Warner, Kaine announce nearly $500K to improve water quality across Virginia

U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine today announced $437,900 in federal funding from the EPA to help the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality maintain, protect, and improve the water quality of its rivers, lakes, streams, groundwater, and other waterbodies.

“We are glad to see these federal dollars go towards maintaining healthy bodies of water across Virginia and making water quality assessment data more transparent and accessible,” the senators said in a joint statement.

This funding will assist the Virginia DEQ in preventing the degradation and reducing the number of impaired waterbodies in the Commonwealth. It will help create a user-friendly interface to complete water quality assessments and provide stakeholders and the general public easy access to water monitoring assessment data.

It will also help establish flood probability zones based on tide records and sea level rise projections, as well as map well locations and assess potential flood risks at intervals through 2100. Additionally, it will allow the Commonwealth to develop database guidance and analytical protocols for extending analysis to other localities.

The funding was awarded through a Water Pollution Control (Section 106) grant, which provides assistance to states and interstate agencies in establishing and maintaining adequate measures for prevention and control of surface and ground water pollution from both point and nonpoint sources.