{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/32.1-167.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/32.1-167.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/32.1-167.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/32.1-167.html"}],"law_id":62333,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62333,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-167","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 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.","full_text":"As used in this article, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“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 \u00a7 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 \u00a7 32.1-174.1.\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“Human consumption” means drinking, food preparation, dishwashing, bathing, showering, hand washing, teeth brushing, and maintaining oral hygiene.\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“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 \u00a7 2.2-4001, of the Board. A special order may include a civil penalty of not more than $1000 for each day of violation.\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“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.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":227354,"text":"As used in this article, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“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 \u00a7 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 \u00a7 32.1-174.1.\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“Human consumption” means drinking, food preparation, dishwashing, bathing, showering, hand washing, teeth brushing, and maintaining oral hygiene.\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“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 \u00a7 2.2-4001, of the Board. A special order may include a civil penalty of not more than $1000 for each day of violation.\n\t\t“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.\n\t\t“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.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13459,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Water Supplies","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12941,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:56","permalink":{"id":203723,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13459,"identifier":"2","token":"32.1\/6\/2","url":"\/32.1\/6\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12941,"edition_id":1,"name":"Environmental Health Services","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12727,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":203563,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12941,"identifier":"6","token":"32.1\/6","url":"\/32.1\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12727,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health","identifier":"32.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":201099,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12727,"identifier":"32.1","token":"32.1","url":"\/32.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":62333,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-167","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/32.1-167\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-167","metadata":false},{"id":77424,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-168","catch_line":"Exemptions","url":"\/32.1-168\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-168","metadata":false},{"id":85306,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-169","catch_line":"Supervision by Board","url":"\/32.1-169\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-169","metadata":false},{"id":54899,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-170","catch_line":"Regulations","url":"\/32.1-170\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-170","metadata":false},{"id":83159,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-171","catch_line":"Technical assistance as to sources and purity","url":"\/32.1-171\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-171","metadata":false},{"id":54587,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-171.1","catch_line":"Waterworks operation fee required; special fund established; certain technical assistance program to be provided","url":"\/32.1-171.1\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-171.1","metadata":false},{"id":61017,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-171.2","catch_line":"Water Supply Assistance Grant Fund established","url":"\/32.1-171.2\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-171.2","metadata":false},{"id":75939,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-172","catch_line":"Permit required","url":"\/32.1-172\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-172","metadata":false},{"id":87258,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-172.1","catch_line":"Attendance by licensed operator","url":"\/32.1-172.1\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-172.1","metadata":false},{"id":67810,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-173","catch_line":"Additional or amended permits","url":"\/32.1-173\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-173","metadata":false},{"id":67186,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-173.1","catch_line":"Increase in charges to finance required changes","url":"\/32.1-173.1\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-173.1","metadata":false},{"id":78227,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-174","catch_line":"Revocation of permits","url":"\/32.1-174\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-174","metadata":false},{"id":69802,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-174.1","catch_line":"Bonds of permit holders","url":"\/32.1-174.1\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-174.1","metadata":false},{"id":73704,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-174.2","catch_line":"Duties of electric utilities","url":"\/32.1-174.2\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-174.2","metadata":false},{"id":79341,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-174.3","catch_line":"Appointment of receiver for certain private waterworks; grounds for such appointment; petition and hearing, etc","url":"\/32.1-174.3\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-174.3","metadata":false},{"id":66911,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-174.4","catch_line":"Identification and elimination of chronically noncompliant waterworks","url":"\/32.1-174.4\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-174.4","metadata":false},{"id":87011,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-174.5","catch_line":"Mandatory reporting of contaminant releases and equipment failures and malfunctions","url":"\/32.1-174.5\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-174.5","metadata":false},{"id":86295,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-175","catch_line":"Emergency orders; appeal","url":"\/32.1-175\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-175","metadata":false},{"id":63724,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-175.01","catch_line":"Issuance of special orders","url":"\/32.1-175.01\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-175.01","metadata":false},{"id":79723,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-175.1","catch_line":"Notice to local government","url":"\/32.1-175.1\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-175.1","metadata":false},{"id":54420,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-176","catch_line":"Penalty","url":"\/32.1-176\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-176","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":77424,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-168","catch_line":"Exemptions","url":"\/32.1-168\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-168","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/32.1-167\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 7 times. 