CHaP. 460.—An ACT to prevent the pollution of portable water
used for the supply of cities and towns.

Approved February 29, 1892.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That it shall be unlawful, except as hereinafter provided,
for any person to defile or render impure, turbid, or offen-
sive the water used forthe supply of any city or town of this
state, or the sources or streams used for furnishing such sup-
ply, or to endanger the purity thereof by the following
means,or any of them—to-wit: by washing or bathing there-
in, or by casting into any spring,well, pond,lake,or reservoir
from which such supply is drawn, or into any stream so
used, or the tributary thereof above the point where such
supply is taken out of such stream, or is impounded for
the purposes of such supply, or into any canal, acqueduct,
or other channel or receptacle for water connected with
any works for furnishing a public water supply, any offal,
dead fish, or carcass of any animal, or any human or ani-
mal filth, or other foul or waste animal matter, or any
waste vegetable or mineral snbstance, or the refuse of any
mine, manufactory or manufacturing process, or by dis-
charging or permitting to flow into any such source, spring,
well, reservoir, pond stream, or the tributary thereof,
canal acqueduct or other receptacle for water, the contents
of any sewer, privy, stable or barn-yard, or the impure
drainage of any mine, any crude or refined petroleum,
chemicals, or any foul, noxious, or offensive drainage
whatsoever or by constructing or maintaining any
privy-vault or cesspool, or by storing manure or other
soluble fertilizer of an offensive character, or by dispos-
ing of the carcass of any animal, or any foul, noxious, or
putrescible substance, whether solid or fluid and whether
the same be buried or not, within two hundred feet of any
water course, canal, pond, or lake aforesaid, which is
liable to contamination by the washing thereof or perco-
lation therefrom: provided that nothing in this act con-
tained shall be construed to authorize the pollution of any
of the waters in this state in any manner now contrary to
law: and provided further, that this act shall not apply
to streams the drainage area of which, above the point
where the water thereof is withdrawn for the supply of
any city or town, or is impounded for the purposes of such
supply, shall exceed fifty square miles.

2. That any person knowingly or wilfully violating the
terms of this act shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor, and shall be punished for each offence by a fine
not exceeding one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment
not exceeding thirty days, or by both, at the discretion of
the court: and provided further, that nothing herein con-
tained shall be so construed as to prevent the washing of
ore or minerals in any of the streams or waters of this
commonwealth other than such as may be used for the
water supply of any city or town.

3. This act shall take effect fifteen days after its pas-
sage.