The Required Elements of Public Notice for Public Water Systems

There are 10 required elements in a public notice. Notices must contain:

• A description of the violation that occurred, including the contaminant(s) of concern, and  the contaminant level(s);
• When the violation or situation occurred;
• The potential health effects (including standard required language);
• The population at risk, including subpopulations vulnerable if exposed to the contaminant in their drinking water;
• Whether alternate water supplies need to be used;
• What the water system is doing to correct the problem;
• Actions consumers can take;
• When the system expects a resolution to the problem;
• How to contact the water system for more information; and
• Language encouraging broader distribution of the notice.

Here is an example of what a Public Notice looks like:

• Public Notification Figure (pdf)