A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 10 of Chapter 6 of Title 32.1 a section numbered 32.1-248.5, relating to Residential Well Water Testing and Treatment Program and Fund.
HB348 would create a new Residential Well Water Testing and Treatment Program within the Virginia Department of Health, along with a dedicated nonreverting fund to support it. The program is designed to help private residential well owners test and treat contaminated drinking water by providing grants for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of eligible point-of-use or point-of-entry filtration and treatment systems. The bill specifically targets systems certified by recognized third-party bodies and intended to reduce contaminants such as PFAS chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS, as well as other contaminants that exceed EPA standards or state-determined health levels.
The bill limits grant awards to applicants who can show both contamination severity and economic need, and it caps grants at no more than 50 percent of the cost of the treatment system. It also places an annual operating cap of $3 million on the program. The fund would be supported by appropriations and outside contributions such as gifts, donations, grants, and bequests, and any unused money would remain in the fund from year to year rather than reverting to the general fund.
HB348 would add a new section to Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia and authorize the Board of Health to adopt regulations enabling the use of eligible treatment and filtration systems. It would also create a special nonreverting state treasury fund dedicated solely to grants for private well owners, shifting state law toward a more structured public response to contaminated private drinking water. The bill would primarily affect private residential well owners, the Department of Health, the State Treasurer, and the Comptroller through grant administration and fund management.
The available legislative record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s structure, it appears to be a public health and consumer assistance measure aimed at helping rural and private well households address water contamination. Its placement in Appropriations and the inclusion of a spending cap suggest a fiscally cautious approach, but the absence of recorded votes or discussion prevents a stronger assessment of sentiment.
The main likely points of contention are funding, eligibility, and scope. Because the program depends on appropriations and outside funding, lawmakers may question whether the state should create a new grant program with a $3 million annual operating cap and a dedicated fund. Another possible issue is how to define and verify “economic need” and contamination severity, since those standards determine who qualifies for assistance. There may also be debate over whether the state should subsidize only up to 50 percent of costs and whether the program should cover a broad enough range of contaminants and treatment technologies.