3900-FM-BSDW0209
Instructions
2/2012
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
BUREAU OF SAFE DRINKING WATER
Instructions for Consumer Notice of Tap Water Results
Templates for Community Water Systems
Chapter 109.1104(b) requires community water systems to deliver a consumer tap notice of lead
tap water monitoring results to persons served by the water at sites that are sampled.
The consumer notice must include:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Results of lead tap water monitoring for the tap that was sampled.
Lead health effects language.
List of steps consumers can take to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water.
Water system contact information.
Action Level and Maximum Contaminant Level Goal definitions.
Additionally, the water supplier shall submit to DEP within 3 months of the end of the monitoring
period in which lead tap monitoring was conducted a sample copy of the consumer notice of lead
tap monitoring results along with a certification form (3900-FM-BSDW0205) that the notices were
distributed by mail or by another method approved by DEP.
Template Information:
Template information in italics is required/mandatory language that cannot be changed.
Each template includes:
1) Language that describes the consumer tap monitoring result and whether or not the value
exceeded the lead action level.
2) Mandatory language about lead health effects, the definitions of action level and maximum
contaminant level goal and water supplier contact information (in italics throughout the
notice).
3) Suggested language regarding the 90th percentile value and steps a water supplier is
taking under “What does this mean?”
4) Suggested language regarding sources of lead under “What are the sources of lead?”
5) Suggested language regarding actions consumers can take to reduce exposure under
“What can I do to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water?”
Water suppliers must select the appropriate scenario template (1st or 2nd) based on whether the
individual consumer tap result was above or below the lead action level. There is additional
suggested language in the 2nd template to provide more lead education information to the
consumer.
1st template: Consumer tap result was below the lead action level of 15 parts per billion.
2nd template: Consumer tap result exceeded the lead action level of 15 parts per billion.
-1-
3900-FM-BSDW0209
Instructions
2/2012
Template Form Field Instructions:
Greeting:
• Insert the consumer’s name in the greeting.
Opening paragraph:
• Insert name of your water system in the first opening sentence.
• Insert the value converted to ppb units. NOTE: To convert a value reported in mg/L to ppb
units, multiply the lead level value by 1,000. For example, if the lead value is 0.002 mg/L,
the converted value in ppb units = 2.
• Insert the date.
• If the consumer tap result exceeds the AL; but you have other results below the AL, you
may add the following optional sentence:
o Other homes were tested as part of our program, and the elevated lead results from
your home are not typical of results being obtained from other homes.
• If you want to include information about the copper results, you may include a statement
about the copper level. This is optional and not required.
NOTE: To add optional text to the letter, you must save a copy of this document to your
computer and access the “Tools” tab and select “Unprotect” so that you can type within the body
of the letter. When you are finished editing the text, save the document and select “protect”
under the “Tools” tab so that you can use the “form field” function.
For More Information
•
Insert water system phone number.
Template Form Field Tips:
When you place the cursor in the form field of the following template, look in the bottom left
corner of your computer (row above the START button) for instructions about the information you
enter in that field.
(i.e. first form field instructions read: Insert consumer’s name)
-2-
3900-FM-BSDW0209
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2/2012
1st template – Consumer Lead Tap Result below 15 ppb
3900-FM-BSDW0209
Form
2/2012
Dear
monitoring program. A lead level of
sample collected on
is below the lead action level of 15 ppb.
appreciates your participation in the lead tap
parts per billion (ppb) was reported for the
at your home. We are happy to report that your result
What does this mean?
The action level is the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or
other requirements which a water system must follow. Because lead may pose serious health
risks, the EPA set a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) of zero for lead. The MCLG is
the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to
health. MCLGS allow for a margin of safety.
What are the health effects of lead?
Lead can cause serious health problems if too much enters your body from drinking water or
other sources. It can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, and can interfere with the
production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. The greatest risk of lead
exposure is to infants, young children, and pregnant women. Scientists have linked the effects of
lead on the brain with lowered IQ in children. Adults with kidney problems and high blood
pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more than healthy adults. Lead is stored in the
bones, and it can be released later in life. During pregnancy, the child receives lead from the
mother’s bones, which may affect brain development.
What are the sources of lead?
Children are exposed to lead when they ingest deteriorating lead-based paint, inhale or ingest
lead-contaminated dust and/or lead-contaminated residential soil. Exposure to lead is a
significant health concern, especially for young children and infants whose growing bodies tend to
absorb more lead than the average adult. Although your home’s drinking water lead levels were
below the action level, if you are concerned about lead exposures, you should ask your health
care provider about testing your child for high levels of lead in the blood.
What can I do to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water?
