Part D—Emergency Powers

§300i. Emergency powers

(a) Actions authorized against imminent and substantial endangerment to health

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter the Administrator, upon receipt of information that a contaminant which is present in or is likely to enter a public water system or an underground source of drinking water, or that there is a threatened or potential terrorist attack (or other intentional act designed to disrupt the provision of safe drinking water or to impact adversely the safety of drinking water supplied to communities and individuals), which may present an imminent and substantial endangerment to the health of persons, and that appropriate State and local authorities have not acted to protect the health of such persons, may take such actions as he may deem necessary in order to protect the health of such persons. To the extent he determines it to be practicable in light of such imminent endangerment, he shall consult with the State and local authorities in order to confirm the correctness of the information on which action proposed to be taken under this subsection is based and to ascertain the action which such authorities are or will be taking. The action which the Administrator may take may include (but shall not be limited to) (1) issuing such orders as may be necessary to protect the health of persons who are or may be users of such system (including travelers), including orders requiring the provision of alternative water supplies by persons who caused or contributed to the endangerment, and (2) commencing a civil action for appropriate relief, including a restraining order or permanent or temporary injunction.

(b) Penalties for violations; separate offenses

Any person who violates or fails or refuses to comply with any order issued by the Administrator under subsection (a)(1) may, in an action brought in the appropriate United States district court to enforce such order, be subject to a civil penalty of not to exceed $15,000 for each day in which such violation occurs or failure to comply continues.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XIV, §1431, as added Pub. L. 93–523, §2(a), Dec. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1680; amended Pub. L. 99–339, title II, §204, June 19, 1986, 100 Stat. 660; Pub. L. 104–182, title I, §113(d), Aug. 6, 1996, 110 Stat. 1636; Pub. L. 107–188, title IV, §403(2), June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 687.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–188, in first sentence, inserted ", or that there is a threatened or potential terrorist attack (or other intentional act designed to disrupt the provision of safe drinking water or to impact adversely the safety of drinking water supplied to communities and individuals), which" after "drinking water".

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–182 substituted "$15,000" for "$5,000".

1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–339, §204(1), (2), inserted "or an underground source of drinking water" after "to enter a public water system" and "including orders requiring the provision of alternative water supplies by persons who caused or contributed to the endangerment," after "including travelers),".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–339, §204(3), struck out "willfully" after "person who" and substituted "subject to a civil penalty of not to exceed" for "fined not more than".

§300i–1. Tampering with public water systems

(a) Tampering

Any person who tampers with a public water system shall be imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or fined in accordance with title 18, or both.

(b) Attempt or threat

Any person who attempts to tamper, or makes a threat to tamper, with a public drinking water system be imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or fined in accordance with title 18, or both.

(c) Civil penalty

The Administrator may bring a civil action in the appropriate United States district court (as determined under the provisions of title 28) against any person who tampers, attempts to tamper, or makes a threat to tamper with a public water system. The court may impose on such person a civil penalty of not more than $1,000,000 for such tampering or not more than $100,000 for such attempt or threat.

(d) "Tamper" defined

For purposes of this section, the term "tamper" means—

(1) to introduce a contaminant into a public water system with the intention of harming persons; or

(2) to otherwise interfere with the operation of a public water system with the intention of harming persons.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XIV, §1432, as added Pub. L. 99–339, title I, §108, June 19, 1986, 100 Stat. 651; amended Pub. L. 104–182, title V, §501(f)(5), Aug. 6, 1996, 110 Stat. 1692; Pub. L. 107–188, title IV, §403(3), June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 687.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–188, §403(3)(A), substituted "20 years" for "5 years".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–188, §403(3)(B), substituted "10 years" for "3 years".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–188, §403(3)(C), (D), substituted "$1,000,000" for "$50,000" and "$100,000" for "$20,000".

1996—Pub. L. 104–182 made technical amendment to section catchline and subsec. (a) designation.

