{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/32.1-172.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/32.1-172.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/32.1-172.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/32.1-172.html"}],"law_id":75939,"edition_id":1,"section_id":75939,"structure_id":13459,"section_number":"32.1-172","catch_line":"Permit required","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 62.1-50, 62.1-56; 1964, c. 475; 1968, c. 659; 1979, c. 711; 1994, cc. 395, 708.","full_text":"A\n\nNo owner shall establish, construct or operate any waterworks or water supply in the Commonwealth without a written permit from the Commissioner, except for the extension of water distribution piping having a diameter of eight inches or less and serving less than fifteen equivalent residential connections.B\n\nThe application for such a permit shall comply with regulations of the Board and shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the maps, plans and specifications for the construction of such waterworks, a description of the source or sources from which it is proposed to derive the water supply and the manner of storage, purification or treatment proposed for the water supply prior to its delivery to consumers.\n\t\t\tThe application also shall include a comprehensive business plan detailing the technical, managerial, and financial commitments to be made by the owner in order to assure that system performance requirements for providing the water supply will be met over the long term. The Board, in consultation with the State Corporation Commission, shall establish the criteria to be used by the applicant in the development of a business plan.\n\t\t\tIn addition, the Board may require the submission of a business plan by those existing waterworks that have demonstrated significant noncompliance with the waterworks regulations. The Board may waive the requirement for submission of a comprehensive business plan for applicants who have demonstrated a history of acceptable compliance with waterworks regulations.\n\t\t\tIf any applicant so requests, the Board shall not disclose the contents of the comprehensive business plan except as necessary to perform its duties.C\n\nThe permit may state the permitted capacity of the waterworks, the permitted source or sources of the water supply, the permitted manner of storage, purification and treatment for the water supply and such other conditions as the Commissioner may deem necessary to afford a supply of pure water.D\n\nExcept as may be provided by regulation of the Board, no other source of water supply shall subsequently be used for any such waterworks, nor shall any change in the manner of storage, purification and treatment of the water supply be made without obtaining an additional or amended permit.E\n\nWhenever application shall be made to the Commissioner for a permit, he shall examine the application and, as soon as practicable thereafter, shall issue the permit if, in his judgment, the proposed waterworks will furnish pure water. If the proposed waterworks is not in compliance with all regulations of the Board but, in the opinion of the Commissioner, the public health will not be jeopardized, the Commissioner may issue a temporary permit for such period of time and subject to such conditions as the Commissioner may deem appropriate for the owner to achieve compliance with such regulations.F\n\nNo permit shall be assigned or transferred.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":272653,"text":"No owner shall establish, construct or operate any waterworks or water supply in the Commonwealth without a written permit from the Commissioner, except for the extension of water distribution piping having a diameter of eight inches or less and serving less than fifteen equivalent residential connections.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":272654,"text":"The application for such a permit shall comply with regulations of the Board and shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the maps, plans and specifications for the construction of such waterworks, a description of the source or sources from which it is proposed to derive the water supply and the manner of storage, purification or treatment proposed for the water supply prior to its delivery to consumers.\n\t\t\tThe application also shall include a comprehensive business plan detailing the technical, managerial, and financial commitments to be made by the owner in order to assure that system performance requirements for providing the water supply will be met over the long term. The Board, in consultation with the State Corporation Commission, shall establish the criteria to be used by the applicant in the development of a business plan.\n\t\t\tIn addition, the Board may require the submission of a business plan by those existing waterworks that have demonstrated significant noncompliance with the waterworks regulations. The Board may waive the requirement for submission of a comprehensive business plan for applicants who have demonstrated a history of acceptable compliance with waterworks regulations.\n\t\t\tIf any applicant so requests, the Board shall not disclose the contents of the comprehensive business plan except as necessary to perform its duties.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":272655,"text":"The permit may state the permitted capacity of the waterworks, the permitted source or sources of the water supply, the permitted manner of storage, purification and treatment for the water supply and such other conditions as the Commissioner may deem necessary to afford a supply of pure water.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":272656,"text":"Except as may be provided by regulation of the Board, no other source of water supply shall subsequently be used for any such waterworks, nor shall any change in the manner of storage, purification and treatment of the water supply be made without obtaining an additional or amended permit.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":272657,"text":"Whenever application shall be made to the Commissioner for a permit, he shall examine the application and, as soon as practicable thereafter, shall issue the permit if, in his judgment, the proposed waterworks will furnish pure water. If the proposed waterworks is not in compliance with all regulations of the Board but, in the opinion of the Commissioner, the public health will not be jeopardized, the Commissioner may issue a temporary permit for such period of time and subject to such conditions as the Commissioner may deem appropriate for the owner to achieve compliance with such regulations.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":272658,"text":"No permit shall be assigned or transferred.