SB 673 (Stuart) directs the Department of Environmental Quality and the State Water Control Board to prioritize the preservation of water for human consumption and food production in all permitting and regulatory processes related to groundwater and surface water resources. VACo seeks member input on how, if adopted, SB 673 would impact your locality.
VACo has relayed concerns to the patron about the potential impacts regarding language in the bill, which could have adverse economic development impacts.
Water withdrawal permits are used by a variety of customers outside of human consumption (the priority before this bill) and food production (an equal priority with human consumption under this bill). Examples include any water uses – fire protection and other government operations, various manufacturing and commercial businesses, vehicle washing, aquatics centers, amusement parks, and other entities that depend on water throughout the course of a day. VACo seeks local guidance on how, “… [prioritizing] the preservation of water for human consumption and food production,” could impact these other uses of water.
There was a similar bill that Delegate Carr brought forth in the 2018 General Assembly Session. HB 1186 (Carr) sought to make human consumption the priority use as it relates to water withdrawal permits. The workgroup in 2018 determined that prioritizing human consumption was not necessary for a variety of reasons, including that human consumption is already the priority, which can also be found in VA Code § 62.1-10, § 62.1-11 and § 62.1-44.36.
Please share how, if adopted, SB 673 would impact your locality. Contact jhutzler@vaco.org.
VACo Contact: James Hutzler