§300i–2. Community water system risk and resilience

(a) Risk and resilience assessments

(1) In general

Each community water system serving a population of greater than 3,300 persons shall conduct an assessment of the risks to, and resilience of, its system. Such an assessment—

(A) shall include an assessment of—

(i) the risk to the system from malevolent acts and natural hazards;

(ii) the resilience of the pipes and constructed conveyances, physical barriers, source water, water collection and intake, pretreatment, treatment, storage and distribution facilities, electronic, computer, or other automated systems (including the security of such systems) which are utilized by the system;

(iii) the monitoring practices of the system;

(iv) the financial infrastructure of the system;

(v) the use, storage, or handling of various chemicals by the system; and

(vi) the operation and maintenance of the system; and

(B) may include an evaluation of capital and operational needs for risk and resilience management for the system.

(2) Baseline information

The Administrator, not later than August 1, 2019, after consultation with appropriate departments and agencies of the Federal Government and with State and local governments, shall provide baseline information on malevolent acts of relevance to community water systems, which shall include consideration of acts that may—

(A) substantially disrupt the ability of the system to provide a safe and reliable supply of drinking water; or

(B) otherwise present significant public health or economic concerns to the community served by the system.

(3) Certification

(A) Certification

Each community water system described in paragraph (1) shall submit to the Administrator a certification that the system has conducted an assessment complying with paragraph (1). Such certification shall be made prior to—

(i) March 31, 2020, in the case of systems serving a population of 100,000 or more;

(ii) December 31, 2020, in the case of systems serving a population of 50,000 or more but less than 100,000; and

(iii) June 30, 2021, in the case of systems serving a population greater than 3,300 but less than 50,000.

(B) Review and revision

Each community water system described in paragraph (1) shall review the assessment of such system conducted under such paragraph at least once every 5 years after the applicable deadline for submission of its certification under subparagraph (A) to determine whether such assessment should be revised. Upon completion of such a review, the community water system shall submit to the Administrator a certification that the system has reviewed its assessment and, if applicable, revised such assessment.

(4) Contents of certifications

A certification required under paragraph (3) shall contain only—

(A) information that identifies the community water system submitting the certification;

(B) the date of the certification; and

(C) a statement that the community water system has conducted, reviewed, or revised the assessment, as applicable.

(5) Provision to other entities

No community water system shall be required under State or local law to provide an assessment described in this section (or revision thereof) to any State, regional, or local governmental entity solely by reason of the requirement set forth in paragraph (3) that the system submit a certification to the Administrator.

(b) Emergency response plan

Each community water system serving a population greater than 3,300 shall prepare or revise, where necessary, an emergency response plan that incorporates findings of the assessment conducted under subsection (a) for such system (and any revisions thereto). Each community water system shall certify to the Administrator, as soon as reasonably possible after October 23, 2018, but not later than 6 months after completion of the assessment under subsection (a), that the system has completed such plan. The emergency response plan shall include—

(1) strategies and resources to improve the resilience of the system, including the physical security and cybersecurity of the system;

(2) plans and procedures that can be implemented, and identification of equipment that can be utilized, in the event of a malevolent act or natural hazard that threatens the ability of the community water system to deliver safe drinking water;

(3) actions, procedures, and equipment which can obviate or significantly lessen the impact of a malevolent act or natural hazard on the public health and the safety and supply of drinking water provided to communities and individuals, including the development of alternative source water options, relocation of water intakes, and construction of flood protection barriers; and

(4) strategies that can be used to aid in the detection of malevolent acts or natural hazards that threaten the security or resilience of the system.

(c) Coordination

Community water systems shall, to the extent possible, coordinate with existing local emergency planning committees established pursuant to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 11001 et seq.) when preparing or revising an assessment or emergency response plan under this section.

(d) Record maintenance

Each community water system shall maintain a copy of the assessment conducted under subsection (a) and the emergency response plan prepared under subsection (b) (including any revised assessment or plan) for 5 years after the date on which a certification of such assessment or plan is submitted to the Administrator under this section.

(e) Guidance to small public water systems

The Administrator shall provide guidance and technical assistance to community water systems serving a population of less than 3,300 persons on how to conduct resilience assessments, prepare emergency response plans, and address threats from malevolent acts and natural hazards that threaten to disrupt the provision of safe drinking water or significantly affect the public health or significantly affect the safety or supply of drinking water provided to communities and individuals.

