Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§300i–4 Supply Disruption Prevention, Detection and Response

Title 42 › CHAPTER 6A — PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER XII — SAFETY OF PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS › Part D — Emergency Powers › § 300i–4

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Administrator, working with other federal agencies, must review how terrorists or others could stop or make drinking water unsafe and how to stop that from happening. The review can be done by the Administrator or by hired contractors. It looks at damage to pipes and other built water lines, harm to collection, pretreatment, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities, ways water could become cross‑contaminated, ways to protect these systems, and how computer and control systems at community water systems could be attacked. The review must also look at ways to provide backup or alternative drinking water if systems are destroyed, damaged, or contaminated. The Administrator must make sure the reviews cover water systems of different sizes and places, and may focus on areas at higher risk, including the National Capital area. Results must be shared with community water systems as soon as possible, for example through the Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Up to $15,000,000 was authorized for fiscal year 2002, and whatever sums are needed were authorized for fiscal years 2003 through 2005.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §300i–4

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 300i–4

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110