Office of Drinking Water

ODW protects public health by ensuring that the people of Virginia have access to an adequate supply of safe drinking water.

ODW is committed to protecting public health by ensuring that the people of Virginia have access to an adequate supply of safe drinking water. ODW ensures safe drinking water for the Commonwealth by effectively regulating waterworks under the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

In September 2005, the town of Big Stone Gap in Wise County experienced a severe shortage of water in its mountain-top raw water supply. The shortage left the town with only 30 million gallons of water in its 622 million gallon reservoir. Continued dry weather and failure to secure additional sources of potable water would have had severe consequences for the town and its water customers.

Through technical support provided by ODW’s Abingdon Field Office, the leadership of the Lenowisco Health District director, and financial assistance from the Governor’s office, Big Stone Gap purchased two portable membrane filter water treatment plants and began treating water from the Powell River to replenish the town’s reservoir. To fully meet the demand, pumps and waterlines were installed to deliver water from surrounding waterworks into the Big Stone Gap system.

With the efforts of Big Stone Gap, the cooperation of surrounding localities, and the assistance from ODW and the local health department, a public health crisis was avoided. In support of long-term reliability, a $1.2 million interconnection project was funded by Virginia’s State Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The project established water connections, further enhancing the quality of life of the residents of Big Stone Gap and surrounding areas.

State and federal funds are awarded through a combination of loans and grants provided by the DWSRF to water supplies through the state program. VDH is designated by the federal government to administer and distribute the funds. ODW staff manage the funding for these projects, and coordinate with other organizations to help communities expand and upgrade their water systems.

Since the DWSRF program’s first award in 1998, the Virginia Department of Health has awarded nearly $130 million for 121 drinking water improvement projects through the end of fiscal year 2005. Since 2002, the fund has been used to connect nearly 70,000 Virginians to sanitary, reliable water supplies.

In May 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a report on the DWSRF’s accomplishments, which stated:

“EPA commends VDH for continuing to manage the DWSRF program effectively and efficiently. In particular, we commend the State for its outstanding record of providing assistance to small and disadvantaged drinking water systems. As of June 30, 2005, Virginia had the highest percentage (95 percent) of loan funds provided to small communities and highest percentage (88 percent) of loans to disadvantaged systems in the country. EPA recognizes that focusing the loan program on small and disadvantaged systems may pose special challenges.”