I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4797 
To provide grants to eligible entities to reduce lead in drinking water. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 17, 2016 
Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself and Mr. QUIGLEY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To provide grants to eligible entities to reduce lead in 
drinking water. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Grants and Education 
To Tackle Homeowner Exposure to Lead Ensuring Amer-
ica Drinks Only from Unpolluted Taps Act of 2016’’ or 
the ‘‘GET THE LEAD OUT Act of 2016’’. 
SEC. 2. REDUCING LEAD IN DRINKING WATER. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
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(A) a community water system (as defined 
in section 1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act 
(42 U.S.C. 300f)); 
(B) a system located in an area governed 
by an Indian Tribe (as defined in that section); 
(C) a nontransient noncommunity water 
system; 
(D) a qualified nonprofit organization, as 
determined by the Administrator; and 
(E) a municipality or State, interstate, or 
intermunicipal agency. 
(2) LEAD REDUCTION PROJECT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘lead reduc-
tion project’’ means a project or activity the 
primary purpose of which is to reduce the level 
of lead in water for human consumption by— 
(i) replacement of publicly owned por-
tions of lead service lines; 
(ii) testing, planning, or other relevant 
activities, as determined by the Adminis-
trator, to identify and address conditions 
(including corrosion control) that con-
tribute to increased lead levels in water for 
human consumption; 
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(iii) assistance to low-income home-
owners to replace privately owned portions 
of service lines, pipes, fittings, or fixtures 
that contain lead; and 
(iv) education of consumers regarding 
measures to reduce exposure to lead from 
drinking water or other sources. 
(B) LIMITATION.—The term ‘‘lead reduc-
tion project’’ does not include a partial lead 
service line replacement if, at the conclusion of 
that service line replacement, drinking water is 
delivered to a household through a publicly or 
privately owned portion of a lead service line. 
(3) LOW-INCOME.—The term ‘‘low-income’’, 
with respect to an individual provided assistance 
under this section, has such meaning as may be 
given the term by the head of the municipality or 
State, interstate, or intermunicipal agency with ju-
risdiction over the area to which assistance is pro-
vided. 
(4) MUNICIPALITY.—The term ‘‘municipality’’ 
means— 
(A) a city, town, borough, county, parish, 
district, association, or other public entity es-
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tablished by, or pursuant to, applicable State 
law; and 
(B) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 
4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)). 
(b) GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall establish a grant program to provide as-
sistance to eligible entities for lead reduction 
projects in the United States. 
(2) 
EVALUATION.—In 
providing 
assistance 
under this section, the Administrator shall evalu-
ate— 
(A) that an eligible entity applying for as-
sistance has identified the source of lead in 
water for human consumption; and 
(B) the means by which the proposed lead 
reduction project would reduce lead levels in the 
applicable water system. 
(3) 
PRIORITY
APPLICATION.—In 
providing 
grants under this subsection, the Administrator shall 
give priority to an eligible entity that— 
(A) carries out a lead reduction project at 
a public water system or nontransient non-
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community water system that has exceeded the 
lead action level established by the Adminis-
trator at any time during the 3-year period pre-
ceding the date of submission of the application 
of the eligible entity; 
(B) addresses lead levels in water for 
human consumption at a school, daycare, or 
other facility that primarily serves children or 
another vulnerable human subpopulation; or 
(C) addresses such priority criteria as the 
Administrator may establish, consistent with 
the goal of reducing lead levels of concern. 
(4) COST SHARING.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the non-Federal share of the total 
cost of a project funded by a grant under this 
subsection shall be not less than 20 percent. 
(B) WAIVER.—The Administrator may re-
duce or eliminate the non-Federal share under 
subparagraph (A) for reasons of affordability, 
as the Administrator determines to be appro-
priate. 
(5) LOW-INCOME ASSISTANCE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), an eligible entity may use a grant 
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provided under this subsection to provide assist-
ance to low-income homeowners to carry out 
lead reduction projects. 
(B) LIMITATION.—The amount of a grant 
provided to a low-income homeowner under this 
paragraph shall not exceed the cost of replace-
ment of the privately owned portion of the serv-
ice line. 
(6) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR LEAD SERV-
ICE LINE REPLACEMENT.—In carrying out lead serv-
ice line replacement using a grant under this sub-
section, an eligible entity shall— 
(A) notify customers of the planned re-
placement of any publicly owned portion of the 
lead service line; 
(B) offer— 
(i) in the case of a homeowner that is 
not low-income, to replace the privately 
owned portion of the lead service line at 
the cost of replacement; and 
(ii) in the case of a low-income home-
owner, to replace the privately owned por-
tion of the lead service line and any pipes, 
fittings, and fixtures that contain lead at a 
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cost that is equal to the difference be-
tween— 
(I) the cost of replacement; and 
(II) the amount of low-income as-
sistance available to the homeowner 
under paragraph (5); 
(C) notify each customer that a planned 
replacement of any publicly owned portion of a 
lead service line that is funded by a grant made 
under this subsection will not be carried out un-
less the customer consents to the simultaneous 
replacement of the privately owned portion of 
the lead service line; and 
(D) demonstrate that the eligible entity 
has considered multiple options for reducing 
lead in drinking water, including an evaluation 
of options for corrosion control. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021. 
Æ 
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