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42 U.S.C. § 300g–6

Prohibition on use of lead pipes, solder, and flux

United States · Title 42 — THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE · Status: effective

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42 U.S.C. § 300g–6, Prohibition on use of lead pipes, solder, and flux, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/476235
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No person may use any pipe, any pipe or plumbing fitting or fixture, any solder, or any flux, after June 19, 1986, in the installation or repair of— Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to leaded joints necessary for the repair of cast iron pipes. Each owner or operator of a public water system shall identify and provide notice to persons that may be affected by lead contamination of their drinking water where such contamination results from either or both of the following: Notice under this paragraph shall provide a clear and readily understandable explanation of— Effective 2 years after August 6, 1996, it shall be unlawful— The prohibitions in paragraphs (1) and (3) shall not apply to— The requirements of subsection (a)(1) shall be enforced in all States effective 24 months after June 19, 1986. States shall enforce such requirements through State or local plumbing codes, or such other means of enforcement as the State may determine to be appropriate. The requirements of subsection (a)(2) shall apply in all States effective 24 months after June 19, 1986. If the Administrator determines that a State is not enforcing the requirements of subsection (a) as required pursuant to subsection (b), the Administrator may withhold up to 5 percent of Federal funds available to that State for State program grants under section 300j–2(a) of this title. For the purposes of this section, the term “lead free” means— The weighted average lead content of a pipe, pipe fitting, plumbing fitting, or fixture shall be calculated by using the following formula: For each wetted component, the percentage of lead in the component shall be multiplied by the ratio of the wetted surface area of that component to the total wetted surface area of the entire product to arrive at the weighted percentage of lead of the component. The weighted percentage of lead of each wetted component shall be added together, and the sum of these weighted percentages shall constitute the weighted average lead content of the product. The lead content of the material used to produce wetted components shall be used to determine compliance with paragraph (1)(B). For lead content of materials that are provided as a range, the maximum content of the range shall be used. The Administrator shall provide accurate and timely technical information and assistance to qualified third-party certifiers in the development of voluntary standards and testing protocols for the leaching of lead from new plumbing fittings and fixtures that are intended by the manufacturer to dispense water for human ingestion. If a voluntary standard for the leaching of lead is not established by the date that is 1 year after August 6, 1996, the Administrator shall, not later than 2 years after August 6, 1996, promulgate regulations setting a health-effects-based performance standard establishing maximum leaching levels from new plumbing fittings and fixtures that are intended by the manufacturer to dispense water for human ingestion. The standard shall become effective on the date that is 5 years after the date of promulgation of the standard. If regulations are required to be promulgated under subparagraph (A) and have not been promulgated by the date that is 5 years after August 6, 1996, no person may import, manufacture, process, or distribute in commerce a new plumbing fitting or fixture, intended by the manufacturer to dispense water for human ingestion, that contains more than 4 percent lead by dry weight. The Administrator shall make information available to the public regarding lead in drinking water, including information regarding— In making information available to the public under this subsection, the Administrator shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, carry out targeted outreach strategies that focus on educating groups within the general population that may be at greater risk than the general population of adverse health effects from exposure to lead in drinking water.

Legislative history

The public laws that enacted or amended this section. Tallies are for the whole bill as it passed each chamber — often an omnibus covering far more than this provision — not a vote on this section alone.

  • Enacted byPub. L. 99-339(S. 124)1986-06-19
    Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1986
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 104-182(S. 1316)1996-08-06
    Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996
  • Amended byPub. L. 111-380(S. 3874)2011-01-04
    Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act
    House: 226–109Senate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 113-64(H.R. 3588)2013-12-20
    Community Fire Safety Act of 2013
    House: 384–0Senate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 114-322(S. 612)2016-12-16
    WIIN Act
    House: 360–61Senate: no recorded tally