1. Public Notification: Transparency with your Customers
Patrick Kading
Water Supply Division
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Environmental Trade Fair 2018

2. Acronyms
COD- Certificate of Delivery MCL- Maximum Contaminant Level MRDL – Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level PN- Public Notice PWS- Public Water System SMCL- Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level TCEQ- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

3. Why is Effective Public Notification Important?
Inform customers about water quality issues
Protection from potential risks
Build trust with customers

4. What Kind of Violations Require Public Notice?
Exceedances of MCLs or MRDLs
Violations of treatment techniques
Failure to monitor or report
Failure to comply with the schedule of variance or exemption

5. What Situations Require Public Notice?
Waterborne disease outbreak/emergency
Raw source water E. coli positive sample
Exceedance of SMCL for fluoride (community systems)

6. Who Needs to be Notified?
People served by the system
Customers
Those who may not be bill paying customers
Other water systems you sell to
*Identify the types of people served by system in advance

7. What Does the Notice Have to Say?
Violation/situation
When?
Health effects?
Corrective actions
Consumer actions / alternate water source
PWS contact info
Multilingual (if applicable)
Distribution statement

8. Good

9. Good

10. Not so good

11. Not so good

12. What Makes a PN Acceptable?
MUST have PWS name and ID #
MUST include required info (Slide 7)
Can have additional information
CANNOT contradict required information
Should use “layman” language
Formatting is up to the PWS
Most effective way to help public understand

13. How Soon does PN Need to be Issued?
Violation Tier
Deadline for Initial Notice
Repeat Notices 1
24 Hours
As directed by TCEQ 2
30 Days
Every 3 Months 3
1 Year
Annually

14. Methods to Issue PN Broadcast media (radio or television) Newspaper
Variety of broadcast times
Radio/TV station website
Newspaper
Newspaper website/online edition
Posting in conspicuous places
High-traffic locations
Mail
Tier 2 & 3, NOT Tier 1

15. Methods to Issue PN Social Media
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, online community message board
Reverse 911
Immediate
Cell phone numbers if possible
Hand delivery
Door hangers

16. Preparation=Success PLAN AHEAD! Assemble response team
Know your customers and how to reach them
Create your communication channels
Prepare your message
Know when PN is needed before TCEQ notifies you

17. After the PN has been Issued
Prepare Certificate of Delivery (COD)
Send COD and copy of PN to TCEQ

18. Patrick Kading Team Leader, Drinking Water Inventory & Protection