32.1-171.1 - Waterworks operation fee required; special fund established; certain technical assistance program to be provided.
§ 32.1-171.1. Waterworks operation fee required; special fund established;certain technical assistance program to be provided.
A. Every owner of a waterworks shall pay to the Department a waterworksoperation fee of no more than $160,000 per year. Based upon the number ofpersons served, the number of connections, or the classification of thewaterworks, the Board shall, pursuant to its regulations, establish the feeto be charged each such owner and may exempt sizes and classes from therequired fee. Any fee in excess of $10,000 shall be payable quarterly. TheBoard shall adjust the fee schedule so that the revenues from such fees coverthe costs necessary to operate the Waterworks Technical Assistance Programrequired by this section.
B. In order to assist waterworks owners in complying with the requirements ofthe Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.) and associated stateregulations, there is hereby established in the state treasury a special fundto be known as the Waterworks Technical Assistance Fund, hereinafter referredto as the Fund. The fees required by this section shall be transmitted tothe Comptroller to be deposited into the Fund. The income and principal ofthe Fund shall be used only and exclusively for the technical assistancerequired by this section. The State Treasurer shall be custodian of themoneys deposited in the Fund. No part of the Fund, either principal orinterest earned thereon, shall revert to the general fund of the statetreasury.
C. Moneys in the Fund shall be used by the Department to conduct theWaterworks Technical Assistance Program, which shall include, but need not belimited to: (i) training for operator certification, (ii) engineeringevaluation and advice, (iii) sample collection for laboratory analysis, and(iv) educational seminars.
(1992, c. 804.)