{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/21-118.5.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/21-118.5.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/21-118.5.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/21-118.5.html"}],"law_id":60162,"edition_id":1,"section_id":60162,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.5","catch_line":"Unified water supply and sewerage systems for counties and sanitary districts; power of county governing body to fix rates; application of Public Finance Act","history":"1972, c. 221; 1997, c. 12.","full_text":"Whenever the board of supervisors of any county, as the governing board of such county, shall enter into, or has heretofore entered into, an agreement with one or more sanitary districts located within such county whereby the county has agreed to connect, operate, maintain, alter, improve, add to and extend within and without the territory of such sanitary district or districts the water supply or sewerage systems, or the water supply and sewerage systems, of such county and such district or districts, or the water supply or sewerage systems, or the water supply and sewerage systems, of two or more such sanitary districts, in the manner of and as a unified single water supply or sewerage system, or a unified single water supply and sewerage system, each of which is hereinafter referred to in this chapter as a “unified system,” then, notwithstanding the provisions of the first sentence of \u00a7 21-118.4 (e), such board of supervisors is empowered to fix and prescribe the rate of charge for the use of such unified system with a view to the needs of such unified system as a whole. Such unified system shall constitute a “project” and a “revenue producing undertaking” for the purposes of and as defined in the Public Finance Act, Chapter 26 (\u00a7 15.2-2600 et seq.) of Title 15.2. Such county in respect of such project and revenue producing undertaking shall have all the powers granted to counties by the Public Finance Act. Water and sewer connection fees established by any county, city, town or sanitary district shall be fair and reasonable. Such fees shall be reviewed by the county, city, town or sanitary district periodically and shall be adjusted, if necessary, to assure that they continue to be fair and reasonable. Nothing herein shall affect existing contracts with bondholders which are in conflict with any of the foregoing provisions.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":220113,"text":"Whenever the board of supervisors of any county, as the governing board of such county, shall enter into, or has heretofore entered into, an agreement with one or more sanitary districts located within such county whereby the county has agreed to connect, operate, maintain, alter, improve, add to and extend within and without the territory of such sanitary district or districts the water supply or sewerage systems, or the water supply and sewerage systems, of such county and such district or districts, or the water supply or sewerage systems, or the water supply and sewerage systems, of two or more such sanitary districts, in the manner of and as a unified single water supply or sewerage system, or a unified single water supply and sewerage system, each of which is hereinafter referred to in this chapter as a “unified system,” then, notwithstanding the provisions of the first sentence of \u00a7 21-118.4 (e), such board of supervisors is empowered to fix and prescribe the rate of charge for the use of such unified system with a view to the needs of such unified system as a whole. Such unified system shall constitute a “project” and a “revenue producing undertaking” for the purposes of and as defined in the Public Finance Act, Chapter 26 (\u00a7 15.2-2600 et seq.) of Title 15.2. Such county in respect of such project and revenue producing undertaking shall have all the powers granted to counties by the Public Finance Act. Water and sewer connection fees established by any county, city, town or sanitary district shall be fair and reasonable. Such fees shall be reviewed by the county, city, town or sanitary district periodically and shall be adjusted, if necessary, to assure that they continue to be fair and reasonable. Nothing herein shall affect existing contracts with bondholders which are in conflict with any of the foregoing provisions.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14019,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14018,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","permalink":{"id":179475,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14019,"identifier":"1","token":"21\/2\/1","url":"\/21\/2\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14018,"edition_id":1,"name":"Sanitary Districts","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13075,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","permalink":{"id":179473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14018,"identifier":"2","token":"21\/2","url":"\/21\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13075,"edition_id":1,"name":"Drainage, Soil Conservation, Sanitation and Public Facilities Districts","identifier":"21","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:14","permalink":{"id":179465,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13075,"identifier":"21","token":"21","url":"\/21\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":79910,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-112.22","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/21-112.22\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-112.22","metadata":false},{"id":79759,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-113","catch_line":"Creation; inclusion of town in new or enlarged district","url":"\/21-113\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-113","metadata":false},{"id":59808,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-114","catch_line":"Hearing and notice