{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-265.13_4.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-265.13_4.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-265.13_4.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-265.13_4.html"}],"law_id":80748,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80748,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:4","catch_line":"Rates and services","history":"1986, c. 323.","full_text":"A small water or sewer utility shall be required to furnish reasonably adequate services and facilities, subject to the regulation of the Commission. The charges made by any small water or sewer utility for any service rendered shall be (i) uniform as to all persons or corporations using such service under like conditions and (ii) nondiscriminatory, reasonable and just. Every charge for service found to be otherwise shall be unlawful. Reasonable and just charges for service within the meaning of this section shall be the lowest charges as shall produce sufficient revenues to pay all lawful and necessary expenses incident to:\n\n1\n\nThe operation of the system, including maintenance costs, operating charges, and interest charges on bonds or other obligations;2\n\nThe providing for the liquidation of bonds or other evidence of indebtedness and the attraction of capital;3\n\nThe providing of adequate funds to be used as working capital, as well as reasonable reserves and funds for making replacements, which may be escrowed and used only as working capital if the Commission so directs as a result of a proceeding conducted pursuant to § 56-265.13:6;4\n\nThe providing for the payment of taxes that may be assessed against the small water or sewer utility or its property; and5\n\nCompensation of owners of the utility for their capital or property invested in the system, if any, and for their time and other resources expended in the operation of the system not otherwise recovered under subdivisions 1 through 4 of this section.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":289437,"text":"A small water or sewer utility shall be required to furnish reasonably adequate services and facilities, subject to the regulation of the Commission. The charges made by any small water or sewer utility for any service rendered shall be (i) uniform as to all persons or corporations using such service under like conditions and (ii) nondiscriminatory, reasonable and just. Every charge for service found to be otherwise shall be unlawful. Reasonable and just charges for service within the meaning of this section shall be the lowest charges as shall produce sufficient revenues to pay all lawful and necessary expenses incident to:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":289438,"text":"The operation of the system, including maintenance costs, operating charges, and interest charges on bonds or other obligations;","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":289439,"text":"The providing for the liquidation of bonds or other evidence of indebtedness and the attraction of capital;","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":289440,"text":"The providing of adequate funds to be used as working capital, as well as reasonable reserves and funds for making replacements, which may be escrowed and used only as working capital if the Commission so directs as a result of a proceeding conducted pursuant to § 56-265.13:6;","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":289441,"text":"The providing for the payment of taxes that may be assessed against the small water or sewer utility or its property; and","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":289442,"text":"Compensation of owners of the utility for their capital or property invested in the system, if any, and for their time and other resources expended in the operation of the system not otherwise recovered under subdivisions 1 through 4 of this section.","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15641,"edition_id":1,"name":"Small Water or Sewer Public Utility Act","identifier":"10.2:1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:57:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:57:17","permalink":{"id":249227,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15641,"identifier":"10.2:1","token":"56\/10.2%3A1","url":"\/56\/10.2%3A1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12881,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":248473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12881,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":62103,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:1","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/56-265.13_1\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_1","metadata":false},{"id":61814,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:2","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-265.13_2\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_2","metadata":false},{"id":70343,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:3","catch_line":"Applicability of chapter","url":"\/56-265.13_3\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_3","metadata":false},{"id":80748,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:4","catch_line":"Rates and services","url":"\/56-265.13_4\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_4","metadata":false},{"id":65971,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:5","catch_line":"Notice of rate changes","url":"\/56-265.13_5\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_5","metadata":false},{"id":71074,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:6","catch_line":"Public hearing on application; prohibition of multiple rate increases within any 12-month period","url":"\/56-265.13_6\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_6","metadata":false},{"id":71631,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:6.1","catch_line":"Appointment of receiver; penalty","url":"\/56-265.13_6.1\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_6.1","metadata":false},{"id":59777,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:7","catch_line":"Regulation by State Corporation Commission","url":"\/56-265.13_7\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_7","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":70343,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:3","catch_line":"Applicability of chapter","url":"\/56-265.13_3\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_3","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":65971,"structure_id":15641,"section_number":"56-265.13:5","catch_line":"Notice of rate changes","url":"\/56-265.13_5\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_5","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-265.13:4\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1986. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 323 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 1986 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":71074,"section_number":"56-265.13:6","catch_line":"Public hearing on application; prohibition of multiple rate increases within any 12-month period","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.13_6\/"}],"permalink":{"id":249241,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80748,"identifier":"56-265.13:4","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_4","url":"\/56-265.13_4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-265.13_4\/","token":"56\/10.2%3A1\/56-265.13_4","dublin_core":{"Title":"Rates and services","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-265.13:4","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A small water or sewer utility shall be required to furnish reasonably adequate services<\/span> and facilities, subject to the regulation of the Commission<\/span>. The charges made by any small water or sewer utility for any service<\/span> rendered shall be (i) uniform as to all persons<\/span> or corporations<\/span> using such service<\/span> under like conditions and (ii) nondiscriminatory, reasonable and just. Every charge for service<\/span> found to be otherwise shall be unlawful. Reasonable and just charges for service<\/span> within the meaning of this section shall be the lowest charges as shall produce sufficient revenues to pay all lawful and necessary expenses incident to:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> The operation of the system, including maintenance costs, operating charges, and interest charges on bonds<\/span> or other obligations; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> The providing for the liquidation<\/span> of bonds<\/span> or other evidence<\/span> of indebtedness and the attraction of capital; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> The providing of adequate funds to be used as working capital, as well as reasonable reserves and funds for making replacements, which may be escrowed and used only as working capital if the Commission<\/span> so directs as a result of a proceeding conducted pursuant to § 56-265.13:6<\/a>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> The providing for the payment of taxes that may be assessed against the small water or sewer utility or its property; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Compensation of owners of the utility for their capital or property invested in the system, if any, and for their time and other resources expended in the operation of the system not otherwise recovered under subdivisions 1 through 4 of this section. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRATES AND SERVICES (\u00a7 56-265.13:4)\n\nA small water or sewer utility shall be required to furnish reasonably adequate\nservices and facilities, subject to the regulation of the Commission. The\ncharges made by any small water or sewer utility for any service rendered shall\nbe (i) uniform as to all persons or corporations using such service under like\nconditions and (ii) nondiscriminatory, reasonable and just. Every charge for\nservice found to be otherwise shall be unlawful. Reasonable and just charges for\nservice within the meaning of this section shall be the lowest charges as shall\nproduce sufficient revenues to pay all lawful and necessary expenses incident\nto:\n\n1. The operation of the system, including maintenance costs, operating charges,\nand interest charges on bonds or other obligations;\n\n2. The providing for the liquidation of bonds or other evidence of indebtedness\nand the attraction of capital;\n\n3. The providing of adequate funds to be used as working capital, as well as\nreasonable reserves and funds for making replacements, which may be escrowed and\nused only as working capital if the Commission so directs as a result of a\nproceeding conducted pursuant to § 56-265.13:6;\n\n4. The providing for the payment of taxes that may be assessed against the small\nwater or sewer utility or its property; and\n\n5. Compensation of owners of the utility for their capital or property invested\nin the system, if any, and for their time and other resources expended in the\noperation of the system not otherwise recovered under subdivisions 1 through 4\nof this section.\n\nHISTORY: 1986, c. 323.","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}}