PUBLIC LAW 104-182—AUG. 6, 1996 110 STAT. 1617 "(III) the Administrator or the State (in the case of a State exercising primary enforcement responsibility for public water systems) determines that the water provided for residential or similar uses for drinking, cooking, and bathing is centrally treated or treated at the point of entry by the provider, a pass-through entity, or the user to achieve the equivalent level of protection provided by the applicable national primary drinking water regulations. "(ii) IRRIGATION DISTRICTS.—An irrigation district in existence prior to May 18, 1994, that provides primarily agricultural service through a piped water system with only incidental residential or similar use shall not be considered to be a public water system if the system or the residential or similar users of the system comply with subclause (II) or (III) of clause (i). "(C) TRANSITION PERIOD.—A water supplier that would be a public water system only as a result of modifications made to this paragraph by the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 shall not be considered a public water system for purposes of the Act until the date that is two years after the date of enactment of this subparagraph. If a water supplier does not serve 15 service connections (as defined in subparagraphs (A) and (B)) or 25 people at any time after the conclusion of the 2-year period, the water supplier shall not be considered a public water system.". (2) GAO STUDY. —The Comptroller General of the United States shall undertake a study to— (A) ascertain the numbers and locations of individuals and households relying for their residential water needs, including drinking, bathing, and cooking (or other similar uses) on irrigation water systems, mining water systems, industrial water systems, or other water systems covered by section 1401(4)(B) of the Safe Drinking Water Act that are not public water systems subject to the Safe Drinking Water Act; (B) determine the sources and costs and affordability (to users and systems) of water used by such populations for their residential water needs; and (C) review State and water system compliance with the exclusion provisions of section 1401(4)(B) of such Act. The Comptroller General shall submit a report to the Congress within 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act containing the results of such study. SEC. 102. GENERAL AUTHORITY. (a) STANDARDS.— Section 1412(b) (42 U.S.C. 300g-l(b)) is amended by striking "(b)(1)" and all that follows through the end of paragraph (3) and inserting the following: "(b) STANDARDS. — "(1) IDENTIFICATION OF CONTAMINANTS FOR LISTING.— "(A) GENERAL AUTHORITY.— The Administrator shall, in accordance with the procedures established by this subsection, publish a maximum contaminant level goal and 42 USC 300f note. Reports. Publication. Regulations.
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