(1) In general(A) EstablishmentA State may establish a program under which an owner or operator of a community water system in the State, or a municipal or local government or political subdivision of a State (including a county that is designated by the State to act on behalf of an unincorporated area within that county, with the agreement of that unincorporated area), may submit a source water quality protection partnership petition to the State requesting that the State assist in the local development of a voluntary, incentive-based partnership, among the owner, operator, or government and other persons likely to be affected by the recommendations of the partnership, to—(i) reduce the presence in drinking water of contaminants that may be addressed by a petition by considering the origins of the contaminants, including to the maximum extent practicable the specific activities that affect the drinking water supply of a community;
(ii) obtain financial or technical assistance necessary to facilitate establishment of a partnership, or to develop and implement recommendations of a partnership for the protection of source water to assist in the provision of drinking water that complies with national primary drinking water regulations with respect to contaminants addressed by a petition; and
(iii) develop recommendations regarding voluntary and incentive-based strategies for the long-term protection of the source water of community water systems.
(B) FundingEach State may—(i) use funds set aside pursuant to section 300j–12(k)(1)(A)(iii) of this title by the State to carry out a program described in subparagraph (A), including assistance to voluntary local partnerships for the development and implementation of partnership recommendations for the protection of source water such as source water quality assessment, contingency plans, and demonstration projects for partners within a source water area delineated under section 300j–13(a) of this title; and
(ii) provide assistance in response to a petition submitted under this subsection using funds referred to in subsection (b)(2)(B).
(2) ObjectivesThe objectives of a petition submitted under this subsection shall be to—(A) facilitate the local development of voluntary, incentive-based partnerships among owners and operators of community water systems, governments, and other persons in source water areas; and
(B) obtain assistance from the State in identifying resources which are available to implement the recommendations of the partnerships to address the origins of drinking water contaminants that may be addressed by a petition (including to the maximum extent practicable the specific activities contributing to the presence of the contaminants) that affect the drinking water supply of a community.
(3) Contaminants addressed by a petitionA petition submitted to a State under this subsection may address only those contaminants—(A) that are pathogenic organisms for which a national primary drinking water regulation has been established or is required under section 300g–1 of this title; or
(B) for which a national primary drinking water regulation has been promulgated or proposed and that are detected by adequate monitoring methods in the source water at the intake structure or in any collection, treatment, storage, or distribution facilities by the community water systems at levels—(i) above the maximum contaminant level; or
(ii) that are not reliably and consistently below the maximum contaminant level.
(4) ContentsA petition submitted under this subsection shall, at a minimum—(A) include a delineation of the source water area in the State that is the subject of the petition;
(B) identify, to the maximum extent practicable, the origins of the drinking water contaminants that may be addressed by a petition (including to the maximum extent practicable the specific activities contributing to the presence of the contaminants) in the source water area delineated under section 300j–13 of this title;
(C) identify any deficiencies in information that will impair the development of recommendations by the voluntary local partnership to address drinking water contaminants that may be addressed by a petition;
(D) specify the efforts made to establish the voluntary local partnership and obtain the participation of—(i) the municipal or local government or other political subdivision of the State (including a county that is designated by the State to act on behalf of an unincorporated area within that county) with jurisdiction over the source water area delineated under section 300j–13 of this title; and
(ii) each person in the source water area delineated under section 300j–13 of this title—(I) who is likely to be affected by recommendations of the voluntary local partnership; and(II) whose participation is essential to the success of the partnership;
(E) outline how the voluntary local partnership has or will, during development and implementation of recommendations of the voluntary local partnership, identify, recognize and take into account any voluntary or other activities already being undertaken by persons in the source water area delineated under section 300j–13 of this title under Federal or State law to reduce the likelihood that contaminants will occur in drinking water at levels of public health concern; and
(F) specify the technical, financial, or other assistance that the voluntary local partnership requests of the State to develop the partnership or to implement recommendations of the partnership.