(a) Act means the Safe Drinking Water Act as amended (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.).

(b) Contaminant means any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter in water.

(c) Public water system means a system for the provision to the public of piped water for human consumption, if such a system has at least fifteen service connections or regularly serves an average of at least twenty-five individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. Such term includes (1) any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under control of the operator of such system and used primarily in connection with such system, and (2) any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under such control which are used primarily in connection with such system. A public water system is either a “community water system” or a “non-community water system.”

(d) State means the agency of the State or Tribal government which has jurisdiction over public water systems. During any period when a State does not have responsibility pursuant to section 1443 of the Act, the term “State” means the Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

(e) Supplier of water means any person who owns or operates a public water system.

(f) Secondary maximum contaminant levels means SMCLs which apply to public water systems and which, in the judgement of the Administrator, are requisite to protect the public welfare. The SMCL means the maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to the free flowing outlet of the ultimate user of public water system. Contamimants added to the water under circumstances controlled by the user, except those resulting from corrosion of piping and plumbing caused by water quality, are excluded from this definition.

[44 FR 42198, July 19, 1979, as amended at 53 FR 37412, Sept. 26, 1988]