(f) Alternative preparedness and operational resilience programs

(1) Satisfaction of requirement

A community water system that is required to comply with the requirements of subsections (a) and (b) may satisfy such requirements by—

(A) using and complying with technical standards that the Administrator has recognized under paragraph (2); and

(B) submitting to the Administrator a certification that the community water system is complying with subparagraph (A).

(2) Authority to recognize

Consistent with section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, the Administrator shall recognize technical standards that are developed or adopted by third-party organizations or voluntary consensus standards bodies that carry out the objectives or activities required by this section as a means of satisfying the requirements under subsection (a) or (b).

(g) Technical assistance and grants

(1) In general

The Administrator shall establish and implement a program, to be known as the Drinking Water Infrastructure Risk and Resilience Program, under which the Administrator may award grants in each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021 to owners or operators of community water systems for the purpose of increasing the resilience of such community water systems.

(2) Use of funds

As a condition on receipt of a grant under this section, an owner or operator of a community water system shall agree to use the grant funds exclusively to assist in the planning, design, construction, or implementation of a program or project consistent with an emergency response plan prepared pursuant to subsection (b), which may include—

(A) the purchase and installation of equipment for detection of drinking water contaminants or malevolent acts;

(B) the purchase and installation of fencing, gating, lighting, or security cameras;

(C) the tamper-proofing of manhole covers, fire hydrants, and valve boxes;

(D) the purchase and installation of improved treatment technologies and equipment to improve the resilience of the system;

(E) improvements to electronic, computer, financial, or other automated systems and remote systems;

(F) participation in training programs, and the purchase of training manuals and guidance materials, relating to security and resilience;

(G) improvements in the use, storage, or handling of chemicals by the community water system;

(H) security screening of employees or contractor support services;

(I) equipment necessary to support emergency power or water supply, including standby and mobile sources; and

(J) the development of alternative source water options, relocation of water intakes, and construction of flood protection barriers.

(3) Exclusions

A grant under this subsection may not be used for personnel costs, or for monitoring, operation, or maintenance of facilities, equipment, or systems.

(4) Technical assistance

For each fiscal year, the Administrator may use not more than $5,000,000 from the funds made available to carry out this subsection to provide technical assistance to community water systems to assist in responding to and alleviating a vulnerability that would substantially disrupt the ability of the system to provide a safe and reliable supply of drinking water (including sources of water for such systems) which the Administrator determines to present an immediate and urgent need.

(5) Grants for small systems

For each fiscal year, the Administrator may use not more than $10,000,000 from the funds made available to carry out this subsection to make grants to community water systems serving a population of less than 3,300 persons, or nonprofit organizations receiving assistance under section 300j–1(e) of this title, for activities and projects undertaken in accordance with the guidance provided to such systems under subsection (e) of this section.

(6) Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021.

(h) Definitions

In this section—

(1) the term "resilience" means the ability of a community water system or an asset of a community water system to adapt to or withstand the effects of a malevolent act or natural hazard without interruption to the asset's or system's function, or if the function is interrupted, to rapidly return to a normal operating condition; and

(2) the term "natural hazard" means a natural event that threatens the functioning of a community water system, including an earthquake, tornado, flood, hurricane, wildfire, and hydrologic changes.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XIV, §1433, as added Pub. L. 107–188, title IV, §401, June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 682; amended Pub. L. 115–270, title II, §2013(a), Oct. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 3850.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 99–499, title III, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1728, which is classified generally to chapter 116 (§11001 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 11001 of this title and Tables.

Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (f)(2), is section 12(d) of Pub. L. 104–113, which is set out as a note under section 272 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–270 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to terrorist and other intentional acts.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Sensitive Information

Pub. L. 115–270, title II, §2013(b), Oct. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 3854, provided that:

"(1) Protection from disclosure.—Information submitted to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to section 1433 of the Safe Drinking Water Act [42 U.S.C. 300i–2], as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 [Oct. 23, 2018], shall be protected from disclosure in accordance with the provisions of such section as in effect on such day.

"(2) Disposal.—The Administrator, in partnership with community water systems (as defined in section 1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act [42 U.S.C. 300f]), shall develop a strategy to, in a timeframe determined appropriate by the Administrator, securely and permanently dispose of, or return to the applicable community water system, any information described in paragraph (1)."

