---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 300j–16"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "300j–16"
heading: "Assistance to colonias"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/300j-16"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter XII — Safety of Public Water Systems"
  - "Part E — General Provisions"
---

# §300j–16. Assistance to colonias

- (a) **Definitions—** As used in this section:
  - (1) **Border State—** The term “border [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f)” means Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.
  - (2) **Eligible community—** The term “eligible community” means a low-income community with economic hardship that—
    - (A) is commonly referred to as a colonia;
    - (B) is located along the United States-Mexico border (generally in an unincorporated area); and
    - (C) lacks a safe drinking water supply or adequate facilities for the provision of safe drinking water for human consumption.
- (b) **Grants to alleviate health risks—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and the heads of other appropriate Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) are authorized to award grants to a border [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) to provide assistance to eligible communities to facilitate compliance with national primary drinking water [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) or otherwise significantly further the health protection objectives of this subchapter.
- (c) **Use of funds—** Each grant awarded pursuant to [subsection (b)](#b) shall be used to provide assistance to one or more eligible communities with respect to which the residents are subject to a significant health risk (as determined by the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) or the head of the Federal [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) making the grant) attributable to the lack of access to an adequate and affordable drinking water supply system.
- (d) **Cost sharing—** The amount of a grant awarded pursuant to this section shall not exceed 50 percent of the costs of carrying out the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) that is the subject of the grant.
- (e) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1997 through 1999.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XIV, § 1456, as added Pub. L. 104–182, title I, § 135, Aug. 6, 1996, 110 Stat. 1679.)