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. Those modifications are as follows: in 1964, chapter 475; in 1968, chapter 659; in 1977, chapter 7; in 1979, chapter 711; in 1997, chapter 342<\/a>; in 2007, chapters 648<\/a> and 774<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 333<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":86795,"section_number":"15.2-2146","catch_line":"Powers of localities to acquire certain waterworks system","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2146\/"},{"id":58105,"section_number":"18.2-54.1","catch_line":"Attempts to poison","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-54.1\/"},{"id":64291,"section_number":"22.1-289.057","catch_line":"Child day programs and certain other programs; potable water; lead testing","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-289.057\/"},{"id":66911,"section_number":"32.1-174.4","catch_line":"Identification and elimination of chronically noncompliant waterworks","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-174.4\/"},{"id":56258,"section_number":"32.1-248.2","catch_line":"Use of rainwater and reuse of gray water; regulations","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-248.2\/"},{"id":78937,"section_number":"56-265.3:1","catch_line":"Certificates to furnish water and sewer service","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.3_1\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":83688,"section_number":"2.2-4001","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-4001\/"},{"id":69802,"section_number":"32.1-174.1","catch_line":"Bonds of permit holders","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-174.1\/"},{"id":63724,"section_number":"32.1-175.01","catch_line":"Issuance of special orders","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-175.01\/"},{"id":68435,"section_number":"32.1-26","catch_line":"Orders; hearing and notice","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-26\/"}],"permalink":{"id":203725,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62333,"identifier":"32.1-167","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-167","url":"\/32.1-167\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/32.1-167\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-167","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 32.1-167","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this article, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Aesthetic standards<\/span>” 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<\/span>, or chemical reaction.\n\t\t“Chronically noncompliant waterworks<\/span>” means a waterworks that is unable to provide pure water<\/span> 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<\/span> to the persons<\/span> served; (ii) the owner<\/span> has inadequate technical, financial, or managerial capacity to furnish pure water<\/span> to the persons<\/span> served; (iii) the owner<\/span> has failed to comply with an order issued by the Board<\/span> or Commissioner<\/span> pursuant to \u00a7 32.1-26<\/a> or 32.1-175.01<\/a>; (iv) the owner<\/span> has abandoned the waterworks and has discontinued supplying pure water<\/span> to the persons<\/span> served; or (v) the owner<\/span> is subject to a forfeiture order pursuant to \u00a7 32.1-174.1<\/a>.\n\t\t“Governmental entity<\/span>” means the Commonwealth, a town, city, county, service authority, sanitary district, or any other governmental body established under state law<\/span>, including departments<\/span>, divisions, boards<\/span>, or commissions.\n\t\t“Human consumption<\/span>” means drinking, food preparation, dishwashing, bathing, showering, hand washing, teeth brushing, and maintaining oral hygiene.\n\t\t“Owner<\/span>” means an individual, group of individuals, partnership, firm, association, institution, corporation, governmental entity<\/span>, or the federal government, that supplies or proposes to supply water to any person<\/span> within this Commonwealth from or by means of any waterworks.\n\t\t“Pure water<\/span>” means water fit for human consumption<\/span> 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<\/span> served.\n\t\t“Special order<\/span>” means an administrative order issued to any person<\/span> to comply with: (i) the provisions of any law<\/span> administered by the Board<\/span>, (ii) any condition of a permit, (iii) any regulation of the Board<\/span>, or (iv) any case decision, as defined in \u00a7 2.2-4001<\/a>, of the Board<\/span>. A special order<\/span> may include a civil penalty<\/span> of not more than $1000 for each day of violation.\n\t\t“Water supply<\/span>” 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.\n\t\t“Waterworks” means a system that serves piped water for human consumption<\/span> 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<\/span> except the piping and fixtures inside the building where such water is delivered.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 32.1-167)\n\nAs used in this article, unless the context clearly requires a different\nmeaning:\n\t\t“Aesthetic standards” means water quality standards which involve\nthose physical, biological, and chemical properties of water that adversely\naffect the palatability and consumer acceptability of water through taste, odor,\nappearance, or chemical reaction.\n\t\t“Chronically noncompliant waterworks” means a waterworks that is\nunable to provide pure water for any of the following reasons: (i) the\nwaterworks’ record of performance demonstrates that it can no longer be\ndepended upon to furnish pure water to the persons served; (ii) the owner has\ninadequate technical, financial, or managerial capacity to furnish pure water to\nthe persons served; (iii) the owner has failed to comply with an order issued by\nthe Board or Commissioner pursuant to \u00a7 32.1-26 or 32.1-175.01; (iv) the owner\nhas abandoned the waterworks and has discontinued supplying pure water to the\npersons served; or (v) the owner is subject to a forfeiture order pursuant to \u00a7\n32.1-174.1.\n\t\t“Governmental entity” means the Commonwealth, a town, city,\ncounty, service authority, sanitary district, or any other governmental body\nestablished under state law, including departments, divisions, boards, or\ncommissions.\n\t\t“Human consumption” means drinking, food preparation, dishwashing,\nbathing, showering, hand washing, teeth brushing, and maintaining oral hygiene.\n\t\t“Owner” means an individual, group of individuals, partnership,\nfirm, association, institution, corporation, governmental entity, or the federal\ngovernment, that supplies or proposes to supply water to any person within this\nCommonwealth from or by means of any waterworks.\n\t\t“Pure water” means water fit for human consumption that is (i)\nsanitary and normally free of minerals, organic substances, and toxic agents in\nexcess of reasonable amounts and (ii) adequate in quantity and quality for the\nminimum health requirements of the persons served.\n\t\t“Special order” means an administrative order issued to any person\nto comply with: (i) the provisions of any law administered by the Board, (ii)\nany condition of a permit, (iii) any regulation of the Board, or (iv) any case\ndecision, as defined in \u00a7 2.2-4001, of the Board. A special order may include a\ncivil penalty of not more than $1000 for each day of violation.\n\t\t“Water supply” means water taken into a waterworks from wells,\nstreams, springs, lakes, and other bodies of surface water, natural or\nimpounded, and the tributaries thereto, and all impounded ground water but does\nnot include any water above the point of intake of such waterworks.\n\t\t“Waterworks” means a system that serves piped water for human\nconsumption to at least 15 service connections or 25 or more individuals for at\nleast 60 days out of the year. “Waterworks” includes all structures,\nequipment, and appurtenances used in the storage, collection, purification,\ntreatment, and distribution of pure water except the piping and fixtures inside\nthe building where such water is delivered.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 62.1-45; 1964, c. 475; 1968, c. 659; 1977, c. 7; 1979, c.\n711; 1997, c. 342; 2007, cc. 648, 774; 2014, c. 333.","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}}