thereof","url":"\/21-114\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-114","metadata":false},{"id":71490,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-115","catch_line":"Answer and defense","url":"\/21-115\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-115","metadata":false},{"id":64324,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-116","catch_line":"Enlargement of sanitary districts","url":"\/21-116\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-116","metadata":false},{"id":60593,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-116.1","catch_line":"Alteration of boundaries or reduction of area of sanitary districts in certain counties","url":"\/21-116.1\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-116.1","metadata":false},{"id":85899,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-117","catch_line":"Merger of sanitary districts","url":"\/21-117\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-117","metadata":false},{"id":78368,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-117.1","catch_line":"Abolishing sanitary districts","url":"\/21-117.1\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-117.1","metadata":false},{"id":73089,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118","catch_line":"Powers and duties of governing body","url":"\/21-118\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118","metadata":false},{"id":75138,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.1","catch_line":"Authority to acquire property from United States or any agency thereof","url":"\/21-118.1\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.1","metadata":false},{"id":60375,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.2","catch_line":"Certain counties authorized to use sanitary district funds for certain purposes","url":"\/21-118.2\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.2","metadata":false},{"id":58517,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.3","catch_line":"Levy and expenditure of taxes in certain counties; validation of expenditures","url":"\/21-118.3\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.3","metadata":false},{"id":55541,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.4","catch_line":"Certain additional powers of governing body","url":"\/21-118.4\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.4","metadata":false},{"id":60162,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.5","catch_line":"Unified water supply and sewerage systems for counties and sanitary districts; power of county governing body to fix rates; application of Public Finance Act","url":"\/21-118.5\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.5","metadata":false},{"id":64467,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.6","catch_line":"Same; application of revenues; tax levy where revenues insufficient","url":"\/21-118.6\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.6","metadata":false},{"id":55514,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.7","catch_line":"Same; payment to county of revenues held by district","url":"\/21-118.7\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.7","metadata":false},{"id":75754,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.8","catch_line":"Same; ratification of prior agreements","url":"\/21-118.8\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.8","metadata":false},{"id":60483,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-119","catch_line":"Sanitary districts are special taxing districts; nature of improvements; jurisdiction of governing bodies, etc., not affected","url":"\/21-119\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-119","metadata":false},{"id":85540,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-119.1","catch_line":"Transfer of certain sanitary districts to towns","url":"\/21-119.1\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-119.1","metadata":false},{"id":59431,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-120","catch_line":"In certain cities and counties","url":"\/21-120\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-120","metadata":false},{"id":58535,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-121","catch_line":"Validation of proceedings","url":"\/21-121\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-121","metadata":false},{"id":55109,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-121.1","catch_line":"Further validation of proceedings","url":"\/21-121.1\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-121.1","metadata":false},{"id":60765,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-121.2","catch_line":"Additional validation of proceedings","url":"\/21-121.2\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-121.2","metadata":false},{"id":72800,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-121.2:1","catch_line":"Same; bond issues","url":"\/21-121.2_1\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-121.2_1","metadata":false},{"id":76866,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-121.3","catch_line":"Powers of districts created under other laws","url":"\/21-121.3\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-121.3","metadata":false},{"id":77568,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-121.4","catch_line":"Powers of boards of supervisors and other governing bodies of counties with respect to sanitary districts","url":"\/21-121.4\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-121.4","metadata":false},{"id":78011,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-121.5","catch_line":"Validation of certain actions","url":"\/21-121.5\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-121.5","metadata":false},{"id":66618,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-121.6","catch_line":"Sanitary districts in certain counties with a water and sewer authority","url":"\/21-121.6\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-121.6","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":55541,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.4","catch_line":"Certain additional powers of governing body","url":"\/21-118.4\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.4","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":64467,"structure_id":14019,"section_number":"21-118.6","catch_line":"Same; application of revenues; tax levy where revenues insufficient","url":"\/21-118.6\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.6","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/21-118.5\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1972. