---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 300j–3a"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "300j–3a"
heading: "Grants to public sector agencies"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/300j-3a"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter XII — Safety of Public Water Systems"
  - "Part E — General Provisions"
---

# §300j–3a. Grants to public sector agencies

- (a) **Assistance for development and demonstration projects—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) shall offer grants to public sector [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for the purposes of—
  - (1) assisting in the development and demonstration (including [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7)) of any proj­ect which will demonstrate a new or improved method, approach, or technology for providing a dependably safe supply of drinking water to the public; and
  - (2) assisting in the development and demonstration (including [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7)) of any proj­ect which will investigate and demonstrate health and conservation implications involved in the reclamation, recycling, and reuse of wastewaters for drinking and agricultural use or the processes and methods for the preparation of safe and acceptable drinking water.
- (b) **Limitations—** Grants made by the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) under this section shall be subject to the following limitations:
  - (1) Grants under this section shall not exceed 66⅔ per centum of the total cost of [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) of any facility and 75 per centum of any other costs, as determined by the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1).
  - (2) Grants under this section shall not be made for any [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) involving the [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) or modification of any facilities for any public water system in a [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) unless such [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) has been approved by the [State agency](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=12) charged with the responsibility for safety of drinking water (or if there is no such [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) in a [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), by the [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) health authority).
  - (3) Grants under this section shall not be made for any [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) unless the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) determines, after consultation, that such [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) will serve a useful purpose relating to the development and demonstration of new or improved techniques, methods, or technologies for the provision of safe water to the public for drinking.
- (c) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of this section $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1978.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–155, § 5, Nov. 8, 1977, 91 Stat. 1258; Pub. L. 95–477, § 7(a)(1), Oct. 18, 1978, 92 Stat. 1511.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter.

### Amendments

1978—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 95–477 inserted “agricultural use or” after “drinking and”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–477, § 7(a)(2), Oct. 18, 1978, 92 Stat. 1511, provided that: “This subsection [amending this section] shall become effective October 1, 1978.”