Pennsylvania Code
Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Part I - Department of Environmental Protection
Subpart C - Protection of Natural Resources
Article II - Water Resources
Chapter 109 - SAFE DRINKING WATER
Subchapter K - LEAD AND COPPER
Section 109.1104 - Public education and notification

Universal Citation: 25 PA Code § 109.1104

Current through Register Vol. 55, No. 13, March 29, 2025

(a) Public education program. The water supplier for a system that exceeds the lead action level based on tap monitoring conducted under § 109.1103 (relating to monitoring requirements) shall implement a public education program in accordance with this section. The public education program must remain in effect until the system qualifies for discontinuation under paragraph (3).

(1) Content. The water supplier shall include mandatory language established by the EPA under 40 CFR 141.85 (relating to public education and supplemental monitoring requirements), which is incorporated by reference, in all of the printed and broadcast materials distributed through the lead public education program. Additional information presented by a system must be consistent with the information specified in this section and be in plain English that can be understood by laypersons. If appropriate or as designated by the Department, public education materials must be bilingual or multilingual. Systems may delete information pertaining to lead service lines, upon approval by the Department, if no lead service lines exist in the system's service area.
(i) Content of written materials. Community water suppliers and nontransient noncommunity water suppliers shall include the mandatory language and other content requirements established under 40 CFR 141.85(a)(1) and (2), which is incorporated by reference.

(ii) Information for non-English-speaking populations. For each non-English-speaking group that exceeds 10% of the residents for systems serving at least 1,000 people or 100 residents for systems serving less than 1,000 people, and speak the same language other than English, the written materials must contain information in the appropriate languages regarding the importance of the materials or contain a telephone number or address where persons served may contact the water system to obtain a translated copy of the materials or to request assistance in the appropriate language.

(iii) Submission of written materials. Water systems shall submit copies of all written public education materials to the Department prior to delivery.

(2) Delivery.
(i) Community water system requirements. Within 60 days after the end of the monitoring period in which the lead action level was exceeded, unless it is already repeating public education tasks under this subsection, the water supplier for a community water system shall deliver the public education materials to its customers in accordance with clauses (A)-(G). The water supplier shall repeat the tasks contained in clauses (A)-(D) and (H) every 12 months, and in clause (G) every 6 months for as long as the system exceeds the lead action level. For systems that are required to conduct monitoring annually or less frequently, the end of the monitoring period is September 30 of the calendar year in which sampling occurs, or, if the Department has designated an alternate monitoring period, the end of the monitoring period is the last day of the 4-month period in which sampling occurs.
(A) The water supplier shall deliver printed materials meeting the content requirements of paragraph (1) to all bill paying customers.

(B) The water supplier shall deliver education materials meeting the content requirements of paragraph (1) to the local board or department of public health that has jurisdiction over the water system's service area, along with an informational notice that encourages distribution to all the potentially affected consumers. The water supplier shall contact the local board or department of public health directly by phone or in person. The local board or department of public health may provide a specific list of additional community based organizations serving target populations which may include organizations outside the service area of the water system. If a list is provided, the water supplier shall deliver education materials that meet the content requirements of paragraph (1) to all the organizations on the list.

(C) The water supplier shall deliver education materials meeting the content requirements of paragraph (1) to the organizations listed in subclauses (I)-(VI) that are located within the water system's service area, along with an informational notice that encourages distribution to all the organization's potentially affected customers or water system's users:
(I) Public and private schools or local school boards, or both.

(II) Women, Infants, and Children or Head Start Programs whenever available.

(III) Public and private hospitals and medical clinics.

(IV) Pediatricians.

(V) Family planning clinics.

(VI) Local welfare agencies.

(D) The water supplier shall make a good faith effort to locate the following organizations within the water system's service area and deliver education materials meeting the content requirements of paragraph (1) to them along with an informational notice that encourages distribution to all the organization's potentially affected customers or users. The good faith effort to contact at-risk customers must include requesting a specific contact list of the organizations in subclauses (I)-(III) from the local board or department of public health that has jurisdiction over the water system's service area:
(I) Licensed childcare centers.

(II) Public and private preschools.

(III) Obstetricians-gynecologists and midwives.

(E) The water supplier shall provide information on or in each water bill at least quarterly. The message on the water bill must include the following statement exactly as written except for the text in brackets for which the water system must include system-specific information:

"[INSERT WATER SYSTEM NAME] found high levels of lead in drinking water in some homes. Lead can cause serious health problems. For more information please call [INSERT WATER SYSTEM NAME] (or visit [INSERT WEB SITE ADDRESS])."

