Bill > HB2300

This bill establishes a comprehensive Residential Well Water Testing and Treatment Program to help private residential well owners address drinking water contamination, particularly from chemicals like PFOA and PFOS. The program will create a special state fund to provide grants covering up to 50% of the cost of water treatment systems for low-income or economically disadvantaged homeowners. The State Board of Health is required to adopt regulations allowing the use of point-of-use or point-of-entry water filtration systems that are certified by third-party organizations to remove contaminants that exceed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant levels or health advisory levels. Eligible treatment systems must be certified by recognized standards organizations like NSF International or the Water Quality Association. The program will be administered by the Department of Health, with total annual operating costs not exceeding $3 million. Applicants for grants must demonstrate both the severity of their water contamination and their economic need, and the fund will be sustained through state appropriations, gifts, donations, and grants, with any unused funds rolling over each fiscal year specifically for the purpose of water testing and treatment.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB2300