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2018 SESSION
18101594DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. The Department of Health (Department) shall take steps to eliminate evaluation and design services for onsite sewage systems and private wells provided by the Department. In taking such steps, the Department shall:
1. Beginning July 1, 2018, accept private evaluation and designs for private wells, in compliance with the State Board of Health Regulations for construction of private wells, designed and certified by a certified master water well system provider pursuant to § 54.1-1129.1;
2. Beginning July 1, 2018, cease providing onsite sewage system evaluations and design services that are not associated with a building permit or the repair of a failing sewage system. Hardship exceptions shall not apply to these services;
3. Beginning July 1, 2018, cease providing new construction
evaluation and design services for an application that is not for a [ principle
principal ] place of residence. Hardship exceptions shall not apply to
these services;
4. By July 1, 2019, establish guidelines to maintain the
Department as a provider of last resort for a property owner who demonstrates a
specific hardship in obtaining private sector evaluation and design services
associated with a building permit or the repair of a failing sewage system that
is for a [ principle principal ] place of residence
[ . In developing such guidelines, the Department shall solicit and consider
input from stakeholders. The Department shall post its proposed guidelines on a
website maintained by the Department by November 1, 2018 ] ;
5. Beginning July 1, 2019, require an applicant for an
onsite sewage system or private well construction permit who desires the
Department to provide evaluation and design services associated with a building
permit or the repair of a failing sewage system that is for a [ principle
principal ] place of residence to petition the Department to provide
such evaluation and design services; and
6. Beginning July 1, 2019, require means testing of applicants who petition the Department for evaluation and design services for onsite sewage systems and private wells and who are unable to demonstrate a hardship, and provide evaluation and design services only to such applicants whose household income does not exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Department shall reduce such income threshold to 300 percent beginning July 1, 2020, 200 percent beginning July 1, 2021, and 100 percent beginning July 1, 2022. Beginning July 1, 2023, the Department shall provide design and evaluation services only to an applicant who demonstrates a hardship in accordance with guidelines developed by the Department.