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 221 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1972 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 1997, chapter 12<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":75754,"section_number":"21-118.8","catch_line":"Same; ratification of prior agreements","order_by":null,"url":"\/21-118.8\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":82731,"section_number":"15.2-2600","catch_line":"Short title","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2600\/"},{"id":55541,"section_number":"21-118.4","catch_line":"Certain additional powers of governing body","order_by":null,"url":"\/21-118.4\/"}],"permalink":{"id":179529,"object_type":"law","relational_id":60162,"identifier":"21-118.5","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.5","url":"\/21-118.5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/21-118.5\/","token":"21\/2\/1\/21-118.5","dublin_core":{"Title":"Unified water supply and sewerage systems for counties and sanitary districts; power of county governing body to fix rates; application of Public Finance Act","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 21-118.5","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Whenever the board of supervisors of any county, as the governing board of such county, shall enter into, or has heretofore entered into, an agreement with one or more sanitary districts located within such county whereby the county has agreed to connect, operate, maintain, alter, improve, add to and extend within and without the territory of such sanitary district or districts the water supply or sewerage systems, or the water supply and sewerage systems, of such county and such district or districts, or the water supply or sewerage systems, or the water supply and sewerage systems, of two or more such sanitary districts, in the manner of and as a unified single water supply or sewerage system, or a unified single water supply and sewerage system, each of which is hereinafter referred to in this chapter as a “unified system,” then, notwithstanding the provisions of the first sentence of \u00a7 21-118.4<\/a> (e), such board of supervisors is empowered to fix and prescribe the rate of charge for the use of such unified system with a view to the needs of such unified system as a whole. Such unified system shall constitute a “project” and a “revenue producing undertaking” for the purposes of and as defined in the Public Finance Act, Chapter 26 (\u00a7 15.2-2600<\/a> et seq.) of Title 15.2. Such county in respect of such project and revenue producing undertaking shall have all the powers granted to counties by the Public Finance Act. Water and sewer connection fees established by any county, city, town or sanitary district shall be fair and reasonable. Such fees shall be reviewed by the county, city, town or sanitary district periodically and shall be adjusted, if necessary, to assure that they continue to be fair and reasonable. Nothing herein shall affect existing contracts<\/span> with bondholders which are in conflict with any of the foregoing provisions.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNIFIED WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE SYSTEMS FOR COUNTIES AND SANITARY DISTRICTS;\nPOWER OF COUNTY GOVERNING BODY TO FIX RATES; APPLICATION OF PUBLIC FINANCE ACT\n(\u00a7 21-118.5)\n\nWhenever the board of supervisors of any county, as the governing board of such\ncounty, shall enter into, or has heretofore entered into, an agreement with one\nor more sanitary districts located within such county whereby the county has\nagreed to connect, operate, maintain, alter, improve, add to and extend within\nand without the territory of such sanitary district or districts the water\nsupply or sewerage systems, or the water supply and sewerage systems, of such\ncounty and such district or districts, or the water supply or sewerage systems,\nor the water supply and sewerage systems, of two or more such sanitary\ndistricts, in the manner of and as a unified single water supply or sewerage\nsystem, or a unified single water supply and sewerage system, each of which is\nhereinafter referred to in this chapter as a “unified system,” then,\nnotwithstanding the provisions of the first sentence of \u00a7 21-118.4 (e), such\nboard of supervisors is empowered to fix and prescribe the rate of charge for\nthe use of such unified system with a view to the needs of such unified system\nas a whole. Such unified system shall constitute a “project” and a\n“revenue producing undertaking” for the purposes of and as defined\nin the Public Finance Act, Chapter 26 (\u00a7 15.2-2600 et seq.) of Title 15.2. Such\ncounty in respect of such project and revenue producing undertaking shall have\nall the powers granted to counties by the Public Finance Act. Water and sewer\nconnection fees established by any county, city, town or sanitary district shall\nbe fair and reasonable. Such fees shall be reviewed by the county, city, town or\nsanitary district periodically and shall be adjusted, if necessary, to assure\nthat they continue to be fair and reasonable. Nothing herein shall affect\nexisting contracts with bondholders which are in conflict with any of the\nforegoing provisions.\n\nHISTORY: 1972, c. 221; 1997, c. 12.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}