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Bill

SCR 7

Requesting Joint Committee on Government and Finance study ongoing water crisis in southern WV

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Scott Fuller and 5 co-sponsors

Study the causes and infrastructure needs to ensure safe, reliable drinking water in southern West Virginia, guiding prioritized fixes and policy changes.

Ordered to House
#resolutions(interimstudy)
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Bill Summary · SCR 7

Summary of Bill: SCR 7 (West Virginia, 2026)

Purpose and intent

  • SCR 7 requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study the ongoing water crisis affecting the southern counties of West Virginia, with particular emphasis on McDowell County and Wyoming County.
  • The resolution frames access to clean drinking water as essential to health, welfare, and economic stability, and notes longstanding and emerging water quality and reliability concerns in the southern coalfield region.

Key provisions and scope of the study

The study should include, but is not limited to, the following areas:

  1. Causes of poor water quality

    • Identify underlying factors contributing to poor drinking water quality in regional utilities.

  2. Contamination sources (current or future)

    • Examine unforeseen or ongoing sources of contamination that may degrade drinking water and public waterways, including risks similar to those implicated in recent incidents (e.g., PCB and other liquids from distribution/service transformers).

  3. Condition of existing infrastructure

    • Review treatment facilities, distribution systems, and related infrastructure.
    • Assess upgrades and modernization needs to ensure safe and reliable drinking water.

  4. Prioritization of infrastructure improvements

    • Develop recommendations on how to prioritize necessary improvements for the greatest impact on water quality and reliability.

  5. Regulatory oversight effectiveness

    • Evaluate whether the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and other environmental/drinking water agencies are effectively exercising their powers under state law to address the crisis.

  6. Actions for state agencies

    • Identify specific actions agencies should take to better address the crisis.

  7. Other statutory or administrative changes

    • Suggest any additional changes to statutes or administrative processes needed to address the crisis.

Process and timeline

  • Reporting obligation: The Joint Committee on Government and Finance must report its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the regular session of the Legislature in 2027, including drafts of any legislation necessary to implement the recommendations.
  • Budget/expenses: The costs of conducting the study, preparing the report, and drafting legislation are to be covered by legislative appropriations allocated to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.

Affected parties

  • Residents and businesses in southern West Virginia, particularly in McDowell County and Wyoming County, who rely on public drinking water systems.
  • State agencies involved in environmental protection and drinking water oversight (notably the DEP) and any entities responsible for water utilities in the region.

Procedural notes

  • Originated in the Senate Workforce Committee and was reported/adopted for consideration on March 9–14, 2026.
  • The resolution was subsequently ordered to the House.
  • The sponsors include multiple senators, signaling cross-chamber support for studying the issue.

Potential impact

  • By initiating a comprehensive study, SCR 7 aims to illuminate root causes, assess infrastructure needs, evaluate regulatory effectiveness, and propose concrete policy or statutory changes.
  • Outcomes could lead to prioritized investment in water infrastructure, enhanced regulatory actions, and legislative measures to safeguard drinking water quality in the southern counties.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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