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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§300j–21 Definitions

Title 42 › CHAPTER 6A — PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER XII — SAFETY OF PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS › Part F — Additional Requirements To Regulate Safety of Drinking Water › § 300j–21

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Explains the key words used for rules about drinking water coolers and schools. Drinking water cooler is any machine attached to the building water lines that actively cools water people drink. Lead free means every part that might touch drinking water has no more than 8 percent lead, and any solder, flux, or tank inside surface that touches water has no more than 0.2 percent lead; the Administrator may set tougher limits for parts that could be an important lead source. Local educational agency includes public local school agencies, owners of private nonprofit elementary or secondary school buildings, and the governing body of schools under the Defense Dependent’s Education Act of 1978. Repair means fixing a cooler so it becomes lead free. Replacement means removing a cooler or fountain and installing a lead-free one. School means elementary or secondary schools as defined in federal law, plus kindergartens and day care centers. Lead-lined tank means a cooler’s water reservoir made of lead or whose inside surface is not lead free.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §300j–21

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

As used in this part—
(1)Drinking water cooler
The term “drinking water cooler” means any mechanical device affixed to drinking water supply plumbing which actively cools water for human consumption.
(2)Lead free
The term “lead free” means, with respect to a drinking water cooler, that each part or component of the cooler which may come in contact with drinking water contains not more than 8 percent lead, except that no drinking water cooler which contains any solder, flux, or storage tank interior surface which may come in contact with drinking water shall be considered lead free if the solder, flux, or storage tank interior surface contains more than 0.2 percent lead. The Administrator may establish more stringent requirements for treating any part or component of a drinking water cooler as lead free for purposes of this part whenever he determines that any such part may constitute an important source of lead in drinking water.
(3)Local educational agency
The term “local educational agency” means—
(A)any local educational agency as defined in section 7801 of title 20,
(B)the owner of any private, nonprofit elementary or secondary school building, and
(C)the governing authority of any school operating under the defense dependent’s education system provided for under the Defense Dependent’s Education Act of 1978 (20 U.S.C. 921 and following).
(4)Repair
The term “repair” means, with respect to a drinking water cooler, to take such corrective action as is necessary to ensure that water cooler is lead free.
(5)Replacement
The term “replacement”, when used with respect to a drinking water cooler or drinking water fountain, means the permanent removal of the water cooler or drinking water fountain and the installation of a lead free water cooler or drinking water fountain.
(6)School
The term “school” means any elementary school or secondary school as defined in section 7801 of title 20 and any kindergarten or day care facility.
(7)Lead-lined tank
The term “lead-lined tank” means a water reservoir container in a drinking water cooler which container is constructed of lead or which has an interior surface which is not lead free.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Defense Dependent’s Education Act of 1978, referred to in par. (3)(C), probably means the Defense Dependents’ Education Act of 1978, title XIV of Pub. L. 95–561, Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2365, which is classified principally to chapter 25A (§ 921 et seq.) of Title 20, Education. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 921 of Title 20 and Tables.

Amendments

2018—Par. (5). Pub. L. 115–270 inserted “or drinking water fountain” after “water cooler” wherever appearing. 2015—Pars. (3)(A), (6). Pub. L. 114–95 made technical amendment to references in original act which appear in text as references to section 7801 of title 20. 2002—Pars. (3)(A), (6). Pub. L. 107–110 substituted “section 7801 of title 20” for “section 8801 of title 20”. 1996—Pub. L. 104–182 made technical amendment to section catchline and first word of text. 1994—Par. (3)(A). Pub. L. 103–382, § 391(p)(1), substituted “section 8801 of title 20” for “section 198 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 3381)”. Par. (6). Pub. L. 103–382, § 391(p)(2), substituted “section 8801 of title 20” for “section 198 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2854)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of Title 20, Education.

Effective Date

of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–110 effective Jan. 8, 2002, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 107–110, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 6301 of Title 20, Education.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 300j–21

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110