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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>350739</law_id><section_number>18.2-318</section_number><catch_line>Authority of counties, cities and towns to require and regulate well covers</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="52" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="7" identifier="7">Crimes Involving Health and Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="13" identifier="8">Miscellaneous Dangerous Conduct</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Notwithstanding the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Covers to be kept on certain wells" href="/18.2-317/">18.2-317</a>, the governing body of any county, city or town may adopt <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> requiring persons owning or occupying any land within such county, city or town on which there is a well having a diameter greater than six inches and which is more than ten feet deep to keep the same covered in such a manner as not to be dangerous to human beings, animals or fowls.</p><p>Any such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> may specify and require reasonable minimum standards for the construction, installation and maintenance of such covers, including the manner in which any concrete used in connection therewith shall be reinforced, and may prescribe punishment for violations not inconsistent with general <span class="dictionary">law</span>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-74.1; 1962, c. 525; 1975, cc. 14, 15.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
