On November 8, 2024 the first meeting of the PFAS Expert Advisory Committee took place. Legislation passed during the 2024 Session required the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to transfer data to the Virginia Department of Environment Quality (DEQ) on a quarterly basis all validated monitoring test results that indicate Per and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Maximum Contaminate Level (MCL) exceedances. DEQ is then required to develop and implement a plan to prioritize and conduct PFAS assessments to identify significant sources of PFAS in the raw water for those public water systems. Other provisions of this law establish requirements for monitoring and self-reporting of PFAS from certain discharges.
The legislation also directs DEQ to establish the PFAS Expert Advisory Committee, which will assist DEQ and VDH in developing solutions to reduce and eliminate the discharge of PFAS. The enacted legislation requires DEQ to annually report by October 1 on activities related to PFAS assessments, self-reporting, and discharge monitoring to the Governor and the General Assembly. The first annual report was released in October 2024 and shares some important steps various agencies have taken toward addressing PFAS since the new legislation became effective and a history of past actions agencies have taken to a address PFAS.
Highlights of the Report include:
- Staffing for DEQ PFAS-related positions is underway and almost complete
- The PFAS Expert Advisory Committee members have been appointed by the DEQ Director (List of members on Page 12 and 13 of Report)
- Initial monitoring data conducted or reported by VDH was transferred to DEQ on July 1, 2024
- Two meetings of the Committee have been scheduled for 2024
- DEQ has conferred with VDH on the data for drinking water systems with PFAS maximum contaminant level exceedances and is on track to issue notices to applicable facilities that may be required to implement monitoring and or self-reporting for PFAS by the December 1, 2024 deadline in the third enactment clause of the legislation.
VACo will continue to track and provide updates on the work undertaken by the PFAS Expert Advisory Committee and the relevant state agencies.
VACo Contact: James Hutzler