---
type: "LegalText"
title: "42 U.S.C. § 300j–19c"
description: "Study on intractable water systems"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
chapter_number: "6A"
chapter_name: "PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE"
section: "300j–19c"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 300j–19c"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s300j–19c"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml"
source_hash: "52eaaaba9a30172f7367725034bbe00b782939698ffb248787da393c295ae3ab"
raw_snapshot_hash: "644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e"
text_hash: "5aa8de085a93488e8c1c38d747c6ccebb12cdd5d31e52f3f51a81970ca330b79"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 42 U.S.C. § 300j–19c - Study on intractable water systems

## Text

(a) Definition of intractable water system In this section, the term “intractable water system” means a community water system or a noncommunity water system—

(1) that serves fewer than 1,000 individuals;

(2) the owner or operator of which—

(A) is unable or unwilling to provide safe and adequate service to those individuals;

(B) has abandoned or effectively abandoned the community water system or noncommunity water system, as applicable;

(C) has defaulted on a financial obligation relating to the community water system or noncommunity water system, as applicable; or

(D) fails to maintain the facilities of the community water system or noncommunity water system, as applicable, in a manner so as to prevent a potential public health hazard; and

(3) that is, as of October 23, 2018—

(A) in significant noncompliance with this chapter or any regulation promulgated pursuant to this chapter; or

(B) listed as having a history of significant noncompliance with this subchapter pursuant to section 300g–9(b)(1) of this title.

(b) Study required (1) In general Not later than 2 years after October 23, 2018, the Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall complete a study that—

(A) identifies intractable water systems; and

(B) describes barriers to delivery of potable water to individuals served by an intractable water system.

(2) Report to Congress Not later than 2 years after October 23, 2018, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report describing findings and recommendations based on the study under this subsection.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XIV, § 1459C, as added Pub. L. 115–270, title II, § 2003, Oct. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 3841.)