(F) The water supplier shall post education materials meeting the content requirements of paragraph (1) on the water system's web site if the system serves a population greater than 100,000 for as long as the system exceeds the lead action level.

(G) The water supplier shall submit a press release to newspaper, radio and television stations.

(H) In addition to the requirements of clauses (A)-(F), community water suppliers shall implement at least three activities from the categories listed in subclauses (I)-(IX). The educational content and selection of these activities shall be determined in consultation with the Department.
(I) Public service announcements.

(II) Paid advertisements.

(III) Public area information displays.

(IV) E-mails to customers.

(V) Public meetings.

(VI) Household deliveries.

(VII) Targeted individual customer contact.

(VIII) Direct distribution of education materials to all multifamily homes and institutions.

(IX) Other methods approved by the Department.

(I) A community water system may apply to the Department, in writing, to omit the text required in 40 CFR 141.85(a)(2) and to perform the tasks listed under subparagraph (ii) in lieu of the tasks under clauses (A)-(H) if the following apply:
(I) The system is a facility, such as a prison or a hospital, where the population served is not capable of or is prevented from making improvements to the plumbing or installing point-of-use treatment devices.

(II) The system provides water as part of the cost of services provided and does not charge for water consumption.

(J) A community water system serving 3,300 or fewer persons may modify its public education program as follows:
(I) The system may limit distribution of public education materials required under clauses (B) and (C) to facilities and organizations served by the system that are most likely to be visited by pregnant women and children.

(II) The system may omit the task in clause (G) if notices meeting the content requirements of paragraph (1) are distributed to every household served by the system.

(III) The system shall implement at least one of the tasks specified in clause (H).

(ii) Nontransient noncommunity water system requirements. Within 60 days after the end of the monitoring period in which the lead action level was exceeded, the water supplier for a nontransient noncommunity water system shall deliver the public education materials contained in paragraph (1) to its consumers, unless it is already repeating public education tasks under this subsection. For systems that are required to conduct monitoring annually or less frequently, the end of the monitoring period is September 30 of the calendar year in which sampling occurs, or, if the Department has designated an alternate monitoring period, the end of the monitoring period is the last day of the 4-month period in which sampling occurs.
(A) The water supplier shall post informational posters on lead in drinking water in a public place or common area in each of the buildings served by the system and distribute informational pamphlets or brochures, or both, on lead in drinking water to each person routinely served by the nontransient noncommunity water system. Systems may use electronic transmission in lieu of or combined with printed materials as long as it achieves at least the same coverage.

(B) The water supplier shall repeat the tasks contained in clause (A) at least once during each calendar year in which the system exceeds the lead action level.

(iii) Extension of the 60-day delivery deadline. Water systems may request an extension of the 60-day delivery deadline, but the water system must receive written approval from the Department prior to the 60-day deadline.

(3) Discontinuation of public education program. A water supplier may discontinue delivery of public education materials if the system does not exceed the lead action level during the most recent 6-month monitoring period conducted under § 109.1103. The system shall resume public education in accordance with this section if it exceeds the lead action level at any time during a future monitoring period.

(4) Notification of customer monitoring. A water supplier that fails to meet the lead action level on the basis of tap monitoring conducted in accordance with § 109.1103 shall provide information regarding laboratories certified by the Department for lead and copper testing to any customer who requests it.

(b) Notification of results. Water systems shall deliver a consumer tap notice of lead tap water monitoring results to persons served by the water at sites that are sampled under § 109.1103.

(1) Content. The consumer notice must include the following:
(i) The results of lead tap water monitoring for the tap that was sampled.

(ii) An explanation of the health effects of lead.

(iii) A list of steps consumers can take to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water.

(iv) Contact information for the water system.

(v) The maximum contaminant level goal and the action level for lead and the definitions for these two terms specified by the EPA in 40 CFR 141.153(c) (relating to content of the reports).

(2) Timing. Water systems shall provide the consumer notice within 30 days after the system learns of the tap monitoring results.

(3) Delivery. The consumer notice shall be delivered to persons served at the tap that was sampled either by mail or by another method approved by the Department. The system shall provide notice to all persons served by the tap that was sampled, including consumers who do not receive water bills.

(c) Public notification requirements. A water supplier shall give public notification in accordance with Subchapter D (relating to public notification) when one of the following occurs:

(1) The water supplier fails to perform monitoring and analyses as required by § 109.1103.

(2) The water supplier is not in compliance with a treatment technique established under § 109.1102(b) (relating to action levels and treatment technique requirements).

This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 109.1103 (relating to monitoring requirements); and 25 Pa. Code § 109.1107 (relating to system management responsibilities).

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