The West Virginia Clean Water Act of 2025 aims to enhance drinking water quality standards and infrastructure across the state. The bill introduces a new article to the Code of West Virginia, establishing definitions, enhanced water quality standards, and updated maximum contaminant levels. It mandates public water systems to conduct quarterly testing for various contaminants, including lead and bacteria, and requires that results be publicly reported within 30 days. Additionally, the Act establishes the West Virginia Safe Water Fund to provide financial assistance for upgrading water treatment facilities and replacing aging pipelines, with a focus on rural and underserved communities.

The legislation also includes provisions for enforcing compliance, imposing monetary penalties on water utilities that fail to meet standards, and allowing state intervention in cases of repeated violations. A significant initiative within the Act is the comprehensive survey and phased replacement of lead service lines in public water systems, with a goal of complete removal by 2035. The bill allocates $10 million annually for water quality improvement programs and encourages the pursuit of federal funding and private partnerships to support these efforts.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 22-37-1, 22-37-2, 22-37-3, 22-37-4, 22-37-5, 22-37-6, 22-37-7, 22-37-8, 22-37-9