§300i–3. Contaminant prevention, detection and response

(a) In general

The Administrator, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and, after consultation with appropriate departments and agencies of the Federal Government and with State and local governments, shall review (or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements to provide for a review of) current and future methods to prevent, detect and respond to the intentional introduction of chemical, biological or radiological contaminants into community water systems and source water for community water systems, including each of the following:

(1) Methods, means and equipment, including real time monitoring systems, designed to monitor and detect various levels of chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants or indicators of contaminants and reduce the likelihood that such contaminants can be successfully introduced into public water systems and source water intended to be used for drinking water.

(2) Methods and means to provide sufficient notice to operators of public water systems, and individuals served by such systems, of the introduction of chemical, biological or radiological contaminants and the possible effect of such introduction on public health and the safety and supply of drinking water.

(3) Methods and means for developing educational and awareness programs for community water systems.

(4) Procedures and equipment necessary to prevent the flow of contaminated drinking water to individuals served by public water systems.

(5) Methods, means, and equipment which could negate or mitigate deleterious effects on public health and the safety and supply caused by the introduction of contaminants into water intended to be used for drinking water, including an examination of the effectiveness of various drinking water technologies in removing, inactivating, or neutralizing biological, chemical, and radiological contaminants.

(6) Biomedical research into the short-term and long-term impact on public health of various chemical, biological and radiological contaminants that may be introduced into public water systems through terrorist or other intentional acts.

(b) Funding

For the authorization of appropriations to carry out this section, see section 300i–4(e) of this title.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XIV, §1434, as added Pub. L. 107–188, title IV, §402, June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 685.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Centers for Disease Control changed to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Pub. L. 102–531, title III, §312, Oct. 27, 1992, 106 Stat. 3504.

§300i–4. Supply disruption prevention, detection and response

(a) Disruption of supply or safety

The Administrator, in coordination with the appropriate departments and agencies of the Federal Government, shall review (or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements to provide for a review of) methods and means by which terrorists or other individuals or groups could disrupt the supply of safe drinking water or take other actions against water collection, pretreatment, treatment, storage and distribution facilities which could render such water significantly less safe for human consumption, including each of the following:

(1) Methods and means by which pipes and other constructed conveyances utilized in public water systems could be destroyed or otherwise prevented from providing adequate supplies of drinking water meeting applicable public health standards.

(2) Methods and means by which collection, pretreatment, treatment, storage and distribution facilities utilized or used in connection with public water systems and collection and pretreatment storage facilities used in connection with public water systems could be destroyed or otherwise prevented from providing adequate supplies of drinking water meeting applicable public health standards.

(3) Methods and means by which pipes, constructed conveyances, collection, pretreatment, treatment, storage and distribution systems that are utilized in connection with public water systems could be altered or affected so as to be subject to cross-contamination of drinking water supplies.

(4) Methods and means by which pipes, constructed conveyances, collection, pretreatment, treatment, storage and distribution systems that are utilized in connection with public water systems could be reasonably protected from terrorist attacks or other acts intended to disrupt the supply or affect the safety of drinking water.

(5) Methods and means by which information systems, including process controls and supervisory control and data acquisition and cyber systems at community water systems could be disrupted by terrorists or other groups.

(b) Alternative sources

The review under this section shall also include a review of the methods and means by which alternative supplies of drinking water could be provided in the event of the destruction, impairment or contamination of public water systems.

(c) Requirements and considerations

In carrying out this section and section 300i–3 of this title—

(1) the Administrator shall ensure that reviews carried out under this section reflect the needs of community water systems of various sizes and various geographic areas of the United States; and

(2) the Administrator may consider the vulnerability of, or potential for forced interruption of service for, a region or service area, including community water systems that provide service to the National Capital area.

(d) Information sharing

As soon as practicable after reviews carried out under this section or section 300i–3 of this title have been evaluated, the Administrator shall disseminate, as appropriate as determined by the Administrator, to community water systems information on the results of the project through the Information Sharing and Analysis Center, or other appropriate means.

(e) Funding

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section and section 300i–3 of this title not more than $15,000,000 for the fiscal year 2002 and such sums as may be necessary for the fiscal years 2003 through 2005.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XIV, §1435, as added Pub. L. 107–188, title IV, §402, June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 686.)