•
Run your water to flush out lead. If water hasn’t been used for several hours, run water for
15-30 seconds or until it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature before using it for
drinking or cooking. This flushes lead-containing water from the pipes.
•
Use cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula.
3900-FM-BSDW0209
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•
Do not boil water to remove lead.
•
Look for alternative sources or treatment of water. NSF Consumer Affairs Office has
developed a NSF Water Fact Kit for consumers that includes specific information about lead in
drinking water at: http://www.nsf.org/consumer/newsroom/kit_water.asp
For More Information
Call us at
or visit our website at
to find out additional
information on lead. For more information on reducing lead exposure around your home and the
health effects of lead, visit EPA’s website at: www.epa.gov/lead, call the National Lead
Information Center at 800-424-LEAD, or contact your health care provider.
3900-FM-BSDW0209
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2nd template – Consumer Lead Tap Result above 15 ppb
3900-FM-BSDW0209
Form
2/2012
Dear
appreciates your participation in the lead tap
monitoring program. A lead level of
parts per billion (ppb) was reported for the sample
collected on
at your home. Your result was greater than the lead
action level of 15 ppb. This level was measured in your water after a non-use period of at least 6 hours.
This sample represents the worst-case result that can be expected from your home. Since the result from
your home was over the action level for lead, we are recommending that you take additional actions listed
below to minimize your exposure to lead.
What does this mean?
Under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA set the action level for lead in drinking water at
15 ppb. This means utilities must ensure that water from the customer’s tap does not exceed this level in
at least 90 percent of the homes sampled (represents the 90th percentile value). The action level is the
concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water
system must follow. If water from the tap does exceed this limit, then the utility must take certain steps to
correct the problem. Because lead may pose serious health risks, the EPA set a Maximum Contaminant
Level Goal (MCLG) of zero for lead. The MCLG is the level of a contaminant in drinking water below
which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGS allow for a margin of safety.
Your lead level may be due to conditions unique to your home, such as the presence of lead solder or
brass faucets, fittings and valves that may contain lead, or your home receives water from a lead service
line. Our system works to keep the corrosivity of our water as low as possible (corrosive water can cause
lead to leach from plumbing materials that contain lead) and there are actions you can take to reduce
exposure. We strongly urge you to take the steps below to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water.
What are the health effects of lead?
Lead can cause serious health problems if too much enters your body from drinking water or other
sources. It can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, and can interfere with the production of red blood
cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young
children, and pregnant women. Scientists have linked the effects of lead on the brain with lowered IQ in
children. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more
than healthy adults. Lead is stored in the bones, and it can be released later in life. During pregnancy,
the child receives lead from the mother’s bones, which may affect brain development. If you are
concerned about lead exposure, you may want to ask your health care provider about testing children to
determine levels of lead in their blood.
3900-FM-BSDW0209
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2/2012
What are the sources of lead?
Although most lead exposure occurs when people eat paint chips and inhale lead-contaminated dust, or
ingest lead-contaminated residential soil, EPA estimates that 10 to 20 percent of human exposure to lead
may come from lead in drinking water. Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through
the corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures
and solder. However, new homes are also at risk: even legally “lead-free” plumbing may contain up to
8 percent lead. The most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures
which can leach significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water.
What can I do to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water?
•
Run your water to flush out lead. If water hasn’t been used for several hours, run water for
15-30 seconds or until it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature before using it for drinking or
cooking. This flushes out any stagnant water in your home plumbing and replaces it with fresh water
from the water main in your street.
•
Use cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula. Do not cook with or drink water
from the hot water tap; lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Do not use water from the hot water
tap to make baby formula.
•
Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead. In fact, lead concentrations
will be higher in water that is boiled since some of the water is removed as steam.
•
Look for alternative sources or treatment of water. You may want to consider purchasing
bottled water or a water filter. Read the package to be sure the filter is approved to reduce lead or
contact NSF International at 800-NSF-8010 or www.nsf.org. Water treatment device information can
be found at: http://www.nsf.org/consumer/drinking_water/dw_treatment.asp?program=Waterre
NSF Consumer Affairs Office has developed a NSF Water Fact Kit for consumers that includes
specific information about lead in drinking water at:
http://www.nsf.org/consumer/newsroom/kit_water.asp
•
Test your water for lead.
•
Identify if your plumbing fixtures contain lead. There are lead check swabs that can detect
lead on plumbing surfaces such as solder and pipes. These swabs can be purchased at plumbing and
home improvement stores.
For More Information
Call us at
or visit our website at
.
For more information on
reducing lead exposure around your home and the health effects of lead, visit EPA’s website at:
www.epa.gov/lead, call the National Lead Information Center at 800-424-LEAD, or contact your health
care provider.