Authority of the Chief of the Corps of Engineers To Provide Emergency Drinking Water in Non-Flood Situations

A decision was requested regarding the authority of the Chief of Army Corps of Engineers to provide emergency supplies of clean drinking water. The authority of the Chief of Engineers to provide supplies of drinking water in emergency situations pursuant to Public Law 93-251 is not limited to flood situations even though provisions of the amended U.S. Code generally apply to flood situations since that section of the law in question was enacted as a result of a health threat caused by the dumping of industrial wastes into Lake Superior rather than by a health threat resulting from flooding.