequate sewerage facilities at marinas and other places where boats are moored according to the number of boat slips and persons such marinas and places are designed to accommodate. The provisions of this section shall be applicable to every such marina and place regardless of whether such establishment serves food.

B. The Commissioner shall enforce the provisions of this section and regulations adopted thereunder.

C. No such marina or place shall operate unless in accordance with this section and regulations adopted and promulgated thereunder.

D. Whenever the Commissioner shall have approved the plan for the sewerage facilities of a proposed marina for presentation to the Marine Resources Commission as provided in § 62.1-3, he shall have the power and duty to enforce compliance with such plan.

Code 1950, § 32-63.1; 1968, c. 594; 1979, c. 711.

Any marina required to have a dump station pursuant to the regulations of the Board of Health shall clearly identify or placard such equipment by signs or other notices, indicating any fees, restrictions or other operating instructions as necessary.

1991, c. 32.

The Board shall develop and maintain the capability and technical competence necessary to investigate the occurrence of diseases borne by insects and rodents and shall recommend such measures as may be necessary to prevent the spread of such diseases and to eradicate or control disease-bearing insects and rodents.

In this regard the Board shall make provision for assistance to mosquito control commissions when requested, field surveys and investigation of complaints, advice to citizens and local governments, training in vector control, advice and recommendations on proper use of pesticides, and identifying specimens.

1979, c. 711; 1985, c. 372.

The Board may adopt regulations or orders closing any river, stream, lake or other body of water in this Commonwealth to fishing, boating, swimming or any other usage if the Board finds, and states the reasons and precise factual basis for finding, that a toxic substance as defined in § 32.1-239 is present in such river, stream, lake or other body of water in such manner as to constitute a present threat to public health and welfare. Such regulation or order may be temporary or permanent and may be issued initially on an emergency basis. Thereafter it may be promulgated as a final regulation or order upon the completion by the Board of the procedural requirements set forth in the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

If the Commissioner determines that the threat to public health and welfare has abated in whole or in part, the State Health Commissioner may modify or revoke any such regulation or order in a manner that lessens the restrictions placed upon fishing, boating, swimming, or other usage. Such modification or revocation by the Commissioner shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Process Act but shall be filed with the Registrar of Regulations in accordance with § 2.2-4103. The Board shall review such modification or revocation at its next regularly scheduled meeting after such action by the Commissioner and shall affirm, reverse, or modify the Commissioner's action. Review by the Board shall also be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act.

1979, c. 711; 1981, c. 144.

The Virginia Department of Health shall develop a written policy, which shall be revised annually, that identifies the criteria and levels of concern for certain toxic substances that the Department will use in determining whether to issue a fish consumption advisory. The policy shall initially include the criteria and levels of concern for polychlorinated biphenyl, mercury, dioxin, and kepone. The Department shall issue fish consumption advisories as provided for in the policy and shall do so on a timely basis. A copy of the written policy shall be provided to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health and Human Services, the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources no later than one month prior to adoption of the policy but no later than December 1, 2000. Any revision of the policy shall be submitted to the chairmen of these committees no later than one month prior to the adoption of the revision by the Department.

2000, cc. 17, 1043.

The Board of Health shall promulgate regulations to require the daily posting of water quality test results at swimming pools and other water recreational facilities operated for public use or in conjunction with a tourist facility or health spa. Such regulations shall require, among other things, the posting of water quality data regarding the current pH level, disinfectant type and concentration, and water temperature, and the recommended safe levels of each, and shall not apply to private residential water recreational facilities, as defined by the Board.

1990, c. 812.

A. The Board shall adopt regulations regarding the use of gray water and rainwater. The regulations shall (i) describe the conditions under which gray water and rainwater may appropriately be used and for what purposes; (ii) include categories of gray water, such as types of used household water and used water from businesses, that are appropriate for reuse; and (iii) include a definition of gray water that excludes used toilet water. The regulations shall also provide standards for the use of rainwater harvesting systems, including systems that collect rainwater for use by commercial enterprises but do not provide water for human consumption, as defined in § 32.1-167.

Such regulations shall not apply to water not for human consumption, as defined in § 32.1-167, including gray water and rainwater, that is produced and utilized by any facility that is permitted through a Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit or General Virginia Pollution Abatement permit.

B. The Department, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Quality, shall promote the use of rainwater and reuse of gray water as means to reduce fresh water consumption, ease demands on public treatment works and water supply systems, and promote conservation.

C. The Department, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Quality, shall consider recognizing rainwater as an independent source of fresh water available for use by the residents of the Commonwealth.

1998, c. 155; 2018, c. 817.

There is hereby created the Environmental Health Education and Training Fund, whose purpose is to receive moneys generated by the civil penalties collected by the Department pursuant to § 32.1-164 and appropriated by the Commonwealth for the purpose of supporting, training, educating, and recognizing public- and private-sector individuals in all areas of environmental health, including licensed onsite soil evaluators and Department employees. Civil penalties collected by the Department shall be deposited by the Comptroller to this fund to be appropriated for the purposes of this section to the Department by the General Assembly as it deems necessary. The fund may also be used, in the discretion of the Board, for research to improve public health and for protection of the environment.

2007, c. 514; 2016, c. 90.

A. The Department shall take steps to eliminate evaluation and design services provided by the Department for onsite sewage systems and private wells. In taking such steps, the Department shall:

1. Accept private evaluations and designs for private wells, in compliance with the State Board of Health regulations for construction of private wells, designed and certified by a certified master water well system provider pursuant to § 54.1-1129.1;

2. Cease providing onsite sewage system evaluations and design services that are not associated with a building permit or the repair of a failing sewage system. Hardship exceptions shall not apply to these services;

3. Cease providing new construction evaluation and design services for an application that is not for a principal place of residence. Hardship exceptions shall not apply to these services;

4. By July 1, 2019, establish guidelines to maintain the Department as a provider of last resort for a property owner who demonstrates a specific hardship in obtaining private sector evaluation and design services associated with a building permit or the repair of a failing sewage system that is for a principal place of residence. In developing such guidelines, the Department shall solicit and consider input from stakeholders. The Department's guidelines shall include considerations for hardships based on (i) the availability of properly licensed service providers working within a locality or region, (ii) the disciplinary history of private sector providers, and (iii) the cost of private sector services. The Department shall post its proposed guidelines on a website maintained by the Department by November 1, 2018; and

5. Beginning July 1, 2019, require an applicant for an onsite sewage system or private well construction permit who desires the Department to provide evaluation and design services associated with a building permit or the repair of a failing sewage system that is for a principal place of residence to petition the Department to provide such evaluation and design services.

B. The Department shall coordinate with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to establish any necessary agreements or procedures to ensure that potential violations of laws or regulations regarding onsite sewage system and private well evaluation and design are referred to the appropriate agency or board for review.

2018, c. 831.