A. For every public water system, VDH shall assist the Department by on a quarterly basis transferring to the Department all validated monitoring results available to VDH under federal regulations or otherwise in VDH’s possession that indicate PFAS MCL exceedances, including data generated by VDH’s independent PFAS monitoring activities or submitted by public water systems to VDH.
B. For every public water system for which VDH has notified the Department pursuant to subsection A or the public water system has directly demonstrated to the Department that PFAS in finished water has been detected above any PFAS MCL using Method 533, Method 537.1, or other EPA-approved method for drinking water, the Department shall develop and implement a plan to prioritize and conduct PFAS assessments for identifying significant sources of PFAS in such public water system’s raw water source or sources. Such prioritization plan shall be developed within six months of the initial notification by VDH pursuant to subsection A and updated annually thereafter.
C. In developing its prioritization for conducting PFAS assessments, the Department shall consider (i) data and other information available from VDH regarding public water supplies, including but not limited to applicable PFAS data; (ii) any data or other information submitted directly to the Department by public water systems on a voluntary basis; (iii) information from consultation with VDH and public water systems with finished water monitoring results above any PFAS MCL; and (iv) other data or information the Department considers useful for setting priorities, including studies published in the scientific literature.
D. In conducting PFAS assessments, the Department shall consider the results of the self-reporting process required pursuant to § 62.1-44.34:31, the results of any effluent or instream monitoring required pursuant to § 62.1-44.34:32 or otherwise conducted by or available to the Department, and other PFAS-related data or information the Department deems useful for identifying significant sources.
E. In its reports of PFAS assessments, the Department shall identify potential regulatory and nonregulatory options for addressing each significant source of PFAS. The goal of such assessments shall be to protect public health by reducing significant sources of PFAS in raw water sources of public water systems and to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that the costs of public water systems are minimized.