42 U.S.C. § 300i–1 — Tampering with public water systems

(a) Tampering. Anyone who tampers with a public water system can be imprisoned for up to 20 years, fined under title 18, or both. (b) Attempt or threat. Anyone who attempts to tamper, or threatens to tamper, with a public drinking water system can be imprisoned for up to 10 years, fined under title 18, or both. (c) Civil penalty. The Administrator may sue, in the right U.S. district court, anyone who tampers, attempts to tamper, or threatens to tamper with a public water system. The court may impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000,000 for tampering, or up to $100,000 for an attempt or threat. (d) "Tamper" — defined. In this section, "tamper" means (1) introducing a contaminant into a public water system intending to harm people, or (2) otherwise interfering with a public water system's operation intending to harm people.