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E"}},"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}],"previous_section":{"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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/32.1-172\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 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 1979, chapter 711; in 1994, chapters 395<\/a> and 708<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":66363,"section_number":"15.2-2150","catch_line":"When approval of State Board of Health not required","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2150\/"},{"id":80966,"section_number":"62.1-264","catch_line":"Permits for public water supplies","order_by":null,"url":"\/62.1-264\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":203753,"object_type":"law","relational_id":75939,"identifier":"32.1-172","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-172","url":"\/32.1-172\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/32.1-172\/","token":"32.1\/6\/2\/32.1-172","dublin_core":{"Title":"Permit required","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 32.1-172","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> No owner<\/span> shall establish, construct or operate any waterworks<\/span> or water supply<\/span> in the Commonwealth without a written permit from the Commissioner<\/span>, except for the extension of water distribution piping having a diameter of eight inches or less and serving less than fifteen equivalent residential connections. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The application for such a permit shall comply with regulations of the Board<\/span> and shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the maps, plans and specifications for the construction of such waterworks<\/span>, a description of the source or sources from which it is proposed to derive the water supply<\/span> and the manner of storage, purification or treatment proposed for the water supply<\/span> prior to its delivery to consumers.\n\t\t\tThe application also shall include a comprehensive business plan detailing the technical, managerial, and financial commitments to be made by the owner<\/span> in order<\/span> to assure that system performance requirements for providing the water supply<\/span> will be met over the long term. The Board<\/span>, in consultation with the State Corporation Commission, shall establish the criteria to be used by the applicant in the development of a business plan.\n\t\t\tIn addition, the Board<\/span> may require the submission of a business plan by those existing waterworks<\/span> that have demonstrated significant noncompliance with the waterworks<\/span> regulations. The Board<\/span> may waive<\/span> the requirement for submission of a comprehensive business plan for applicants who have demonstrated a history of acceptable compliance with waterworks<\/span> regulations.\n\t\t\tIf any applicant so requests, the Board<\/span> shall not disclose the contents of the comprehensive business plan except as necessary to perform its duties. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The permit may state the permitted capacity of the waterworks<\/span>, the permitted source or sources of the water supply<\/span>, the permitted manner of storage, purification and treatment for the water supply<\/span> and such other conditions as the Commissioner<\/span> may deem necessary to afford a supply of pure water<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Except as may be provided by regulation of the Board<\/span>, no other source of water supply<\/span> shall subsequently be used for any such waterworks<\/span>, nor shall any change in the manner of storage, purification and treatment of the water supply<\/span> be made without obtaining an additional or amended permit. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Whenever application shall be made to the Commissioner<\/span> for a permit, he shall examine the application and, as soon as practicable thereafter, shall issue<\/span> the permit if, in his judgment<\/span>, the proposed waterworks<\/span> will furnish pure water<\/span>. If the proposed waterworks<\/span> is not in compliance with all regulations of the Board<\/span> but, in the opinion<\/span> of the Commissioner<\/span>, the public health will not be jeopardized, the Commissioner<\/span> may issue<\/span> a temporary permit for such period of time and subject to such conditions as the Commissioner<\/span> may deem appropriate for the owner<\/span> to achieve compliance with such regulations. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> No permit shall be assigned or transferred. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPERMIT REQUIRED (\u00a7 32.1-172)\n\nA. No owner shall establish, construct or operate any waterworks or water supply\nin the Commonwealth without a written permit from the Commissioner, except for\nthe extension of water distribution piping having a diameter of eight inches or\nless and serving less than fifteen equivalent residential connections.\n\nB. The application for such a permit shall comply with regulations of the Board\nand shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the maps, plans and\nspecifications for the construction of such waterworks, a description of the\nsource or sources from which it is proposed to derive the water supply and the\nmanner of storage, purification or treatment proposed for the water supply prior\nto its delivery to consumers.\n\t\t\tThe application also shall include a comprehensive business plan detailing\nthe technical, managerial, and financial commitments to be made by the owner in\norder to assure that system performance requirements for providing the water\nsupply will be met over the long term. The Board, in consultation with the State\nCorporation Commission, shall establish the criteria to be used by the applicant\nin the development of a business plan.\n\t\t\tIn addition, the Board may require the submission of a business plan by those\nexisting waterworks that have demonstrated significant noncompliance with the\nwaterworks regulations. The Board may waive the requirement for submission of a\ncomprehensive business plan for applicants who have demonstrated a history of\nacceptable compliance with waterworks regulations.\n\t\t\tIf any applicant so requests, the Board shall not disclose the contents of\nthe comprehensive business plan except as necessary to perform its duties.\n\nC. The permit may state the permitted capacity of the waterworks, the permitted\nsource or sources of the water supply, the permitted manner of storage,\npurification and treatment for the water supply and such other conditions as the\nCommissioner may deem necessary to afford a supply of pure water.\n\nD. Except as may be provided by regulation of the Board, no other source of\nwater supply shall subsequently be used for any such waterworks, nor shall any\nchange in the manner of storage, purification and treatment of the water supply\nbe made without obtaining an additional or amended permit.\n\nE. Whenever application shall be made to the Commissioner for a permit, he shall\nexamine the application and, as soon as practicable thereafter, shall issue the\npermit if, in his judgment, the proposed waterworks will furnish pure water. If\nthe proposed waterworks is not in compliance with all regulations of the Board\nbut, in the opinion of the Commissioner, the public health will not be\njeopardized, the Commissioner may issue a temporary permit for such period of\ntime and subject to such conditions as the Commissioner may deem appropriate for\nthe owner to achieve compliance with such regulations.\n\nF. No permit shall be assigned or transferred.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 62.1-50, 62.1-56; 1964, c. 475; 1968, c. 659; 1979, c.\n711; 1994, cc. 395, 708.","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}}