Here you will find basic information about VMDWA membership for localities and authorities (referred to as “Agencies”) and for engineering firms. To receive more detailed information about VMDWA’s activities and benefits and a Membership Application, please click here to email our administrative support staff.

Membership Benefits

  • Monitor Virginia (and select federal) drinking water legislation, provide Members with timely analyses, and lobby for state policies that are good for municipal water utilities and public health.
  • Monitor Virginia (and select U.S. EPA) drinking water rulemakings and policy development, provide Members with timely analyses, and advocate for sensible outcomes with state regulators.
  • Monitor Virginia (and select U.S. EPA) activities related to permitting, compliance, inspections and enforcement, and provide Members with updates and generally applicable advice.
  • Provide a forum to keep abreast of changing regulatory requirements, have a positive influence as such requirements are developed or amended, and develop and share insights and experiences on best implementation practices.
  • Conduct periodic Member Meetings to provide briefings and discussion of the most important pending policy matters facing municipal water utilities.
  • Hold internal legislative meetings during the General Assembly Session to review drinking water-related legislation and develop VMDWA recommendations on pending bills for active advocacy.
  • Issue email alerts and analyses and conduct special meetings or teleconferences for the Membership on hot topics as warranted.
  • Help Members perform better and save ratepayer money by enabling statewide peer-to-peer support, sharing lessons learned, avoiding “reinventing the wheel,” avoiding regulatory pitfalls, helping utilities behind the regulatory curve catch up, and creating a safer regulatory climate. 
  • Promote maximum effectiveness and avoid duplicating services by collaborating across disciplines within local government, such as senior leadership (VML, VACo), legal (Local Government Attorneys of Virginia), wastewater (VAMWA), stormwater (VAMSA), and regional planning (active PDCs), and with responsible environmental and other non-governmental organizations.

For localities and authorities, there are two membership categories:

  • Agency Members are Virginia local governments or public water authorities that serve a population of at least 25,000.
  • Associate Agency Members are local governments or public water authorities that meet all qualifications for Agency Members other than population served.

For engineering firms, there are two membership categories:

  • Consultant Members are business entities with at least one office in Virginia or are under contract to an Agency Member. This is a limited class of Members based on a seniority system that are allowed enhanced participation opportunities (due to capacity and time limitations) in the activities of the Association as invited or permitted by the Board (please email our administrative support staff click here for details).  
  • Associate Consultant Members are business entities that meet the same qualifications as Consultant Members but which are entitled to the enhanced participation opportunities extended to Consultant Members.